Striving for Perfection

Chapters

Timberwolves and the Basics of Magic
New enemies and the first runes
A conversation with the queen and a battle with the dragon. (Edited)
New information
The Battle of Ponyville
Deal
A good conversationalist and a terrible ruler
Conversation in the dining room
Training Pt.1
Training Pt.2
Training Pt.3
After training
Exam
Oath
Fifty soldiers
Battle formation
Christmas
The best
First day in Manehattan
This is a bad idea
A trio?
Broken Doll
The bidding
Operation &
Brilliant little thoughts
And little world wars
Crybaby
Veni
Vidi
Vici?
To Tartarus and Back Pt.1
To Tartarus and Back Pt.2
Of course, unsuccessfull
Finally get some rest
Awakening
Preparation for the jerk
On different sides
Forward and up
The right to kill
Overdose
Desert Zoo
About the fool
Our goal is victory
And we always achieve the goal
Solution, solution and solution
"The Best Night Ever"
Operation Savant
The dawn
The darkest zero
The limit
Striving for. . .
Perfection
Complete
Last fight with human (Edited)
Routine (Edited)
Preparation for the oath
From leather ideal to heavenly squalor
Everything will go according to plan

Timberwolves and the Basics of Magic

This is just another test on the way to perfection.

The little wolf on the left pounced on me. I took a step to the side, hit the head with a knife and kicked the wolf in the side.

The alpha and the second wolf attacked me at the same time, I rolled to the side and plunged the knife into the alpha's stomach. The knife got stuck and I couldn't get it out.

He just doesn't care? There's a knife sticking out of his stomach, and he didn't even pay attention! Does this mean that...

I screamed when the first wolf, confirming my fear, knocked me to the ground and tried to bite off my head, but I kept his mouth at a distance from me. I kicked him in the stomach, which, to my surprise, pierced him through.

Are they really that fragile? Then I'll think about it, and now I need to deal with two more.

While I was thinking, the remaining wolves started circling around me again, waiting for the moment to attack. A simple wolf ran at me, I wanted to kick him in the head, but he was able to dodge and catch me by the right hand. I started hitting him with my free hand wherever I could, in the chest, in the stomach, in the neck, in the head, and eventually turned him into a mess, in the center of which was a green ball covered with wood. The orb seemed alive because it immediately began extending its tentacle-like limbs towards the remains of the wolf to restore its integrity. As soon as I understood the task of this sphere, I crushed it, which immediately stopped the recovery process.

Fragile but regenerates well, quite honestly. Wait, don't tell me the first one is still alive.

And once again, the very first wolf rose from its wreckage like a phoenix from its ashes and launched another attack on me. He looked just awful his muzzle was a mess of debris that was desperately trying to close up a lot of holes in his head. Apparently his core decided that the pieces of wood on the muzzle were more needed in other places.

While my attention was focused on the most annoying, the alpha, followed by the last survivor, caught on my legs, thereby throwing me to the ground. But due to the fact that I already knew their weakness, I hit one hand for each wolf. A hole was formed in the chest of the annoying one through which I could see the sphere and wasted no time taking it and crushing it in my hands. Alas, the alpha turned out to be much stronger and I could only push him a couple of feet away without leaving any visible damage. And then I noticed the main difference between the alpha and his relatives wooden wolves. It's not even wooden, it's fucking stone!

How am I supposed to beat him? He's a rock on his paws! How am I supposed to break a rock with my bare hands?

It looks like the Alpha of the pack sensed my uncertainty and attacked me, but I was able to keep him at a distance with one hand, and with the other I tried to punch him in the chest.

"Bump" is nothing, "bump" is a small dent, "bump" is already a serious dent, but my knuckles are dented and slightly bleeding.

""JUST "hit" DIE "hit"SMALL"hit"MOTHERFUCKER! " I shouted while desperately trying to break through the alpha of the pack.

When my anger at not being able to do anything went over the boiling point, I gathered all my rage and strength into a last desperate blow.

I saw one of the many incredible things today. The veins on my arm became completely black and a black fire began to form around my arm. My hand didn't just deliver a stronger blow to the alpha, but completely shattered his chest. I quickly found the sphere of the last wolf and pulled it out, but I ran into a problem. By the time I was able to pull out the alpha core, my hand had returned to normal, which is why I can't break the core without saying that my hand started to hurt as if it was burning from the inside.

I fell to the ground trying to catch my breath from the fight and not succumb to the temptation to lose consciousness. After a while, I decided to check how serious my wounds were. The knuckles of the right hand were shattered and bleeding profusely, there was a bite mark on the forearm that bled but not as much as the knuckles. There was a bite on my left leg that surprisingly didn't bleed, possibly due to the fact that it was inflicted by an annoying wolf. There was a similar bite on the right leg, only bleeding and larger.

After I checked my wounds, I tore off pieces of fabric from my trousers and used them to stop the bleeding. After I bandaged my wounds, I approached the alpha's corpse after putting the core in my pocket. After a short search, I found his skull along with a knife and decided to take it as a trophy.

"One step closer to perfection," I said, addressing no one in particular, "I need to choose a direction. I have no desire to meet other wolves, so I will go in the opposite direction." I said, turning around and walking deep into the forest.

As I walked in the direction I had chosen, the pain in my arm began to slowly fade. I also decided to check my phone. "Sixty percent and no signal. This day is getting better and better." I muttered, checking my phone.

After what seemed like a couple of hours, I reached the bridge that separated me from the abandoned castle.

"I think this is quite a suitable place to spend the night," I said, stepping onto the rickety bridge

After I crossed the bridge, which miraculously was able to withstand me, I entered the castle whose gates were already open for some reason unknown to me.

Perhaps someone has been here quite recently.

I entered the castle and saw two thrones in front of me, one with the symbolism of the moon, and the second was destroyed to the ground, but judging by the emblem on the floor, the second had the symbolism of the sun.

Dual power? Obviously, whoever lived here before, they were idiots if they decided that the management of two personalities would last for a long time. This castle literally screams: "Look at me! I am a perfect example of why dual power does not work and the country should be governed by a parliament or one person." Okay, I need to find a place to sleep.

After a little wandering around the castle, I found the library. Interested, I went into it. After walking a little deeper into the library, I stumbled over a book lying on the floor.

"Uh, who left this here" - took the book and looked at the title - "Magic and its device for various species of the planet Equus", - muttered the title.

As much as I don't want to deny it, I'm on another planet, and I really hope that since magic exists here as a science, I can get out of here as soon as possible. After all, only I am close enough to perfection to be an example for others. Anyway, now I can get information about the planet I'm on.

I took the book, went to the stained glass window through which the light was pouring, sat down and began to read.

A few hours later.

The sun has already set and after reading the book I realized two main points

Since I don't have a horn, I can't use spells normally, I can only transmit magic over short distances through the air, which means I'll have to use the so-called runes, which were mentioned in the book as a way to use magic for creatures whose horns don't hold magic or don't have horns at all, but how runes work, it is not written. Conclusion: No spells, but I can try using runes.
The magic reserve is calculated from the soul power and the coefficient characteristic of each species, but due to the fact that the author under the pseudonym Magic Ball has never seen a human, I will have to start from the Minotaur coefficient equal to 1.4. And without a special device, I will not be able to find out the soul power. Conclusion: the use of runes is dangerous because of the risk of overexertion.

"(Yawn) I think it's time to go to bed." I said before taking off and lying down on my coat and using the book as a pillow.

POV ???

I've been watching this creature for hours. The way he dealt with the Timberwolves, and the fact that he knows nothing about the place where he is, can make him a good ally for changelings. I must report him to the Queen.

New enemies and the first runes

POV Princess Luna

The dream of the element of laughter was very interesting. An endless fair made of sweets with all kinds of entertainment, ranging from a pinata that I know to an unknown device with a flashing part, looked very fun. I will have to ask my sister about this device later.

I begin to feel that tension has begun to emanate from one of the doors, and I pull her to me. This door had serious differences from all the others. If the pony doors had equal angles, a bright color and an image of a cutie mark on top, then this one had brightly highlighted pointed corners, a bard color and a small sharp protrusion at the top.

It doesn't look like any of the types of doors to dreams I know. Whatever it is, I have to fulfill my duty as a keeper of dreams.

I opened a strange door and walked into it. And I saw clearly not what I expected. I expected from such a door a dream about an incredible battle comparable in scale to the first battles of the war against the Griffonian Empire. I shuddered at the memory of all the cruelty that I had to see then. "Never again." I thought and decided to focus on the dream I entered.

The dream was very minimalistic. Most of it consisted of a black liquid similar to water through which ripples constantly passed and columns of the same color stretching high into the sky. The source of the ripples was a fight between two identical creatures similar to hairless monkeys.

"I'm tired of you! No one has the right to deny my perfection!" One of these creatures shouted when attacking the second.

"How can you not understand? Even if you become perfection, who will consider you an example, if you achieve your goals by walking on a mountain of corpses? Stop before it's too late, think about what Grandpa would say to that." The second creature replied, dodging the blows of the first, but not striking back.

"Don't bring the old man in here!" The first creature replied, continuing its barrage of blows.

Could it be that a new intelligent species has appeared during my absence? Another question to my sister. In any case, it's obvious that the attacker is part of the nightmare and I need to just knock him out of the dream.

I prepared a spell and shot it into a part of the nightmare. As soon as the spell got into the nightmare, the whole dream just fell apart and I woke up on my throne, where I began to enter into other people's dreams.

Did I disturb someone else's sleep because of my hasty conclusions? I'm not even able to do it right?

I suppressed negative thoughts, got up from the throne and decided to go to my sister to ask my questions. No pony attends the night court anyway. No pony appreciates my night.

When I got to my sister's room, I walked in the door without knocking. My sister was sitting next to the fireplace and reading a book. When I entered the room, she looked at me and smiled.

"Good evening, Sister, what brings you to me today?" She asked, keeping a smile on her face.

"And good evening to you, Tia, I wanted to ask you a few questions, if you're free, of course." I replied answering her smile with my own.

"I am always free for you, Sister. Ask your questions." Tia said, approving my suggestion.

"Do you know what kind of device with a flashing part that I saw in the dreams of the element of laughter?" I asked Tia.

"Judging by your description, you have seen a slot machine. A very popular thing among young ponies." Replied Tia.

"I understand. And one more question: during the time I was away, did new intelligent species appear?" I asked, asking the last question for today.

"No, I haven't heard of anything like that, but why do you ask?" Tia said, finishing her own question.

I explained in detail to Tia what I had seen, starting from the moment I saw the unusual door, and ending with the moment when I came out of the creature's dream. When I finished my story, Tia asked me a question.

"Are you sure this isn't just a rich fantasy of some non-pony?" My sister asked, to my annoyance.

"I am absolutely sure of it. If it was a dragon, the door would be richly decorated. No creature capable of dreaming has such a door shape."

"Then it can only mean . . ." Tia didn't finish the sentence when understanding showed on her face.

"Only mean. . ." I also didn't finish when the realization came to me.

"There is a new intelligent being in Equus," my sister and I said at the same time.

POV Daniel

I woke up abruptly, took a sitting position and began to breathe rapidly. It was just a dream. I'm doing everything right.

Wait, why am I in the library? Exactly, apparently I'm actually on another planet after all. I don't even want to think about what will happen to my psyche as soon as the full weight of the situation falls on me. I think first of all I need to learn about the runes.

I got up from my makeshift bed, picked up my coat from the floor and put it on without buttoning it. After I put on my coat, I picked up the alpha's skull from the floor and decided to try to dress it as a helmet, which, to my surprise, turned out. I was about to start searching for books on the subject of runes, when my stomach rumbled, saying that I hadn't eaten anything for a long time.

Or I can look for some food.

After a few minutes, I was able to find a way out of the library, and then out of the castle. After I went out into the fresh air and saw the dawn, I decided to think about a plan to get food.

If I try to run after small animals, I may lose the castle and no longer find my way to it. I think the best solution would be to look at what berries the animals are eating and eat the same if possible, ttrying to kill animals but not chase. Excellent, I have a plan to get food, now I just need to go ahead.

I crossed the bridge and decided to move left along the canyon, constantly looking for animals or berries. After walking for a while, I heard a chirping above me. Raising my head, I saw a nest with chickens, which the mother bird had just arrived and started feeding. I pulled the knife out of my pocket and started preparing to throw.

Of the many things my grandfather taught me, God rest his soul, throwing a knife is one of the most useful. I just need to stick a knife in the belly of a bird and I'll get some meat and maybe, if I'm lucky, a couple of eggs.

When I finished aiming, I threw the knife at the mother bird in one quick movement, causing her to fall from a tree a couple of feet away from me. While the chicks in the nest were chirping trying to call their mother, I went up to the mother bird that had fallen from the tree, pulled the knife out of her chest and quickly stuck the knife into her head so that she definitely did not survive. After I finished with the mother bird, I climbed up a tree, which was surprising considering my wounds and quickly finished with the chickens, but, alas, there were no eggs in the nest. As a result, I have one adult bird and three chicks as food.

After I gutted the birds. I found branches and after many attempts I was able to light a fire on which I cooked my prey. After I had breakfast, I decided to find some water and some berries.

As I walked to the river, I started to feel guilty for what I had been doing for the last few days. I didn't do anything wrong! I did everything right. After a while I found a small river. After drinking some water from it, removing the alpha's skull from my head and washing my face, I decided to check my wounds. Starting with the left leg, which had the most minor wounds, I was shocked that there was not even a wound in the leg, only one scar remained, but nothing serious. There was a bite mark on his right leg, but it wasn't bleeding anymore. There was the same situation on my forearm as on my leg, a bite, but without bleeding. The knuckles were bleeding slightly and didn't look much better than before.

After examining my wounds, I washed them with water and bandaged everything again, except the wound on my left leg. When I finished dressing the last wound and put on my makeshift helmet, I decided to return to the castle.

On the way to the castle, I had the feeling that someone was watching me. When I approached the castle, I already saw the most hated creature on this planet, namely a wolf made of wood, thank God, only one, but blocking the way to the bridge. He looked like he was looking for someone, constantly sniffing.

As soon as I saw him, I climbed the nearest tree and started watching him, but he didn't go anywhere. He was constantly looking around, trying to find what he was looking for.

What if he's looking for me? What if this wolf and the ones I encountered yesterday are from the same big pack? I have been on this planet for only one day and have already found enemies in the form of a pack of wolves. Great. I have to attack him first.

I jumped from one tree to another and repeated this process several times until I was right above it. As soon as I was above him, I jumped down from the tree and crushed him. Among its fragments, I found the core of this wolf and tore it apart, feeling great pleasure from it.

What the hell is going on today? Why do I feel such mood swings all day? Am I already starting to go crazy? God help me.

Deciding to leave thinking about my mental health for later, I decided to look at the sun to determine the time. Judging by the position of the sun, it's about seven in the morning. Did I wake up early or did I take a short walk? I crossed the bridge, went back to the library and started looking for books about runes. After a couple of minutes, I collected several books that I considered necessary, namely "The basic device of the runes", "A Guide to creating runes" and "Fundamentals of Magic Management for non-horned species". Taking the same place where I slept last time and taking off my makeshift helmet, I decided to start with a book about magic management.

A few hours later.

I quickly read the most necessary information from all three books and learned a few more things about magic.

Runes consist of three main parts: The outer circle is the type of action. It is necessary to hold the whole rune and indicate to other parts how to work, that is, if the outer circle gives the command "to itself" and the action is "arrow", then the caster will shoot himself. The Central district-the effect of the action. An important part is necessary for the uniform distribution of magic on the rune and also sets the effect of the action, that is, if the central circle has the effect of "fire" and the action is "ball", then you will get a classic fireball. The symbol in the center of the rune is an action. Action this action is all very simple "Arrow" releases the arrow "Ball" releases the ball and so on. The absence of one of the elements leads to the creation of an unstable rune that risks exploding at any second.
The rune is created with the help of pure magic, which the user pulls out of himself and collects into all the necessary parts. This is the main risk of using runes, because pure magic is called all the magic in the body, and without magic there is an instant death of the body. A dangerous toy.
Most non-horned species treat magic with contempt, so they don't know how to control it, but if I'm going to become perfection, I need to know and be able to do everything that can be known and be able to. Magic control is achieved through long and deep meditation during which you need to feel your magic.

I just need to meditate until I get a result. Simple enough. Thank God, I've already meditated a couple of times.

I sat down, crossed my legs, closed my eyes and started trying to focus on the feeling of magic inside me. At some point, I began to feel the two energies that were fighting with each other. The first energy had the feeling of a cool liquid, which sought to secure all parts of my body and the space around. Every time the first energy reached my head, I began to feel a wave of calm and. . . feeling guilty? What should I feel guilty about? At the same time, the second energy felt like a warm fire that sought to engulf all parts of my body and incinerate the entire space around me. Every time the second energy reached my head, I began to feel the flames of rage, hatred for all living things and righteousness. So that's what's happening today, I thought. After I understood and got used to these two energies, I started trying to connect them with each other. At first there was no reaction, but after a while they began to slowly move towards each other and eventually merged into one.

I began to concentrate on the combined energy, trying to pull part of it out of my body and form a rune. My magic of constantly changing color from bright blue to completely black began to slowly come out of my fingers and create a rune the size of a palm. The outer circle covered with spikes was formed very simply. The simplified central circle created only for the distribution of energy was more difficult to form than the outer one, but I managed. Already at this stage, I felt the instability of the rune and decided to hurry up. I hastily made the Arrow action symbol and finished transferring the magic to the rune to activate it. As a result, my arrow flew only five feet and disappeared into thin air.

"Not bad for the first time, but I need more practice. " I said when I saw the first result of my work and started trying to make a new rune.

After a couple of minutes during which I created runes, each of which showed the same unsatisfactory result, I decided to change the approach. I tried to focus not on how to draw a rune, but on what I needed from it. While I was creating the rune, I began to imagine how it releases an arrow that flies as far as possible. The rune began to glow brighter, and I felt the energy being actively drawn out of me into the rune. The arrow flew out at a much faster speed than the previous ones, and flew until it crashed into the nearest bookcase.

I went to the cabinet where the arrow had crashed into and checked how effective the arrow was. The arrow pierced through one of the books and almost pierced the cabinet itself, but it was about half an inch short. I'm starting to like it.

What if I create a small rune, but concentrate a lot of magic in it? I have to try.

I started creating a small rune the size of a golf ball and putting a lot of magic into it. When the rune was formed, I released it, but, alas, it flew less than a foot and fell apart in the air.

Although I was disappointed with the result, I realized that I would not be able to become perfection if I did not make every possible effort. After such an active use of magic, I began to feel very exhausted.

I barely made it to the place where I slept the last time. Looking at the street through the window, I realized that it was already night. "It looks like I've been meditating for a very long time," I thought, before lying down in the same place as last night and falling asleep without taking off my coat. My last thought before falling asleep was "I need to deal with the wolves."

POV ???

I walked up to the throne of my caring queen and bowed. After a while, she turned her attention to me.

"What's wrong, my child?" She asked curiously.

"Thank you for your attention, Your Highness. Today I was scouting in the everfree forest and discovered an unknown creature. " I said to my queen.

"And what is it about this creature that should bother me?" The queen asked without any interest.

"That it is obviously intelligent and has enough power to kill the alpha Timberwolves. Therefore, I decided to inform you about it, Your Highness." I replied, giving the Queen a brief account of the creature.

"You made the right choice, my child, and, speaking of this creature, find out everything about him that can be useful to convince him to join us if he refuses, suck the love out of him and finish him off. Do you understand?" My queen ended with a question.

"Don't take it as an insult, Your Highness, but why can't he become a prisoner? " I asked, not understanding why destroy the source of love.

"The fact is that a creature capable of killing an alpha will be very difficult to keep in custody. Are there any other questions?" The Queen asked me.

"There are no questions, Your Highness." I said before going to the everfree forest to follow the creature.

A conversation with the queen and a battle with the dragon. (Edited)

POV Queen Chrysalis

A report for Queen Chrysalis.

From the Scout Abdomen

The creature is a bipedal apelike devoid of fur almost everywhere except for the head and a small area above the lip. He tries to wear clothes, but because of living in the Everfree forest, he lost most of them. Shows high physical strength slightly inferior to the average Earth pony, but at the same time can create magical signs for using combat spells. Under certain circumstances, it can significantly increase strength and speed to the detriment of intelligence and health.

Functions that can be used: The creature, even if possible, never retreats. He is constantly in the library, presumably to search for additional magical signs and get information about the area.

I finish reading the report and look at the scout who gave it to me with a raised eyebrow.

"It's been almost two weeks since I sent you to find out about this creature and that's all you've been able to find out?" I asked, dissatisfied with such a small amount of information.

"B-But, your Highness, it's almost always silent, and even when it says nothing useful, that's all I could get." He replied trying to justify himself.

"Even so, you didn't learn almost anything new," I said with disappointment in my voice.

"I-I'm v-very sorry, Your Highness," he said with fear in his voice.

"And that's true, but you have a chance to be forgiven if you tell me more about the magic signs."

"From what I saw, they consisted of two circles and a symbol in the center. All of them were created with the help of magic that the creature pulled out of its body. " He replied with the hope that this would be enough to get forgiveness.

I have leverage on him. It wants to study the runes for some purpose and since ponies are afraid of anything that doesn't look like them, it will be forced to join me to expand its knowledge of runes.

"So be it, this time I will show mercy, but next time don't expect it." I said with severity in my voice.

"I cannot express in words how grateful I am to you, my queen." He said with great gratitude in his voice before bowing and hurriedly leaving.

I'll take some changelings with me and enlist the support of this creature.

POV Daniel

It's been two weeks since I've been stuck on this planet, and I'm trying not to lose hope of returning home. I still haven't found the pack cave, and I'm not going to go deeper into the forest. My right arm has finally healed, and now, apart from many other wounds, I am healthy. Speaking of a large number of wounds, these are mostly holes that I got a week ago when I tried to intentionally use black fire, which turned out, but with serious consequences. Despite the fact that the holes are being tightened, they still cause pain.

All I have left of my clothes is a loincloth that used to be trousers and a coat from which I had to tear off the sleeves. My phone ran out of battery a couple of days ago and I lost my wallet during one of the fights, so of my personal belongings I have only a skull and an alpha core, as well as a knife whose blade is badly damaged and will soon break.

I learned how to use my magic in the form of tentacles to lift objects from a short distance, and finally was able to create a small rune the size of a golf ball. A small arrow created by this rune was able to pierce several bookcases and stop only at the wall, making a hole about an inch deep in it. My supply of consecutive runes has reached ten, and I have a feeling that this is my limit.

I found a HUGE book on the subject of the soul, and when I say huge, I mean it's the size of a fucking electric generator. In any case, speaking about the content of this book, I understood and remembered only one thing: every soul has a limit that it overcomes in the process of the so-called "Tests of Will", but I could not understand what it is because of the very poor wording of the book. I came to the conclusion that this is just a workout, but with a pretentious name.

I once again lie on my coat and using the book as a pillow. Today I once again feel exhausted and try to stay conscious. At some point, I begin to hear the approaching sounds of footsteps on the floor. I slowly get up and realize that the sound is coming from the entrance to the library.

Even though I know there are intelligent species on this planet, I don't want to meet with any of them. No one knows what they will want to do with me as an alien. I need to hide and fast.

I snuggle up against the nearest bookcase and listen to the sound of footsteps. Judging by the sound, ten people are coming towards me and are approaching quickly. Fuck.

"Find the creature and bring it to me!" a female voice shouted in a commanding tone.

I hear eight people running in all directions in search of me. Wait eight? Where's the other one? Probably stayed to guard the commander. In any case, judging by the sounds, they are walking in pairs and two of them are approaching me from both sides.

If I climb on the closet, they will definitely see me-a bad plan. If I try to escape, I will have to fight with the soldiers, and I have little chance of success in this confrontation. I can only try to get in touch with the locals.

I slowly move away from the bookcase and start thinking about how to contact the locals. Two ugly creatures come out on either side of me. They look like completely black miniature horses with blue eyes, black horns, protruding fangs, beetle-like wings, and holes in their limbs. So there were only five of them, I thought. I am in shock for a couple of seconds, but I cope and decide that it is more important to establish contact now.

"Calm down, I have peaceful intentions. I won't hurt anyone." I said, raising my hands up and trying to speak in a soothing voice.

It looks like they didn't appreciate my gesture because they immediately attacked me from both sides. I quickly shot the one on the right with a ricochet arrow and ducked, thus knocking out both. But two more freaks ran to the noise. They jumped on me at the same time, but I caught them with my magical tentacles and threw them into the wall.

I understand that I am an unknown being to them, but why attack right away? And why are they so weak? In any case, only the commander will remain, and I will be able to get out of here, but this castle is already unsafe.

I run for my coat and put it on. Then I find the alpha's skull and put it on my head. I turn around on the spot and run to the exit of the library. The exit from the library is blocked by a creature similar to the past freaks, but about one and a half times taller with a crown-like growth on its head, a crooked horn and green eyes. I start to prepare an ordinary arrow, but as soon as the creature notices me, its horn sparkles and releases a beam at me. When the beam hits me, I stop feeling my limbs and fall to the floor.

"You know, I didn't think you could pass the test so quickly. I'm even a little impressed," the horse woman said, slowly approaching me.

"Who the hell are you and what do you need?" I asked, not understanding what she needed.

"So be it, I will answer your questions, creature, but don't test my patience. I am Chrysalis, the changeling queen, and I have a suggestion for you, creature," Chrysalis said with a slight irritation in her voice.

"Okay, talk more specifically and quickly about the case," I replied, despite my disadvantage.

"Don't be arrogant, creature. Now I decide who will speak and how much. Let's get back to business. My offer is that I will give you the knowledge of the runes that you need so much, but in return you will work for me. "

"And why should I believe that you will adhere to these conditions? " I asked incredulously.

Instead of answering, she almost instantly creates her rune twice the size of my palm, but her rune is green and easily breaks through several bookcases. After the demonstration, she creates a notebook in the air and throws it to me.

"I'm one of the few who knows how to use runes, but it's harder for me to do it than for you because of the horn. In this notebook there are some tips on how best to make runes, consider it an advance if you agree to work." Chrysalis said.

"What is my job?" I asked.

"Basically, it is the elimination of targets and sabotage in cities." Chrysalis replied.

This is clearly not my dream job, but I don't have much choice. I'm sure if I refuse, she'll just kill me. I'll have to agree to learn more about the runes and get out of here.

"I agree what is the first task?" I asked.

"This is enthusiasm! And speaking of your first assignment, there is a settlement called Ponyville to the west of here, your task will be to attack the local guard garrison without killing anyone. The deadline is not limited. Questions? " Chrysalis said.

"No questions. " I replied, deciding that it was none of my business.

"Great and last, what's your name?. Chrysalis asked.

"My name is Daniel Ctumer" I replied with pride.

A day has passed since I agreed to work for Chrysalis. Today I decided not to wear a coat, so most of my clothes are bandages. Thanks to the advice from the notebook, I learned how to create runes faster and stronger, but I am still far from the level of Chrysalis. Now I'm sitting in a tree next to Ponyville and watching the settlement. Because of the distance, I can't see anything except the rainbow line that hits the clouds and destroys them. Whatever it is, I don't want to have anything to do with it, and even more so I don't want to try to explain it.

How in general do Chrysalis think I should get there? Am I supposed to just rush in there and scatter everyone? Yes, I perfection! Well, fuck this idea along with these thoughts. I have to get the information and make a plan. But how do I get the information?

I started looking around the area trying to find something that could help me. I see a mountain from which there is a plume of smoke. A volcanic eruption? No, there is no lava or noise. No matter who or what creates this smoke, the mountain remains a hill and I can use it to see the terrain better.

I put the alpha's skull on my head and start my movement towards the mountain by jumping from tree to tree. When I get to the mountain, I start climbing by grabbing branches and rocks with my magical tentacles, if possible. I actively climb up and see that half of the sky is already blocked by smoke.

I don't know who is producing this smoke, but I have to stop it. If there is too much of it, it will be almost impossible to observe the city. I don't need it.

After a while, I pulled myself up for the last time, straining my arms to the limit and reached the top. Landing on my knee, I began to quickly catch my breath and rub my hands trying to comfort the pain. After taking another breath, I managed to force myself to raise my head and start looking for the source of the smoke. Almost instantly, I discovered a hole in the mountain from which smoke and the sound of snoring were coming. Slowly, I pushed off from the ground with my hands and began to walk into the cave, closing my nose so as not to suffocate from the smoke.

After taking a few steps deep into the cave, a dragon appeared before my eyes lying on a pile of golden things. Sparkling coins, stuck swords, bent plates of the same golden armor. After looking at the dragon, I rubbed my chin with my hand, thinking and trying to calm down.

Dragon. Damn dragon. With wings, judging by the smoke, fiery breath and scales. Breathe, Daniel, don't go crazy. Behave naturally and negotiate. If it turns out, this reptile will be able to take some of the gold. Compensation.

After taking a breath, I took a step forward, took a deep breath and shouted: "Get up, reptile!"

The dragon let out a louder snore, releasing a huge stream of smoke in response to which I covered my face with my hands. A wave of black air passed through the space, causing me to cough violently. When it was over, I coughed a few more times before looking at the still sleeping dragon with hatred.

I slowly closed the distance and, taking a comfortable position, hit the dragon's nose with my right hand, shouting: "Get up, you damn lizard and listen to me!"

Suddenly, the red dragon opened his eyes and looked at me in shock. Then he slowly stood up on all fours and looked up at me, towering. A tiny part of me said that I was behaving stupidly and in general, dragons in mythology are usually served as animals and it makes no sense to talk to him. But the second part said that I was doing everything right. And in general, as the grandson of a hunter and the closest to perfection, I have the right to do with any animal what I see fit.

I looked at the dragon and began to create an arrow rune in my right hand and pointing it at the dragon's head said: "Animal, get out of here and leave me the gold. Otherwise I'll kill you. It's a promise."

The dragon didn't take my promise seriously, and when I saw it, I instantly shot him in the head. The arrow only made a small hole in his chin, but nothing critical. The dragon instantly assumed a furious look and waved its tail, throwing me into the air. The next moment, I realized that I was embedded in the rock outside the cave.

Wincing, I slowly opened my eyes to see how the dragon came out of his cave with loud steps and began to make bubbling sounds similar to a volcano. Assuming the worst, I pushed off from the rock a couple of moments before the dragon released a huge stream of fire with a mighty roar. Taking advantage of the moment, I created a tiny arrow rune in my hand and aimed directly at the reptile's temple. He howled loudly in pain, but strangely enough survived. In the next moment, he rushed towards me, waving his heavy paws in all directions, intending to crush me like a bug. Noticing that his paws are much thinner compared to the body, I rolled under the dragon's belly and prepared a standard-sized arrow rune. Taking advantage of the fact that he lost sight of me, I fired. The arrow pierced through the paw causing blood to ooze out of the hole.

Feeling the wound, the dragon soared into the air above me and again prepared to unleash its fire. Given my speed, I'm unlikely to be able to get to the shelter. I hurriedly created a ricochet arrow and with an accurate aim hit him right in the mouth from which the fire had not yet managed to escape. When the arrow hit the mouth, the dragon closed its mouth and tried to keep it closed. But it's futile compared to my rebound. Suddenly, an arrow broke half of one of the dragon's teeth and flew through it into the sky.

The dragon landed on the ground, causing a tremor to pass over the entire surface of the mountain and raise dust into the air. I staggered slightly, but by the time the dragon began to attack me uncontrollably with its paws and mouth, I managed to recover. I had to retreat under the pressure of the dragon without having the opportunity for a normal counterattack. As soon as I want to go under his stomach, he uses his mouth forcing me to retreat. He interrupts any attempt of mine to use the rune by increasing the pressure.

At this rate, he can just throw me off this mountain. We need to throw out something that he doesn't know.

I abruptly summoned the magical tentacles from my hand and wrapped them around the dragon's wounded paw. He reacted instantly, lifting the paw I grabbed, up and me along with it. As a result, I ended up high in the air and automatically started looking for shelter assuming the worst. My eyes found a rock to hide behind, and my ears tracked the seething sounds of the dragon waiting for the roar. Catching the roar, I quickly grabbed the rock with my magical tentacles and pulled myself so as to hide from the dragon. But unfortunately, due to my slowness, the dragon was able to hit the left half of my body for a moment.

Hiding behind a rock, I quickly examined my wounds. The skin in places where there were no bandages was reddened but without blisters. First degree burn. The bandages themselves, however, caught fire, forcing me to tear them off. As a result, the left half of my body was almost completely without clothes.

When I got angry during the fight with alpha, I managed to create a black fire and deliver an enhanced blow, but when I tried to do it intentionally, I got seriously injured and lost control of myself. Maybe this black fire is related to my emotions? This is my only chance to win.

Closing my eyes, I focused on the sound, waiting for the dragon to stop breathing fire. I focused on my hatred of this dragon, this planet, and in general my current situation. The veins on my hands took on an eerie black color and slowly a black flame began to break out from under the skin, but it was far from as strong as when I did it impulsively. When the dragon finished releasing the fire, I pushed off from the rock by jumping over it and landed right on the dragon's outstretched head. While he was staring in shock at my audacity, I struck him right between the eyes and jumped off him to the ground. The dragon howled very loudly in pain and grabbed the place of my blow while I grinned at seeing a small stream of blood.

Analyzing all this, my brain made a decision. Fulfill a promise. While the dragon was howling in pain, I wrapped both hands around his injured leg and began to pull myself. After a couple of moments, the dragon began to howl even louder and I even thought I heard a sob. Animals can't cry, right? Can not. I continued to pull and the dragon's moans of pain only got louder and almost completely drowned out the sounds of tearing tissues and bones. Abruptly, I felt the resistance disappear and the dragon's paw broke away from the body, dousing me with a fountain of blood. The dragon fell to the ground while I continued to hold the severed paw in my hands and approached his head.

"PP-Please spare mm-me."" Said the dragon in a pleading voice.

I thought for a moment. On the one hand, it is not an animal and it seems that intelligent beings cannot be killed. On the other hand, I made a promise that I would kill him. And moreover, where is the guarantee that he is not bluffing? And is it really more pleasant to live as a defenseless invalid than to die? And in general, why can't intelligent beings be killed?

Answer. . . He's gone. Reasonableness is a ghostly concept. If intelligence is the ability to say that now you can't hunt parrots, but you can hunt others? No, that's nonsense. If a creature has a dream, is it intelligent? So now you can't kill mass murderers because he has some kind of dream? And what to do with people who want to live peacefully without dreams? Nothing. Perfection is the path to true freedom. And if I have to kill someone to reach him, then so be it. No one has the right to stop me. Perfection is above all.

With a sharp movement, I plunged my paw into the dragon's head, ending its existence and causing blood to flow upwards and cover the stones. Slowly, the fire began to dissipate and the veins acquired a normal color. This was followed by severe exhaustion. So strong that I can barely stand on my feet and my hands just don't obey. I began to hobble slowly towards the cave. Each step is accompanied by pain and torment. My whole body is begging me to lie down and calm down. At some point, my legs gave way and almost instantly I fell asleep.

POV Princess Celestia

The day trial ended half an hour ago and I can rest. Twilight and her friends, judging by the sky, solved the problem with the dragon. Now I am reading a novel called "Different bodies are one heart." A very old novel from the time before the unification of Equestria about the love of a unicorn and an earth pony. A letter from my student appears in a gray cloud of smoke next to me. I open the seal and start reading.

Dear Princess Celestia,

I am embarrassed to inform you that before my friends and I started negotiations with the dragon, he was attacked and brutally defeated by an unknown creature whose drawing is at the end of the letter. I'm terrified of this creature princess. It was able not just to defeat an adult dragon, but to eliminate it using strange magic in the form of magical drawings and black fire. I'm afraid it will attack Ponyville and the local guard won't be able to help. Please give advice or any other help.

Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle.

At the end of the letter, a bipedal apelike creature was drawn, devoid of fur and having many bandages all over its body with the head of the alpha Timberwolves. I sent my sister a message so that she would come to me faster.

"Did you call me Tia?" my sister asked me after teleporting to my room.

"Yes, I did it. Does it look like the creature you saw a couple of weeks ago?" I asked, handing the letter to my sister.

After a couple of minutes of careful viewing, my sister returned the letter to me and replied: "Yes, this is definitely it. And it's obviously dangerous. Now it's clear."

"Yes. Learning runes and slaying an adult dragon is strong. I have to agree with you. It can be dangerous. " I said reluctantly admitting my mistake.

"Great, now I'm going to go and catch this creature since it's so dangerous. The approximate location is already known. This is our chance. " Luna said excitedly, looking ready to fly to the mountain right now.

I tilted my head to the side and asked, "Lulu, why do you want to capture this creature so much?"

Luna looked surprised by my answer and was silent for the first few moments. When I was about to repeat the question Luna replied: "We. . . I want to redeem myself and show the ponies that I care about them too. And now I feel that he is really dangerous. He killed the dragon after all! No matter what threat this dragon harbored, it's still murder. Not only is he strong, he also seems to be able to kill. How are you going to restrain him!?"

There was disappointment and a bit of anger in my dear sister's last sentence. I slowly walked up to her, put a hoof on her mane and said, "Just like the Elements of Harmony freed you from the control of Nightmare Moon."

Not quite. Yes, magic, but I mean besides it honesty, kindness, joy, generosity and loyalty. I mean friendship. " I said in a gentle voice and hugging Luna to calm her down.

Luna nodded slowly and asked looking up at me: "But first we need to contact him. How do you want to do it?"

I quickly realized what my sister was driving at and said with a sad smile: "I'm sorry, Lulu, but I'm worried that you might overdo it. After all, you're just getting used to the present time. And sometimes you can be a little impulsive."

"Then what do you suggest, Sister?"

I fell silent thinking about the question until an idea came to my mind. She is not perfect, but I hope that she will be able to satisfy her sister and establish contact with the creature. Finally, I answered: "What if we ask the guard from Ponyville to find him and bring him to us?

Luna looked surprised by my ideas and asked after a short consideration: "Are you sure they won't panic at the sight of an absolutely unknown creature and consider it a monster? "

I sighed and said, resting my chin on my sister's head: "No, I'm not sure. But I think this is the best way out. And if something goes wrong, I promise that you can do it. If you want, Lulu."

Hearing the last detail, Luna's face lit up and she said, "Okay. That's fine with me, Sister."

"Thank you, sis. " I replied, hugging Luna a little tighter.

New information

To be honest, I'm already sick of waking up with exhaustion and a headache. Although it's mostly my fault, but not the point. I still feel the burn on the left side of my body, which, due to the lack of adrenaline, burns strongly but tolerably. Cool, I got enhanced regeneration, but it doesn't work on burns. Great.

I stand up leaning on my right hand and inspect my new possessions. Thick stone stalactites hang from the ceiling. In front of me are the treasures of the now dead owner in the form of gold, gold, a chest of gold, a golden crown, a golden sword, more gold, a sword? Interested, I approach the sword and notice that there are several similar ones here. I pull the sword out of the mountain of gold and start examining it. The blade is about fifteen inches, there is a guard, judging by the appearance of an all-gold sword, that is, most likely ceremonial. For the sake of experiment, I try to bend it and surprisingly it does bend a little. And then the realization comes to me. I'm fucking rich and I like it.

Even if it was steel, I wouldn't be able to use it for its intended purpose due to the specifics of the task, but what if I could use it as a transmitter for magic? This may be useful to me in the future, in addition to riches.

I take the sword in two hands and begin to conduct magic into it. At first everything goes well, but then the magic began to accumulate in the blade and dissipate in the air. I was already getting tired, so I finished conducting magic into the blade and decided to postpone the idea of a transmitter weapon for later.

It turns out that gold dispels magic and I can use it to protect myself. I'm going to have to dig around here well to find something that I can use as armor. Well, the sooner I start, the sooner I'll finish.

And so I started digging into the mountain of gold.

Now I'm standing on the street in my "armor" aka golden trinkets that are at least remotely similar to armor and looking at the corpse of the dragon I defeated earlier. I really hope that it is not too heavy, and I will be able to drag it before it starts to rot. Okay, I'll deal with it later, but now about the armor. The short sleeves of my armor consist of several bent and twisted swords. To be honest, if they break (and they will break), I'm not going to make new ones, I had enough effort spent on the first pair. On my head, the alpha's skull, which has already become my native, remains unchanged. I found one plate with a blue star mark and a second large one without a mark. By linking them together, I got something similar to a golden breastplate that is attached to the shoulders. The rest of the body has no armor in favor of greater mobility. No matter how absurd, I look in my improvised armor, they should show themselves well in battle against magical opponents. I hope.

I decide to move into the castle to collect my few belongings and a few books. Walking along a path that I didn't notice last time, I come to a dead end. And what should I do? Oh, I have an idea!

I take off my golden breastplate and walk to the edge of the mountain holding it in my hands. When I get to the edge, I put the bib down like a snowboard, squat, push off and start rolling down the mountain. My improvised snowboard is gaining more and more speed and starts scratching loudly on the rocks. A large boulder appears in front of me, blocking my path and onto which I am now sliding at great speed. Without having time to react, I and my bib fly into the air. Having regained my orientation in space, I took the bib in my hand and began to look for support. When I saw the root sticking out of the mountain, I released magical tentacles into it and hung onto it with one hand. Hanging on the root, I began to inspect the area in search of a way out of my predicament.

In the distance, I saw several golden figures moving to the top of the mountain from the direction of the city I was supposed to attack. Because of the distance, they could not be seen in more detail. Looking down, I saw only a huge distance to the ground. At an impressive distance from me, you could see a lot of trees and the castle to which I was heading.

Damn, I have nowhere to go and staying here is not an option and what should I do? If I let go of the root, it's an imminent death. The golden figures are most likely thieves. How else could they get so much gold to dress up in? They can steal my gold, which I cannot allow because it will be useful to me in the future. But if the dynamics of the wooden wolves continue, I will not be able to safely return to the castle and collect the necessary things. I need to think about a plan. . . Well, I have an idea that has at least a minimal chance of success.

I climbed up on a root and sat down on it. I took the breastplate with my magical tentacles and began to spin it in the air, constantly gaining speed. When he gained enough speed, I threw him into the rock, fixing him in it. I grabbed my breastplate with my hands and braced my feet against the rock. When all the preparations were finished, I got ready for what I was going to do. Quickly pulling the breastplate out of the rock, I turned over with the help of inertia and plunged it into the rock below and then turned over again to the initial position and finally descended about ten feet. I took a little break and began to repeat the process gradually getting into a rhythm and increasing the speed.

When I got to the ground, my back hurt like hell and my arms and legs were no longer felt at all. The bib was already crumpled and not wearable, but I fulfilled my goal. I went down the mountain in spite of everything and stayed alive.

"One step closer to perfection." I said when I came down from the mountain and fell to the ground to recuperate.

My body still hurts, but I got up and started moving towards the castle. I decided that the bib was too damaged to use and left it on the ground. During my movement to the castle, I began to think what I would do with the thieves.

It will be difficult to climb the mountain, both for them and for me, they will be exhausted when they climb to the top, this gives me an advantage. Most likely, they have weapons, so attacking in the open would be too risky. I need to find a place where I can hide and make surprise attacks. The cave is quite suitable. If they get to the top before me, I will have to intentionally use black fire, I don't see any other options to win without incurring serious losses.

When I approach the castle and see a free entrance to the bridge, I start running towards it, wanting to leave the forest as soon as possible. I quickly ran into the library of the castle, picked up my coat and collected the books that I considered necessary, namely "Pony Biology", "Advanced Rune Device" and "Rune Typology". I didn't take the book about souls because of its size and weight.

After leaving the castle and crossing the bridge, I take my almost broken knife out of my coat pocket, cut down lianas, tie them into ropes and tie books to myself to free my hands. When I made sure that everything was well secured, I started moving towards the mountain in order to have time to prepare for the attack of thieves. On the way to the mountain, I saw a bush with berries and had a snack with them.

Approaching the mountain and finding a part suitable for climbing, I began to climb. Just like last time, I tried to grab rocks and protruding roots whenever possible to simplify and accelerate the ascent. My speed was reduced due to fatigue from the descent from the mountain.

Having climbed to the top, I wasted no time running into the cave in search of a suitable shelter. Not having time to find shelter, I hear someone calling me.

"Stop, monster!" A man's voice shouted from behind.

I slowly turned around and saw another mistake of nature on this planet. It is a miniature horse with white fur, horn and dressed in golden armor similar to the ones I found earlier in the cave. There were six more behind him, three on each side, pointing their spears at me, but they had little wings instead of horns.

How did a significant reduction in size and an increase in intelligence win the evolutionary race in general? After all, they still have hooves, that is, their body does not help to reveal the benefits of intelligence, and how do they make this armor at all? The only assumption that I can put forward is a series of accidents that led to the death of the last developed species and now the locals use what is left of the antecedents, but because of their characteristics they cannot develop further. Pathetic creatures. In any case, I should say something.

"Firstly, -" I said, raising my index finger up, "-it is very indecent to come to someone without an invitation and call him a monster, and secondly, -"I continued, raising my middle finger up, "-why should I listen to such a mistake of nature as you?" I finished with a question to my interlocutor, looking at him with contempt.

"The princess ordered us to search this mountain, find and catch a bipedal creature with the head of an alpha Timberwolf, it looks like I'm looking right at him at this moment."

"Well, I recommend that you and your friends take some gold-" I pointed to the nearest pile of gold"-and just get the fuck out of here and tell your princess that you haven't found anyone. Everyone wins! " I said solemnly raising my hands in the air

"The order of the princess is not discussed, you either go with us peacefully or we will force you," he said while his friends began to close a ring around me.

"Well," I said, disappointed, starting to prepare for the use of black fire.

I focused on feeling the magic inside me and started pulling the warm part of it out of myself. While she was stretching, I felt a huge temperature around me. The fire started to flare up in different parts of my body, bringing me great pain. My body started to move by itself and get up on all fours, and I could only slightly change the direction. My mouth began to rearrange and expand, which brought me hellish pain.

Upon completion of my transformation, I could feel the fear coming from those around me. My body quickly rushed forward to the stallion with whom I was talking and tore off his head releasing a fountain of blood. Gathering all my willpower, I was able to take control of my body and jumped onto a stalactite to view the battlefield from a different angle. The horses had already lost their formation at this stage and were just standing at a random distance from each other as if asking to be finished off quickly, which is strange considering that they serve some kind of princess. Maybe they're just part of a militia or something, but then why send unprepared forces to find the alien? It seems their civilization is even more pathetic than I thought.

I started to feel like my body was starting to move on its own again and pushing off from the stalactite to head towards the militia. I quickly grab two of them by the heads and collide with each other, thus crushing them and splattering my face with blood mixed with pieces of brains. Two of them lunged at me with their spears, but I reacted quickly, snatched the weapon from one and plunged it into the neck of the other and sent the one from whom I took the spear flying with a strong kick. The remaining two have already dropped their weapons and are running out of the cave for their lives, but I throw a spear at the one who ran away further, impaling him on him like a pig on a skewer. My body began to move independently on all fours again and quickly grabbed the latter by the neck trying to strangle him. While my body was strangling the latter, a fierce struggle was going on in my mind.

He is not to blame for anything, we must spare him! Shut up, he has challenged our perfection and must be destroyed! No, no, shut up everyone! The voices in my head want to destroy the clarity of my mind, but I have to keep following the basics of my philosophy. The search for truth by any possible method is the main sign of perfection. He may be one of the ways to find out the truth.

I was able to take control of my body and hit the latter, so that he lost consciousness. My magic stabilized and I fell to the ground shaking in pain while my mouth returned to normal again. I can feel every hole burned into my body and the hellish pain coming from each of them. The noise in the ears and unbearable pain throughout the body does not allow even the most elementary thought to form.

After what seemed like an eternity, I was able to start thinking about something other than pain, and after a couple of minutes I was able to stagger to my feet. Getting to my feet, I noticed that those parts of my arms that were covered with improvised armor did not hurt so much, from which I concluded that gold could help me use dark fire better. When I got to my feet, I untied the ropes on which the books were and used them to tie up the militia member I had captured. I sat down in a corner of the cave and started reading books to distract myself from the pain.

A few hours later

The books have been read and my misunderstanding of how these ponies were able to survive and evolve has only increased along with the understanding that I urgently need to know the power of my soul. I made this conclusion from the following information.

There are three types of ponies: Unicorns whose horns are so sensitive that a simple blow to it can disable it. Pegasi whose wings are connected to the rest of the body by extremely thin bones that are miraculously held together. Earth ponies are in fact no different from their counterparts from Earth except for intelligence. But the question remains how horses whose bodies are imprisoned for long journeys were able to evolve and not be enslaved? Well, at least I have a personal motivation to fulfill the mission of Chrysalis in the form of oppression of an underdeveloped species. All the underdeveloped must work, work and work again.
In addition to the three main elements of the rune, there are many additional ones, two of which I was very interested in, namely: "mark" and "indication of the mark". As the name suggests, they interact with each other. The mark is a circle between the central and outer one, which causes the rune to simply attach to the enemy, rather than deal damage. An indication of the mark, as the name implies, causes the projectile fired by the rune to chase the mark until it overtakes it. Yes, these ponies were able to make a homing shot, apparently some of them deserve humane treatment, despite their evolutionary backwardness.
Runes are divided into three large groups: Simple ones made of three parts. Medium ones made of four or more parts. Complex runes consisting not only of many circles, but also requiring special movements during creation. The problem is that so much magic needs to be put into these special movements in order to make, quote, "Temporarily rebuild the magical structure of the world and create a window into reality in which there is no resistance to natural magic." It doesn't take a genius to understand that this is incredibly difficult if not impossible, so I decided to postpone the idea of raising the level of runes for later.I don't want to die of magical exhaustion.

I'm sitting in the corner of the cave and looking at the militia man I tied up earlier. Thanks to the free time, I was able to carry the corpses of his companions out of the cave and threw them off the cliff. The militia man slowly wakes up and as soon as he sees me he starts to tremble and stutter.

"You're finally awake, can you tell me your name?" I said trying to play friendly.

"P-Please don't kill me," he replied, still stuttering.

"I won't kill you if you're useful," I said, walking up to him, "but if you don't cooperate with me, you're in trouble." I said threatening him.

"My name is Loyal Fighter," he said, keeping the fear in his voice.

"And now, Loyal tell me how many militia in Ponyville?"

"The militia?" He said with his head bowed, "Do you mean the Solar Guard?" He asked with bewilderment in his voice.

God, these ponies are pathetic. If they have an unorganized crowd called the guard, then they have already been helped to survive not just by luck, but by some kind of patronage of God or something like that.

"Yes, yes guard how many guards are there in the city now?" I asked, continuing to act friendly.

"Fourteen ponies are the rest. . . " He didn't finish because the memories of the massacre hit him and made him cry.

I don't think I'll get any more information from him. I need to finish him off.

I started creating a simple palm-sized arrow and shot it at him. A hole was made in his head and only small pieces of meat remained on his face. I put his corpse on my shoulders, went out of the cave and threw it off the mountain like the previous ones. It was already evening and I looked at the village I was supposed to attack. After looking at Ponyville, I had only one thought in my head.

I'll show these ponies what perfection is.

The Battle of Ponyville

It's been about three days since the "guards" attacked me. During this time, I gathered information about the defense of Ponyville and was able to develop an attack plan. The problem of the attack on the village is that there are many narrow spaces where I can be surrounded and the open space in the city center is constantly filled with a crowd of onlookers who can get in the way. So I spent some time studying the explosive mark and timer circle from "Advanced Rune Device". Together, these parts of the rune form a kind of bomb with an explosive mechanism. As a result, my plan involves explosions at several points outside the city to force the guards in the city to split into groups and then I will quickly break up these separate groups. At this point, my assignment for Chrysalis will be completed, but due to some circumstances, I have other things to do in the city.

When I wanted to visit the castle and collect some books, I had to see a horde of fifteen wooden wolves, two of which were stone. For obvious reasons, I decided to avoid the fight. It can be said that the wolves have taken away my only source of knowledge, so I have to go to the city to find some books. Let's summarize the plan: 1. Plant bombs outside the city and attract the attention of the guards. 2. Beat but not kill the guards. 3. Enter the city and find books, preferably about runes and local physics. It's time to get started.

Now I'm sitting on a tree in my gear in which I fought with the "guards" and waiting for the bombs to detonate. I installed three of these runes before dawn and put three times as much magic into them as usual. The main drawback of my plan is that because of the magic spent on bombs, I will not be able to use magic in battle. It's already dawn and you can already see the first residents in the village. If it wasn't for work, I could admire the beauty of the moment, but right now my attention is focused only on the expected sound of an explosion.

"BOOM" With such a sound, pieces of earth flew into the air at three points outside the city, attracting attention. The explosion occurred in three places: on the plain next to the river dividing the city into parts, on a hill next to a lonely tree and in a garden with many apple trees. The closest point to me is the hill where I am running now to use the foliage of the tree as a shelter. Having reached the hill and climbed a tree, I hide in the foliage waiting for a group of guards to come.

A couple of minutes later, a group of four Pegasus with spears clamped in their wings approaches the explosion pit. Approaching the pit, they split into pairs and began to explore the area. When the couple approached the tree, I jumped on one of them, hit him in the temple, knocking him out, and jumped back, dodging a spear strike from his partner. At a distance of a couple of feet from me, a semicircle of three guards formed, pointing spears at me. I couldn't help but grin, knowing about their unpreparedness.

"Guys, I have a lot of things to do today and I would be very "laugh" grateful to "laugh" you if you threw your "laugh" weapon." I said, chuckling with a big smile.

The guards were confused because of my speech and while they were confused, I grabbed the wooden part of one of them's spear and pulled one of them to me, taking him as a human shield. Alas, his partners did not take any erroneous actions on which I could catch them. I took the initiative and ran to the remaining two, putting up a human shield in front of me. They pulled their spears aside, not wanting to injure their partner. When I got close enough to them, I quickly hit them with my human shield, knocking out all three of them.

Having finished with the first group, I ran to the next point-the apple orchard. While running, I had a feeling that everything was too simple and there was a catch somewhere. So far, I've decided that it's just my paranoia and nothing more. Running up to the explosion point among the trees, you can see four guards, two Pegasus and two ordinary ones. When I saw them, I jumped up a tree and began to think about how to attack them. While sitting on a tree, I noticed that they were standing around the pit as if waiting for someone. They couldn't find out about my plan, could they? Even if they could find out about my plan, it wouldn't help them.

I quickly jumped on a pony without wings and knocked him out with a kick. His partners did not wait and immediately the three of them tried to attack me. I easily dodged their attack by jumping to the side. They turned around and tried their favorite tactic - encirclement. I did not let them take me in a ring, putting the spear of one of them on the ground and breaking it with my foot. After that, I kicked the one whose spear I broke, knocking him out. When there were only two of them left, they flew into the air using their small wings. Now I decided to ignore the lack of logic and began to expect their attack. They rushed at me with outstretched spears, but I took the shafts of their spears in my hands and broke their weapons. After they were disarmed, I grabbed their heads and hit each other, but restrained myself so as not to kill them.

After clearing the second point, I headed to the last one-the plain next to the river. Knowing about the number of guards that was initially and the number that I eliminated, it can be understood that there was a group of six that is now located next to the river. Knowing about their low training and cowardice, I don't think it will be a difficult fight. Running up to the river, I see that a group of six ponies of three Pegasus and three ordinary ones is standing in front of the bridge forming a wall.

Approaching the wall of guards pointing spears at me, I say. "Guys, I'm a little tired of beating you up today, can you just leave here and let me pass?"

They just kept silent in response, continuing to point spears at me with a stern look. Well, at least I can say that I was trying to avoid a fight.

Realizing that diplomacy won't work, I retreat a few feet, accelerate, and run toward the breach. Most of their spear strikes were blocked by my sleeves made of twisted swords, but a few managed to hit my arms and legs without causing much damage. When I got close enough, I hit two of them on the head, knocking them out. The other four moved aside so as not to become my victim. I picked up one of those who was unconscious, and already used my trademark "human shield" technique. Looking at my rivals, I noticed that they managed to surround me and act a little more organized than before. A little bit. Looking around the battlefield for an opportunity to attack, I saw a river flowing under the bridge, and I had an idea. After throwing the guard unconscious in the river, I made two Pegasus fly away to save their partner. There are only two ordinary ponies left on the bridge. They tried to attack me from both sides, but I easily dodged and knocked out one of them, and grabbed the other by the front plate of the armor.

"Tell me where the library is and you won't be harmed." I said, lifting him into the air.

"Turn left from the Town Hall and you will see the Golden Oak Library." Quickly he muttered.

"Good."I said that before I threw him into the river.

I ran to the town hall wanting to finish my business in the city as soon as possible. While running, I had a feeling of approaching danger, as if someone was watching me from the beginning of my attack and transmitting information to the guards.

What if he had prepared an ambush for me? How long has he been following me? What kind of equipment does he have? No, they couldn't follow me, it's just my paranoia, right? Isn't that right? I have to keep striving for perfection no matter what.

Running up to the town hall and turning left, I see in the distance a tree with holes cut in it for windows and doors. Despite the strange design, I assume that this is the library and increase the speed trying to get to the tree as quickly as possible. At this moment, realization comes to me. There is absolute silence in the city and there is no one, as if time has stopped. I slow down and get lost in my thoughts.

Did the other guards ambush me? No, I eliminated everyone. Why is the city empty? Maybe there were other backup guards who evacuated the residents? No, it is impossible to evacuate so quickly and silently. How were the guards able to improve their organization and why was the last group not surprised when I spoke?. how, HOW, HOW?

While my mind was unsuccessfully trying to process the situation, someone pushed me in the back, knocking me to the ground. I see that right in front of me, an orange pony has prepared its hind legs for impact. Reacting quickly, I jumped to the side and prepared to respond to my blow, but something hot hit me in the side and pushed me several feet away. While I was stunned, something flew out of the ground and threw me in the air. After restoring my orientation in space, I saw a purple ray flying towards me, but I blocked it with my sleeves. Landing on the ground, I was able to see my attackers. A blue Pegasus with a rainbow mane, an orange earth pony with a light mane, a bright pink earth pony with a dark pink mane, a white unicorn with a purple mane and a lilac unicorn with a dark blue mane and pink-purple strands. While I was examining them, the lilac unicorn started talking.

"Give up, monster, we have a plan and you can't beat us," the unicorn said, to which the other ponies nodded. Friends?

"Do you want to beat me? Don't get cocky, we are at two different evolutionary stages, so you can't even hope to win, but so be it - "got into a fighting stance" - I'll play with you and your parasites." I said in an even and calm voice.

I've never understood the concept of friendship. Why irrevocably help and support someone if you can just have a relationship like "you to me, me to you"?

She was stunned for a second because of my choice of words, but quickly recovered and loaded her horn along with her fellow unicorn in preparation for the attack. The blue Pegasus took off and started doing boxing punches in the air trying to intimidate me. A bright pink pony pulled a gun out of nowhere and pointed it at me. The orange pony just got into his fighting stance or something.

Pegasus will most likely use his mobility to prevent me from attacking, but if I focus only on him, unicorns and ponies with a cannon will start shooting at me. In this scheme, orange seems superfluous, I will attack it.

I started running towards orange to attack, but when I heard the sound of flapping wings behind me, I jumped aside, narrowly avoiding the attack of Pegasus. Pegasus quickly recovered and flew up to me, delivering boxing punches that I barely had time to react to, but still managed to avoid each one.I jumped back a few feet to avoid further blows from Pegasus, but as soon as I felt safe, orange ran up to me and prepared his hind hooves for an attack. Jumping aside, I looked to the left, assuming an attack, and saw a cannon with a burning fuse pointing at me, and a pink pony looking at me with a smile. Deciding not to wait, I took a step to the side a second before the cannon fired. Surprisingly, instead of the expected core, a hot pie flew out of the cannon, or was it a hallucination? Deciding to focus on the fight, I hear a strange sound and turn to him. The glow of the white unicorn's horn became brighter and after a couple of seconds a crystal flew out of the ground and hit me in the chin temporarily stunning me. While I was stunned, another purple ray hit me, forcing me to fall to my knees.

While I was trying to regain my strength and analyze the reasons for the failure of my attack, Pegasus began to perform something similar to a victory dance in the air.

"Oh yes, oh yes, I won!" The Pegasus exclaimed loudly.

The bitch herself has not done anything useful, but calls herself a winner. I'll explain to her what she really deserves. In a language she understands - the language of pain.

I got up from my knees, making the others wary and said. "If you bitch wanted to be a winner, then bring your ass over here and show me what you're made of."

She quickly flew up to me, starting to strike boxing blows again, but realizing that her fighting skills were nothing more than direct blows, I began to dodge her blows without much difficulty and strike back at the entire surface of her body. As soon as she realized that she couldn't hurt me, she flew off a couple of feet hovering in the air. Without noticing it right away, I realized that she was able to hit me a couple of times. Hell.

Why didn't she pass out like the others? Am I getting tired? It doesn't matter, I have to think how best to fight. Why did the first attack fail? The unicorn's attack was fast and unexpected, and I relaxed too much, I need to be as focused as possible. Two Earth ponies are constantly covering for each other, preventing them from focusing on one thing. Pegasus and orange operate at close range, but the orange has the protection of the pink. If I deal with the Earth ponies, then only unicorns will remain a real threat, and Pegasus has no practical experience in combat. It's time to start.

I quickly ran up to the orange pony to knock her out of the fight, and, as I expected, Pegasus started to fly at me, but I reacted quickly, kicked her in the side, thereby throwing her aside. When the threat from Pegasus is temporarily eliminated, I continued my run to the orange pony. Orange raised his hind hooves to strike again, but just as I was about to strike back, some unnatural energy stopped me. At the last moment I try to raise my arms to defend myself, but I'm too slow. The blow threw me back and slammed me into the wall of the nearest house. The pain is like my ribs are broken, and I believe it. Just one small respite was enough for the fatigue from today's fights to take hold of me and tempt me with the opportunity to just pass out. I'm standing on two legs, having lost my fighting stance, breathing rapidly and barely remaining conscious. At the moment I'm trying to come up with at least some kind of plan.

Attack the orange one? Failure. Attack the pink? It is dangerous to approach the cannon. Attack the blues? It's in the air, I can't get there. Attack the whites? No, I can't dodge her crystals in my current state. It remains only lilac, this is my only option.

I run to the lilac unicorn using the rest of my strength. Once again Pegasus flies at me, but because of fatigue I can't jump away and have to just stand there hoping that I can sort it out in my sad state. She changed her tactics and tried to hit me on the head with her back foot from a U-turn. Although I put out my hand to protect myself from her blow, but due to fatigue I could not block the blow to the full and fell to my knees. Right in front of me, the orange one raised its hind hooves to finish me off.

I can see in slow motion how her hind hooves are moving towards my face, bringing me ruin. When her blow gets to the alpha's skull, which I use as a helmet, my head leans back and a tremor passes through the helmet from the force of the blow. My ears are ringing, my head hurts terribly and my vision begins to fade and blur. Cracks began to appear on the helmet and after a couple of seconds it splits into two parts exposing my face. While I'm trying to stay conscious, I can hear snatches of conversation.

"Good. . . we defeated the monster . . . get out." Said a female voice that I remember but can't identify because of my deplorable condition.

After a while, I can hear the crowd exclaim, "Three hooray for the elements . . . hooray, hooray, hooray!"

Why? Why does someone just need to be himself to be respected, and for others, even greater achievements are not enough? Why do a person's chances of success in life depend so much on which family he was born into? Why do people say "life is pain" and "life is unfair", but they don't want to fix it? Why are brilliant people forced to give up their individuality in order to get at least a chance of success? Why do people force themselves into such frameworks as social and moral norms? All I want is to become perfection and return to humanity the universal ideal, but even approaching perfection and regularly proving my superiority, I fail. Why? Is everything I do useless and meaningless?

Hope began to leave me, and with it my vision began to darken and blur even more. When I plunged into darkness, a small flame of unusual color appeared in the center in front of me. The fire was constantly changing its color from bright blue to black. Is this my magic? When I looked into my magic, I started seeing a hallucination.

In front of me is a white two-storey house with a deer skull hanging over the red door. An old man dressed in hunting camouflage is sitting on a bench in front of the house, waving his hand at me. My body goes to the bench by itself and sits down next to the old man. Sitting on the bench, I can't help but look at the old man's face, at the grandfather's face. His face is the same as I remember it. Almost completely shaved hair on his head, a lush mustache that he carefully monitors and a small scar on his nose that he received according to his stories when he learned to ride a bicycle. After what seemed like an eternity, he turned his head to me and said.

"Why are you looking like you saw a dead man?" He asked in his low and slightly hoarse voice.

"Grandfather, don't give a fuck, you yourself always said, "I will be the first to know about my death. "" I said, quoting him.

""Laughs. " You have no idea how glad I am that you’ve grown up straight and honest and not like your father." He said that by spanking me on the shoulder.

After this brief dialogue, there was a silence, during which I looked at the surrounding landscape. The sun was high in the sky, illuminating the plants and animals that roamed behind the trees. The smell of freshly cut grass and boiled meat filled my nose. Grandfather always cooked well what he caught in the hunt. For the first time since I came to this planet, I do not care. I don’t care how to find food, or how to defeat another creature, and even more, how to attack a city full of ponies. I just enjoy the moment. My pleasure is interrupted by grandfather clearing his throat.

"You know, now it’s customary to cry and cuddle and talk about how sad you are." Grandpa said.

"You know I don’t like to show intimacy this way, and besides, I’ve had five years to accept and let go." I said try to contain my emotions.

"Quite logical then let me ask you a question. You always wanted to be an actor, but as soon as I died, you started being interested in politics and similar nonsense. What happened? Don't tell me it's all for the money."

"I don't want to be another mass toy that does only what others like. Through politics, I see a way to change the world around me and rally people around my ideals." I said briefly.

"What have I always told you? If you really want to change something, take a gun, find a few more people with guns and go change the world." He said with displeasure in his voice.

"Yes, yes, a man told me who never went to the polls and certainly did not go to change the world."

"Okay, answer me another question, what are you going to do next?"

At that moment, my brain temporarily shut down. If someone else had asked this question, I would have simply refused to answer, but my grandfather is the only person I consider equal to myself, even more, I will say, the only person I respect. After a few minutes I sighed and said.

"I don't know, I really don't know. I thought that when I became perfect and became a universal ideal, all people in pursuit of the ideal would forget about all the nonsense like nationality and morality and become truly free. Now? It seems to me that nothing makes sense."

"I will be honest with you, it is yours and only your choice - to give up or defend your ideals. No matter how crazy your idea is, the very essence is very noble. The question is what you will do on the way to this "perfection" and how much you will lose. On the other side of the scale, choose the easy way and become, like your father, a slug who exists only to earn money and be proud of that alone. Well, what will you choose? Risk, perhaps, even life or lose honor?"

"It's better to be a lion for a day than a sheep for a thousand years." I said with newfound confidence.

When I said that, the hallucination began to fall apart and turn into a fire of changeable color. The sky turned into just blackness without any attributes, and I found myself in the same position again as if nothing had happened. The flame began to swell and engulf me, burning my skin. Along with the pain, energy began to pour into me in large quantities. With painful crunches, my ribs are restored and the wounds from the spears are fused. My vision started to recover again and I saw the ponies I was fighting with start backing away from me and the air started crackling around me.

"Hey Twi what's going on?" The orange pony asked, continuing to back away.

"It's-it's like the result of a test of will, but I always thought it was just a myth!" The lilac unicorn exclaimed.

A test of will eh? Now there is only one question-what did I do wrong? . . . I got it! People have clung to their delirium so much that they can only be torn away from them by force. If I want to achieve my goal, I need to stop trying to solve conflicts with speech and go to action. Go to violence. Become the strongest!

Feeling my newfound strength, I jumped high into the air and landed on the branch of the tree I was originally moving towards. I stood up to my full height, looking at the crowd of ponies of unnatural colors in front of me. Taking a deep breath, I loudly declared.

"Remember, everything and tell others! Today begins the sacred hunt for the scum stuck in their chains! And the first target is a blue Pegasus with a rainbow mane. Your verdict is PAIN AND SUFFERING!" I shouted the last part loudly before jumping down from the tree and heading towards the Pegasus.

Pegasus stood rooted to the spot without moving and her friends stood in front of her protecting her.

"If you want to hurt Rainbow Dash, you'll have to go through us!" They exclaimed loudly.

"If you help the prey, you become it yourself." I stated the fact before rushing forward.

The horn of the white unicorn began to glow brightly and as for the first time a crystal flew out of the ground, but this time I beat it off. When I almost approached the unicorn, the orange pony raised its hind hooves to strike, but this time I hit her hooves with both hands with all my strength, which caused a pleasant sound of cracking bones. Orange screamed in pain and fell, and I walked up to the white unicorn at point-blank range and hit the horn, which caused her to immediately pass out. At that moment, I noticed that the crackling of the air comes from my hands, but unlike the black fire, it has an iridescent color and feels excessive and the veins do not change color. Wait a minute. . . is my skin slowly burning off? Yes, almost imperceptibly, but it burns. I need to stop this as soon as possible.

"Nopony dares to offend my friends!" Pegasus shouted from behind while I was pondering the new information.

I quickly turned around and simultaneously delivered a crushing kick. If the first blow just threw Pegasus away, this one, judging by the sound, broke several bones. This action led to the fact that the fire on my legs intensified and began to burn through my bandages. Deciding to act faster, I ran to the pink pony to deal with a promising threat. She stood behind the cannon and started firing the cannon like a machine gun. It turned out it wasn't a hallucination and she really shoots pies. The stupidest creature.

Not wanting to tolerate these antics, I quickly ran up to her and hit her on the head. That is, I tried, she was able to dodge. My series of ineffective blows began, during which she dodged and teased me, but with each blow the fire flared up stronger, and my blows became faster. Despite the increase in the speed of my blows, she continued to dodge, but I noticed that she only changed the position of her head, almost without moving the rest of her body. Seeing the pattern, I swung my left hand, creating the appearance of a blow, and, as I expected, she dodged in advance and, catching her on it, hit her in the chest, stunning and knocking out with a blow to the head.

Only the unicorn remained, which began to charge its horn strongly. A large beam of energy shot out of her horn and aimed at me. Seeing this, I placed my hands so that the golden sleeves blocked her attack. The beam hit the golden sleeves and they began to slowly absorb it, gradually taking on a purple color. When the beam was completely absorbed, the sleeves took on a completely purple color and to my shock began to crack until they fell apart. Fuck. I made a dash from the spot and sent her to the library with a blow, making a hole in the wall in the form of a pony.

I heard a groan to my left and turned to see a blue Pegasus trying to get up. Approaching her, I put my foot on her back and pressed her down to the ground. I started hitting her blow after blow, increasing the intensity and strength each time. Lifting my leg high and preparing to destroy it, something clicked in my head.

It's not me. Yes, it's you! You have to kill her! No, I wanted to show her what she deserved, not kill her. She just clung to the nonsense that she had been told since childhood. This is excusable for those so far from perfection. I should be a beacon of perfection for others and not be a fire destroying everything.

I put my foot on the ground and walked calmly towards the library. A gray cloud of smoke flew out of the library window and flew to the castle on the mountain. How much money did they spend on such an impractical structure? In any case, I need to find and get the necessary books as soon as possible and figure out how to put out the fire. By the way, what's wrong with him? I looked at my hands and saw that the burning rate has increased significantly, and now it is about twice as slow as when burning wood. I need to hurry.

When I entered the library, I saw that many shelves with books had collapsed and a lilac unicorn was protected by a creature similar to a two-legged lizard. No matter how it tries to look confident, fear can be read in its eyes. The creature opened its mouth to say something, but I beat it to it and raised my hand.

"I'm in a hurry, just give me books about runes and physics and no one will get hurt. I said quickly.

"Runes? " He asked, tilting his head to the side.

"Okay, just give me books about physics and a map of the area. Let's stop there."

He quickly tossed me some books and a folded map. When I caught the books, the fire spread to them, so I had to throw them back to the lizard, who guessed what to do and put out the fire with her foot.

"Leave the books and the map in a prominent place, I'll come back for them tomorrow. If they're not here tomorrow, I'll make some new holes in your ass," I said and ran out of the library without waiting for an answer.

So much effort wasted.

I run to the forest or rather to the river in the hope that the river will be able to put out the fire. The strangest thing is that, despite the fact that the fire burns my skin, the pain is absolutely not felt. When I get to the town hall and am about to turn right, a blue beam of energy flies at me, but I dodge, jumping aside. Looking in the direction from which the beam was released, I see a dark blue pony with a horn, wings and a flowing mane, similar to the starry sky, on whose head lies a black crown. A genetic experiment? The experiment would look threatening if it weren't for the height difference and the fact that I have problems is more important. I rushed to finish the Experiment as quickly as possible, but he flew into the air and released another beam, which I dodged. Since my opponent didn't take the initiative, I had to think of an attack plan.

Apparently, in addition to mixing the features of different species and the shape of the mane, the Experiment was given an improved reaction. Not a bad solution. I need to act smarter and more asymmetrically to win. I hope, as the unicorn puts it, "the result of the will test" restored my stock of magic.

I started creating a rune with a timer and an arrow mark, although it seems pointless from the outside, but this is a key part of my plan. When I finished creating the rune, it hovered in the air to shoot when the time came. The experiment looked at me with interest, to which I replied with a grin. You have no idea what's going to happen next. I quickly jumped to the town hall and tore off two boards from it to use them in the plan. I put an explosive tag with a timer on one board and left the second one untouched. I threw the boards in such a way that the usual one was in front of the Experiment and the explosive one was behind. I released the magic tentacles so that the boards collided with each other, but the Experiment flew away before they collided and exploded. The explosion threw the Experiment several feet away and briefly disoriented him just as the arrow flew out and hit directly into the wing. Although the wing of the Experiment was not pierced as I expected, but still the Experiment fell to the ground.

The experiment stood up in a kind of combat stance, but unlike the orange Earth pony's stance, the Experiment's stance looked much more professional and working out. I made a dash to my opponent, but he dodged to the side and tried to hit me with his back foot, but the blow was blocked by my elbow. I landed a kick from a U-turn hoping to end the fight as soon as possible, but the Experiment ducked and landed a kick to her front leg, from which I dodged backwards.

I don't have a visible advantage in melee combat, but at the same time I don't have a single chance in ranged combat. I can only use aggressive tactics and ignoring the pain. God give me strength.

On the run, I strike a blow, from which the Experiment dodged and responded with a blow aimed at my stomach, which I took with a groan of pain and responded with my kick to the head

Do you know what it's like to kick an orange pony's hoof? Like a blow to the bone, and do you know how a blow to the head of this creature feels? Like a fucking blow to reinforce concrete, that is, after such a blow, it's amazing that my leg didn't break, but the creature didn't even move. Okay, back to business.

Seeing the complete ineffectiveness of my attack, I jumped back a few feet to think about a plan, but I was interrupted by the voice of the Experiment.

"Do you know that if you continue like this, you will soon burn without a trace? We suggest you give up right now before it's too late." Said the Experiment in a female voice.

"It's not my style to give up, but I don't want to die either. What should I do? - "I put my hand to my chin and after a couple of seconds clicked my finger "- Oh, I know! I just need to explain to you what perfection is by violent methods translating into your language just to beat you and then put out this fire." I said before making a dash for her.

She made a leap to the side and struck me in the chest, which I blocked with both hands and in response hit my knee on the head. Despite the fact that the blow did not cause damage to my opponent, I used the initiative to bring down a hail of blows on her. At some point, she began to strike back, which I had to block while simultaneously striking her blows. Over time, she began to gain speed and be much more diverse in the end, not allowing me to strike back. I have already gone on the defensive, but she continues to increase her pressure on my defense. The first problem of fighting with her is that each of her blows has a different trajectory and is directed to different points, not allowing me to predict her next movements. The second problem is that she constantly strikes harder and harder, which, if the dynamics continue, will simply break my hands. I need a plan.

I gradually take a lower posture to implement my plan. When the blows moved from the stomach to the chest and head, I got ready for execution. I made a jerk back, which caused the impact of the Experiment to split and throw the earth into the air. Jumping on one of the pieces of land so that the Experiment could not see me, I began to listen to the sounds to understand where she was looking now. "The sound of a hoof" "the fall of a piece of earth" "several Hoofbeats" "several pieces of earth fell."

She's done half a turn, it's time to finish her off. I push off from a piece of earth in the air and fall on the Experiment, striking. During the fall, I begin to purposefully release black fire in order to finish her off for sure. A huge black fire engulfed my entire body, turning me into a kind of meteorite. I make a kick with a U-turn to finally finish her off, and YES, she falls, I won! She fell on her side, and I flew several feet away, falling to the ground. My flash was so powerful that the black fire could not capture my body, but just immediately turned off. Looking at my leg, I was horrified by its condition. The skin on my leg has completely evaporated, and now I can see my bare muscles, but it doesn't matter, I've defeated her. I'm one step closer to perfection.

While I'm trying to stand up leaning on my left leg, I notice a movement that shocks me. Is that bitch alive!? After everything I threw at her, she just gets up without any problems!? The excess fire that was burning my skin went out and I felt my eyes roll up. Before I finally lost consciousness, she told me.

"There is potential." She said before I lost consciousness

Deal

What did I do wrong?

That was my first thought when I started thinking again. It's one thing to win with great difficulty and quite another to definitely lose. Hell, I don't even know how to react to this. Should I respect her? No, I shouldn't be a stupid animal who respects only the strong. I need to think about it.

In the absolute darkness surrounding me, an image of a man of about fourteen appeared. Who is it? Oh, yes, Max is a school bully and the first person I've had a fight with. Obviously, even though I beat him, I learned some tricks from him. If a fight hadn't happened to him, I wouldn't have started using his punches on the run.

Max's image changed to another one. Now a man of tall stature and large build appeared in his place. Bob is an aggressive idiot and a boxer, it was really difficult to fight with him. I learned almost everything from him: the stance, the main blows and aggressive tactics with ignoring the pain.

Bob's image dissolved and took on a different look. This time it was the image of a short Asian man. Praset is an arrogant kid from Thailand and a karate expert, how he bored me with his somersaults and jumps to the side. I learned all possible kicks and dodges from him.

A realization came to me. Every serious opponent of mine has been copied by me to one degree or another. Maybe she was able to beat me, but if I analyze everything I've learned about her, she won't have a chance.

Praset's image has changed dramatically and turned into an Experiment. I began to remember the fight with her to the smallest detail. The image copied her dodging to the side and flying. Having examined these actions more closely, I realized that she used all four hooves to dodge and lift into the air. If I hurt one of her hooves, her mobility will drop significantly. But how can I hurt her hooves if I haven't been able to hurt her badly even using everything I have? If she fell to the ground from my arrow, it means that she has a slight weakness to magic. I just need to strengthen my magic and then I can defeat her.

The image continued copying and made a sideways turn that turned into a kick with the back foot. After several repetitions, I realized that when adapting to a human figure, it turns into a somersault and a kick. The image began to copy her hail of blows, but realizing that I could not alter any of this in my own way, I began to work out the roll turning into a blow. The image appeared in front of me, and I started practicing a new attack on it. I did a somersault to the side and when I was next to the image, I struck with my foot, thereby pushing off of it by a couple of feet. Despite the stiffness in my movements caused by the desire to copy perfectly, as I imagine, the blow looked very effective, so I started repeating it, periodically changing the side I was dodging. After a while, I heard a voice behind me.

"You know, the fact that you fainted from overexertion is not a reason to hold a grudge against us." Said a female voice that I immediately recognized.

"I'm not going to negotiate with my dream, disappear." I said, continuing to practice the blow.

"I assure you we are not a part of your dream, we are the Princess Luna the keeper of dreams." Said the so-called "Luna".

"Let's say I believe you, then why are you here?" I said without interest, continuing to practice the blow.

"We have been trying to find and get into your dream for a long time and now we are here."

"What can I tell you? Congratulations that you have fallen into the dream of an ordinary person, Mrs. Keeper of dreams, you can be proud of this and go about your business." I said, wanting to end this conversation as soon as possible.

"Can you behave less rudely?" She asked with irritation in her voice.

"Let's do the following: you will leave me alone and it's better not to enter my dreams at all, but in return I will always be as polite to you as possible."

"Very well, I hope you will stick to your part of the agreement." Said the Moon before, judging by the sound, flying away.

As soon as she disappeared, I continued to practice the blow.

I woke up with a groan of pain due to the many wounds on my body. Looking back, I saw a window, a bedside table with a lamp turned off and a jug of water, and two chairs in the corner. The sun shines through the window, illuminating the room. Shouldn't I be considered a criminal and be in a prison cell? After examining my body, I saw a lot of medical bandages and casts. Will I ever wear clothes instead of a ton of bandages? Where's my coat? I quick look around the room, but I couldn't find a coat. Heck.I wasn't going to and I'm not going to help these ponies with technical progress, but if they can understand how my phone works, then this could lead to a breakthrough in progress. I hope they haven't learned how to use electricity yet.

While I was thinking, the door to the room opened and a unicorn with white fur and a bright blue mane and tail entered. The unicorn was holding a notebook and a pen. Seeing me conscious, his eyes widened with a mixture of fear and surprise, and he came a little closer to me.

"Are you awake?" he asked, coming closer to me in a voice wanting to get a negative answer.

"Yeah." I answered with difficulty because of my parched throat.

"I'm sorry, I'll help." He said before his magic enveloped the jug and brought it to my lips. Despite the fact that a small part of me wanted to keep my pride, I still opened my mouth to drink water.

"How are you feeling?" He asked while I was drinking water.

"Almost everything hurts and I don't feel the rest." I said briefly after stopping drinking water.

"This is quite logical considering what happened to you." He said, writing something down in a notebook.

"What happened to me? And where am I?" I asked, wanting to know more about what happened to me.

"Answering your first question, you went through the so-called "test of will. " At first we thought it was just a myth, but the princesses gave us access to some old archives from which we got information. The test of the will is a process in which the soul under the influence of the will of its owner passes its limit and significantly increases its strength. The main risk of this process is that the soul gains strength faster than the body is able to adapt to it, which is why the body receives severe damage such as yours. It should be noted that your body has become much stronger in all areas, but please do not try to repeat it intentionally, it is impossible.

"Answering your second question, you are in the Canterlot hospital. You were brought here yesterday by Princess Luna claiming to have neutralized you yesterday. She also asked me to collect some information about you if you allow of course."

Well, now I know that on this planet, or rather in the country in which I am, there is a monarchy as a system of government. The question is, why do they agree to obey someone who looks like a genetic experiment? It would be the same if the ruler by right of appearance was appointed a person who possessed the features of the Caucasian Negroid and Mongoloid races at once. Such a person would immediately either be burned at the stake or locked up in a laboratory, depending on when such a person appears. In any case, for the time being, I will maintain the image of a decent person. I really don't want to spoil the relationship with my doctor.

"Well, I will answer any questions." I said, preparing for a wave of questions.

The Doctor smiled broadly and began, "Great! The first question is what are you?"

"Human." I said briefly, not wanting to give him a reason for additional questions.

"The second question is, what do you eat?"

"Fruits, vegetables, and meat." I said, which made the doctor shudder but quickly recovered.

"Next, what's your name?"

"Daniel Ctumer."

"Age?"

"Nineteen years old."

"Work?"

"I don't have a job, but I'm studying to be a politician."

"Hobby?"

"I read books." I said, not wanting to get too many questions. Do you know how difficult it is to explain to people that you don't have a hobby and you just always do more important things? Exactly. So when I need to give a simple answer to this question, I just say "I read books".

"Talent?"

"What?" It was my turn to ask questions.

"Well, talent is your ability to do something better than others." The doctor said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"I understand what talent is, I don't understand how to define it. Let's assume this situation: We have two people, one is an incredible artist, but very insecure about himself, which is why he considers himself a bad artist. He calls himself untalented. And the second is a mediocre artist, but arrogant, which is why he considers himself the best artist on the planet. He calls himself talented. The question is, which of them is really talented and who can objectively determine this? " I ended up with a question addressed to the doctor.

"They will be able to understand this by their cutiеmarks and the first artist will have it much more colorful than the second. "The doctor replied as if it was an obvious answer.

"Cutiemarks? And what if they both don't have them and never will? " I asked, continuing to ask questions. Useful fact: the easiest way to win an argument is to drown the opponent in questions and the more abstract they are the better.

"Impossible! All species have their own versions of cutiemark. Dragons and griffins have drawings on their claws, Minotaurs have the same drawings on their hooves, bulls, yaks and the deer have drawings on their horns. Are you saying that your species doesn't have its own version of a cutiemark?"

"No," I said, to which the doctor laughed. When he finished laughing and looked at my stony face, he asked.

"Are you serious?" He asked in confusion.

"Yes." I said, a little tired of holding the mask of a decent person.

After a couple of seconds of silence, he said, "Well, what do you do best?" He said, trying to improvise.

"Nothing." I said, trying to finish this survey. Do you know how poorly many people understand such abstract things as self-improvement, philosophizing, analyzing their mistakes and correcting them? Exactly. Although I am against alcohol, my grandfather's phrase fits perfectly "God gave me a mouth to drink beer and not to explain elementary things to stupid people."

The doctor looked at me in shock for a few seconds. He was able to gather the strength to look at the notebook and say "The next and last question. How do you feel about your duties?

"I always fulfill my duties, provided that they were discussed in advance, but I will not do what was discussed without me. " I answered in detail, deciding that the last question deserves a good answer.

The doctor wrote it down in a notebook "This is the end of our survey, get well Mr. Ctumer." Said before leaving the room.

At the last moment, he turned around and asked, "Mr. Ctumer, let me ask you my personal question."

I gathered all my willpower not to yell at him and answered "ask"

"Rumors about your speech in Ponyville spread quickly. Knowing that you have defeated the elements of harmony, many ponies have locked themselves in houses in the hope of avoiding your "hunt" despite the fact that you were neutralized. But at the same time, now you were behaving like a polite and calm pony why? "

"My attitude to the interlocutor depends on whether I consider him suitable, but I am always polite to people of a socially important profession. "

"I understand. " Said the doctor before leaving the room.

Fuck, I forgot to ask how much I will be treated. When the doctor left the room, I tried to get up, but realized that I could move my fingers at most. Excellent, I am immobilized in a potentially hostile environment and have no means of self-development. There's not even a clock here so I can find out the time. Could this day get any worse?

After an indefinite period of time, there was a knock on the door. Why would someone knock on the door to a patient, given that I am immobilized? Okay, knocking on the door is obviously not the most relaxing sound.

"Come in!" I shouted. The door opened and two ponies entered my room, one of which I recognized as Princess Luna. The second pony was white and also like the Luna with wings, horn and iridescent mane similar to a combination of blue, green and pink. Two genetic experiments? In any case, the pony with the multicolored mane had an impenetrable expression on his face and Luna tried to do the same, but not as successfully as her partner. Do you know what I do when I see this? I just remember jokes and smile. It confuses people.

If I was healthy, it would be possible to fight, but now I have to negotiate. Anyway, I need to answer their stone faces. The bear was walking through the forest, saw a burning car, got into it and burned to the ground. Representatives of all genders went to the bar and booked a table for two. Great, smile, now I just need to hold on to it.

For a second, I saw the confusion in Luna's eyes. The reception works flawlessly. While I was mentally celebrating my victory, the second pony said.

"What are you so excited about, Mr. Ctumer? " The second pony said in an authoritative voice.

"I'm just a cheerful and positive person who is glad that I'm still alive. " I said, trying to create a cheerful voice.

"You're lying," Luna said, putting me in a stupor.

I fell into a stupor for a couple of seconds, but eventually gathered myself and replied, "I assure you, Princess, there are very few things that can make me mad, and one of them is a lie."

"Don't try to deceive us," Luna said, confusing me.

"Okay, okay, I'm smiling because I remembered a joke, are you satisfied with this answer?" I said, ceasing to imitate a cheerful voice and returning to my standard passive-aggressive tone.

"Quite," Luna said shortly before the second pony took a step forward.

"Mr. Сtumer, do you know how many crimes you committed yesterday in Ponyville?" The second pony said with a note of anger in her voice.

"I beat up some "guards", you need to prepare them better, and I wanted to take some books, but I was attacked by some elements, so I had to defend myself and probably damage property, that's all." I said, remembering everything I had done yesterday.

"You have very accurately repeated your crimes of yesterday, but do you know how many years you can be put in prison?" She asked.

"Firstly, why are you asking me a non-philosophical question if you know that I don't have an answer to it, and secondly, I don't care who you are and what you can do," I said, raising the aggression in my voice with each word.

Both ponies fell into a stupor for a few moments, but Luna was the first to recover. "You violated the deal." She said, barely restraining anger in her voice.

"No, Princess, you are mistaken, the contract was that you do not enter my dreams and I am always polite to you and only you." I said with a strong emphasis on the word "you".

"In that case, my sister is also part of this deal." She said.

"No, Princess, I agree to fulfill any transaction only on the rights of the first version of the deal if you don't like my attitude to your sister so much, then she will also have to conclude an agreement, but I don't know what she can give me."

Luna tried to form a counterargument, but her sister stopped her and turned to me, "Did you really make a deal? If yes, can you name his conditions? "

"The terms of the deal are as follows, I quote, "you will leave me alone and it's better not to enter my dreams at all, but in return I will always be as polite to you as possible"have I violated the terms?"

Luna's sister stood, thought and said, "Okay, you really didn't break the terms of the deal, but why do you refuse to change the terms?"

"I want people to adopt the traits of perfection and become better when interacting with me, one of such traits is the ability to think about their decisions. A deal on the first conditions encourages people to do this. "

"And what makes you think that you are this perfection? "

"I didn't call myself perfection, I just compiled and follow the list necessary to achieve perfection. I could tell you for several hours the reasons why I do not meet all the points, but the simplest and most understandable of them will be that I am not the strongest being."

"Anyway, we came here to find out why you attacked Ponyville." Said the second pony.

Fuck. Considering that Chrysalis was able to ambush me, she will be able to eliminate me without any problems if I blab. But the Luna reliably detects my lies. I'll have to explain my philosophy to these idiots. Well, there is no choice.

"After learning about ponies from a biology textbook, I did the only reasonable conclusion ponies are several steps below humans, so the only reasonable solution for them is to follow perfection, but there is a problem. Ponies didn't even see perfection, and assuming that they were hooked on their nonsense, which they call correct, as well as some people, I decided to show perfection by force. "

Hearing my speech, both ponies in the room fell into a stupor. Idiots. After what seemed like an eternity, the Moon asked, "Mr. Ctumer, can you be more specific?"

I exhaled so as not to yell at the Luna right now and said, "I came to Ponyville for a show of strength so that the ponies would follow me, is that clear?"

The moon looked into my eyes for a very long time to determine if I was lying. As a result, she took a few steps away and whispered something to her sister. Luna's sister took a step forward and said, "How do you like this deal, Mr. Ctumer, we will help you become stronger, but in return you will not touch the pony and will follow our orders. Do you agree? "

"Three requirements: I fulfill only the first version of the order, that is, changing the order already given does not concern me, you give all my personal belongings to me and the last I want to make an unambiguous decision when I recover. Satisfied?"

"You have to make the final decision tomorrow at the latest," Luna's sister said in a tone that left no room for objections.

"Very well, see you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow, Mr. Ctumer. " Luna's sister said before she and her sister turned around and left. Damn, I forgot to find out her name. As soon as they left the room, I started meditating out of boredom trying to pass the time. At some point it seemed to me that I was hearing a whisper, not a distortion of my thoughts, but a whisper. I couldn't make out what he was saying, but it was enough to alert me. I felt something pressing on my leg, causing severe pain.

I opened my eyes and saw the changeling pressing on my leg. At first I fell into a stupor, but gathered my strength and whispered, "What do they want from me now?"

"Don't pretend you don't know what mistakes you've made. You killed seven guards, thereby violating the Queen's order and disappointed her by being captured. You should be grateful that at the initiative of Her Highness, the documents were substituted so that everyone thought that the order of the princesses simply did not reach Ponyville and the garrison always made up fourteen ponies. The Queen generously simply did not give you a reward for this mission, although she could have eliminated you for not following orders. And she knows that you want to make a deal with the princesses, she demands answers from you. " Changeling said, scolding me.

Damn. So what should I do? Wait, taking orders from the princess is very similar to serving in the army, so if I agree to the offer, can I tell Chrysalis that I'm operating behind enemy lines? Yes, it will work.

"Tell the Queen that I regret my actions and am now starting to act behind enemy lines." I said, hoping that this would be enough to make the changeling stop pressing on my leg.

The changeling stopped pressing on my leg "Pray that the queen accepts this answer." He said before a green flame enveloped him and changed his form into a nurse. He turned around and left the room. I breathed a sigh of relief and thought.

I have to sacrifice my freedom now to keep it in the future.

A good conversationalist and a terrible ruler

I woke up to the sound of the door opening. Looking towards the door, I saw the nurse that changeling turned into yesterday. In his green magic grip was a tray with plates. Coming closer to me and putting the tray on the bedside table, Changeling said.

"You are very lucky Mr. Ctumer the Queen has accepted your answer and given you a new mission. Since you are the closest servant of the queen to the princesses, you are tasked to learn all about their fighting skills. When you find out, write down everything you learned in a letter and hide it in the royal gardens. Understand?"

"I see." I replied dissatisfied with the fact that I was not given time to wake up.

He nodded and turned around. The "best" nurse in the world. When I got up to look at the food in the tray, I saw the soup, an apple and hay. No thanks. Wait, did I get up? After examining myself and taking a spoon as an experiment, I realized that, although very limited, I could move. I quickly started eating soup trying to ignore the high temperature. Looking out the window, I saw that it was morning and there were no clouds in the sky. If you think about it, for all the time I have been on this planet, there has not been a single rain or at least a large accumulation of clouds. Yes, there are chemicals that can have a limited effect on the weather, but judging by the architecture of these ponies at the stage of the Middle Ages, they know alchemy at best, there is no question about real science.

Thinking about it, without noticing it, I was able to finish the soup and moved on to the apple, ignoring the hay. These ponies can eat animal food, but I'm going to eat like a human. While I was eating an apple, you know who knocked on the door.

"Come in!" I shouted before continuing to eat the apple. Two unique ponies, Princess Luna and White nameless, entered the room. The same impenetrable faces and the same answer in the form of a smile.

"Your decision Mr. Ctumer?" Nameless asked in an interested voice.

"A little clarification and we will get along. The order should not restrict my freedom of speech, that is, I can say whatever I want." I said wanting to make the deal even more profitable.

"Which of us said to execute the deal only on the rights of the first option of the deal?" Luna said in a dissatisfied voice.

"Yesterday we did not come to a final agreement, respectively, the first version of the deal does not yet exist. Well, do all parties agree to the terms of the deal?" I said with difficulty extending my hand for a handshake to the nameless pony.

She held out a hoof which I shook and then repeated the same with the hoof of the Luna. As soon as they shook my hand, the horn of the nameless one lit up and the burnt rags that used to be my coat, the alpha core and my discharged phone appeared on the chair. After the really important issue was resolved, I decided to get a little closer to my employers.

"Since we have come to an agreement, may I know your name Queen?"

"Correction, Princess, Princess Celestia." Celestia said to my confusion.

"Wait, then who is the most important in the country?" I asked, not understanding their system of government.

"My sister and I are the most important ponies in Equestria." Celestia replied even more strongly, seeing me in a stupor.

"So you want to say that there are two people in your country who have the same power?"

"Yeah, what's wrong?" Celestia asked with a little confused in her voice.

"Why didn't any of you try to seize power?" I asked what caused the mood in the room to become significantly tense. So much tension that I did not immediately realize that I had finished the apple.

"Well. . . We're a family." Celestia said uncertainly. Luna looked very depressed by this development of the dialogue.

"If you have any problems with this topic, just say so and we'll talk about something else." I said, not wanting to get involved in this topic.

"Yes, it's better to talk about something else." Celestia said with a little joy in her voice.

"Tell me, Celestia, how exactly are you going to fulfill your end of the bargain? " I asked deliberately not saying her title.

Celestia looked a little surprised that I called her name without a title, but she still replied, "My sister and I are going to find out first, find out the power of your soul and how well you control magic, after which your training will begin."

"Why can't we do all this right now?"

"You were able to at least move today, how are you going to get two devices in your condition that will measure your ability to control magic and the power of your soul? "

"I'll think of something now. " I said before getting out of bed, but staggering and falling back on it from the pain of my leg.

"That's what I'm talking about. " Said Celestia.

I didn't listen to her and stretched out my magic tentacles to the chair to pick it up along with my things.

"What are you going to do with the chair?" Celestia asked in a confused voice.

"I want to make a cane. Learn to think about the answer first and then if the answer is not found, ask it." I said, not paying much attention to Celestia. I tore the legs of the chair with difficulty and tied them with my burnt coat. I put the alpha core and the phone under my pillow. Standing up and using the chair legs connected to each other as a cane, I was able to stand steadily.

"You could have just waited." Celestia said in a dissatisfied voice. Only now I noticed that I was about the same height as her.

"The sooner we start, the sooner we finish, and besides, I still have nothing to do here-" I pointed with my left hand at the door "-lead on"

"Well, if that's what you want." Celestia said before she and her sister left the room. Right in front of my room there was an open window from which a cool breeze was blowing and there was a vase of flowers on the windowsill.

Following them, I began to inspect the hospital. Well-groomed clean white walls. Ceilings and floors made of. . . marble? Do these ponies even know such a thing as economy? For all the time I've been collecting information about ponies, everything except the magic time bomb turned out to be disgusting. Inability to save money, meddling in other people's thoughts, inability to give a name unrelated to ponies and the worst-dual power. I don't know what Chrysalis wants from Equestria, but if she wants to make ponies do useful things, then I'm all for it.

Returning to reality, we entered a room in the center of which there was a rectangular mechanism with a screen, a lot of crystals and wires leading to a chair. When I saw him, I couldn't help but ask.

"How should this determine the strength of my soul?"

"The wires will be connected to you and with their help the crystals will fully analyze your soul after that the specialist will check your results." Celestia explained to me.

"And where is the specialist?"

"I'll find him." Celestia said before leaving the room.

Since it is not very convenient to stand leaning on an improvised cane, I sat down on a chair to which the wires led. Sitting on a chair and leaning an improvised cane against it, I closed my eyes and tried to continue sleeping, but my attempt was interrupted by the Luna.

"Mr. Ctumer?" Luna asked me.

"What do you need?" I said irritably.

"Since you will be trained according to the methods of the old Guard, you will have to choose the weapon you will use."

"I don't want to use any weapons, is there an opportunity to teach me hand-to-hand combat?"

After a couple of seconds of silence, Luna replied, "It's quite possible, but why don't you want to use a weapon?"

"I don't want to rely on anything or anyone, and by the way, what is the 'old guard methods'?" I asked with interest.

"There used to be a guard - the most elite Equestria fighters, but under the influence of the nobles, the Solar Guard was significantly reduced and began to do what the police should do. That is, they have lost their combat capability," Luna said with displeasure in her voice.

"I will tell you honestly, in my opinion, it is necessary to destroy the power of the nobles at any cost and transfer their property to the government."

"And how are you going to do something like that?" Luna asked with interest.

"I see it like this: to conclude an agreement with noble families under which, in return for something, all their property passes under the authority of the crown in cases if no one of the family is alive. After the conclusion of such an agreement, it is necessary to arrange accidents with all the noble families who signed it, and as a result, their property will be nationalized on absolutely legal grounds."

When I finished, Luna paused for a while and replied. "Your idea is not the worst possible one, Mr. Ctumer, but you do not take into account that the nobles may suspect something when signing such an agreement, and in general it is almost impossible to conduct such a large-scale operation, since its success requires the elimination of all the nobles who signed the agreement simultaneously and without exception."

Wow. She expressed her point of view clearly, briefly, not rudely and argumentatively. Perhaps at least the Luna can be something more than an animal unlike other ponies. Perhaps.

"Princess have you been told that you are a great conversationalist?" I asked what caused a slight blush to appear on Luna's face.

"No, but thank you for the compliment." Said Luna, slightly embarrassed.

I was about to continue the dialogue, but Celestia and another doctor entered the room. Doctor Unicorn with yellow fur and dark brown mane and tail of the same color. Unlike the first doctor who asked me questions, it looks very calm being in the same room with me. Probably the first doctor told others about my attitude to doctors in general. Seeing me already on the chair, he smiled and coming up to me said.

"You know, Mr. Ctumer, I am very glad that you decided to do the necessary analyses today, I am burning with the desire to find out how the soul looks and behaves after the "test of will"." The doctor said with enthusiasm in his voice.

"Shouldn't it already be written about this in the archives?" I asked.

"Unfortunately not. The fact is that successfully passing the test of will has been already rare, and after that it is even more rare not to burn out due to the mass release of magic. Add to this the fact that older devices could not determine anything more than the power of the soul and the new devices can determine in addition the very appearance of the soul. As a result, the result of the inspection becomes very interesting. "

"All right, start. " I said, wanting to finish this as soon as possible.

The doctor nodded and started connecting wires to various parts of my body. When he finished, he went to the lever of the mechanism and asked.

"Are you ready?"

"Ready."

As soon as I said that, the doctor pulled the lever and the mechanism started working. The crystals began to glow and conduct energy through the wires to me. As soon as the energy of the crystals reached me, I felt that my whole body was paralyzed and energy began to flow through my magic. Each charge of energy aimed at one point of my body-my heart. When each charge simultaneously hit a point near my heart, it seemed to me for a second that all the magic in my body crumbled, but it quickly passed and charges of different energies began to return to the mechanism. The energy entered the machine again and the image began to appear on the screen of the machine along with the indicators. The image was a dark blue fire. The indicator next to the image is two hundred.

All the ponies in the room were surprised to varying degrees by what they saw. Everyone in the room except me came closer to the screen and started whispering among themselves. I got up from my chair and walked over to the group of ponies. When I approached them, the doctor asked me.

"Mr. Ctumer, do you know what the magic coefficient of your kind is?" He asked.

"No, can't we use the Minotaur coefficient, for example?"

"It's possible, but wait. . . how can you not know the coefficient of your kind? Where you come from is the study of magic so undeveloped? "

"Where I come from, there is no magic at all. " I said, which caused all the ponies in the room to be stunned to varying degrees.

The Luna was the first to recover and asked, "Then how does the sun and moon move in your world?"

"I will not give you a lecture on physics, so I will answer briefly the sun and moon move by themselves. " I replied, even more stunning the pony.

"So you want to say that your world is one big evergreen forest?" Celestia asked

"Everfree? Are you talking about that forest near Ponyville? If yes, I don't understand what's wrong with him besides wolves made of wood. Do not say that ponies are not able to survive even in the conditions of an ordinary forest."

"The Everfree Forest is a unique place-it is the only place on the planet where the weather works by itself and the animals survive on their own."

"Well, in that case, you can call my world one big evergreen forest if you really want to." I said reluctantly.

"In any case, it's strange how low your indicators are." Said Celestia.

"What do you mean low?"

"Your stats are only twenty-five higher than the average unicorn, but usually after the first test of the will, the soul of the pony became several times stronger than the soul of the average unicorn."

"What if only now my soul corresponds to this world, as before the early version appeared?"

"Maybe. In any case, there remains the strangeness of the two-color of your magic, as if ordinary and dark magic is mixed."

"What's wrong? I connected some two energies and only after that I started using magic." I said, making all the ponies in the room look at me like I was an idiot. I have to do it.

"Even in the most basic magic management manual, it is written that ordinary and dark magic cannot be combined in any case, otherwise ordinary magic will begin to distort the mind in the same way as dark magic. Haven't you read at least about the most basic laws of magic? " The doctor asked.

I tried to raise my hand to scratch the back of my head, but I could only lift it a little and said, "Okay, my mistake, but I read only the most basic about how to control magic from the manual."

"In any case, now you need to test your ability to control magic." Said Celestia and then began to leave the room with her sister and me behind.

As we walked on, some hospital staff bowed when they saw the princesses nearby. I hope they won't order me to bow to them. Like a bow is not only ostensibly a tribute of respect that I don't have for the princesses, but also ineffective. In any case, when we entered the next room, which was on the right side of the corridor, I saw what looked like a long gold plate with a deep cut in the form of an uneven road. Like running your magic down the line?

I was taken out of the stream of thoughts by Celestia "How do you think it will test your ability to control magic?"

"I'll do the magic on the neckline, but because of the gold, you need to do it very accurately. Did I guess right? "

"How did you guess? " Celestia asked me in a surprised voice.

"Unlike you, I know how to use my head. " I said, forcing Celestia to make a displeased face.

Celestia cleared her throat and said, "like I said before, yes, you're right, start the test."

I don't need to repeat it twice, so I walked up to the plate, sighed and started releasing one magical tentacle into the cutout. At first everything went well, but after five feet the tentacle began to swing and touched the gold a couple of times. Every time the tentacle touched the gold, I began to feel the magic being sucked out of my body, but despite this I was able to stabilize and continue to lengthen it. Periodically getting on the gold, I was still able to extend the tentacle to a total length of twenty feet, but after that it finally sagged and fell apart. I turned to the princesses who were watching the process all the time. There was a completely neutral expression on their faces.

"It's amazing that you can make runes at all with such poor magic control," Luna said to my embarrassment.

"What do you mean?"

"When foals used to be trained to use runes, they had to pull magic for thirty hooves before and never touch gold, and you only pulled in twenty and touched gold many times." The Luna explained to me. Hooves? Okay, I'll assume that it seems to them that the hoof and leg are the same length.

"Well, that's more your problem than mine," I said with a grin.

"Don't think that your training will be simple, I assure you it will be incredibly difficult for you." Retorted Luna

"As I said, you're a great conversationalist," I said before I started to leave the room. The ponies followed me, but stopped when I stood in the middle of the corridor. While I was thinking where to go, Celestia said.

"What have you forgotten where you came from?" Celestia asked with barely readable gloating in her voice.

I'm not going to please, much less ask her for help. And in general, I not going to ask for help from a pony, at most, from Luna, but I'm not sure about her yet. Damn it, I have to remember. Remember, to remember, to remember. . . There is an open window with a vase in front of my room. More. . . I didn't take anywhere, so we just need to choose the direction in which to go. If I entered the room by turning right, it means. . . Now I need to turn left!

I turned left and started walking as fast as possible. Well, as fast as a man with a cane can walk. As I walked, Celestia started talking to me again.

"Are you sure you're going in the right direction?" Celestia asked me.

"I can remember something more than what I eat." I answered.

"What's wrong with you? What have I done that makes you treat me like this?" Celestia asked me in an irritated voice.

"I have complained about all ponies in general. For all the time I have been in contact with ponies, they have not shown anything at least satisfactory, and I am not saying good at all. And besides, the fact that you generally allowed the nobles to influence the state so much that they actually disbanded the army made you, in my understanding, a terrible ruler. " I said, continuing to walk without looking back at Celestia.

"So, in your understanding, you would be a good ruler?"

"A good ruler? Depends on who you think you are. In my understanding, a good ruler is someone who has been able to develop and secure his country during his reign. Only such a ruler can lead the people to perfection. Have you developed your country? I doubt. Have you ensured the security of your country in every sense? Have you eradicated crime, poverty and unemployment, thereby protecting people from themselves? Have you made sure that all laws are observed without exception, thereby protecting the fact that every criminal should be punished? Have you secured the borders of your country so that every citizen, without exception, can feel safe? I am sure that the answer to all these questions is the same for you - "no"."

"The fulfillment of your conditions is absolutely impossible. Development is too vague a concept. The eradication of crime, poverty and unemployment is impossible. How do you think it is possible to find out even about the smallest crime? Too large an army can provoke neighboring countries and lead to war." Celestia said, pathetically justifying herself.

"There is enough high funding for educational and scientific institutions for development. I have read a lot of information about how different political ideologies and countries in general solve different problems. For example, in a country like the Soviet Union, there was a system by which state companies sent applications for specialists to higher educational institutions and if the institution approved them, then those who studied well immediately got a job after training. Yes, the student was not asked for his opinion whether he wanted to work for this company or not, and the student was obliged to work three years in the company before getting the right to quit, but you can just change the system a little. And in the same Soviet Union there was criminal liability for work evasion. These are the first ways to overcome unemployment that I have just remembered. With poverty, everything is elementary. You simply eliminate unemployment and add a minimum wage. You can find out about the smallest crime through agents who operate in the deep rear. I've never talked about a large army. I was referring to a small, well-trained army and a flexible policy. Admit it, you are the maximum, the ruler who sits on the throne and does nothing, justifying it by maintaining stability."

Celestia stopped talking just as we reached my room. I opened the door and took a step inside, but turned around and said one last thing.

"And also, Celestia, learn to conduct a dialogue like Princess Luna," I said before entering the room and closing the door behind me. As soon as I lay down on the bed after putting the crutch next to her, I fell asleep.

Conversation in the dining room

It's been a few days since the deal with the princesses was made. During this time, I was visited only by a doctor a couple of times and no one else. I think Celestia just doesn't want to interact with someone who can beat her in an argument, and Luna does useful things unlike her sister. Well, I hope that's the case and the Luna lives up to my expectations. Alas, no one is going to make me free clothes, and even more so they are not going to leave me bandages as clothes for me, so I only have to use the remnants of my coat as a loincloth. Looks like it's time for me to learn how to sew clothes. These ponies are unlikely to have at least a minimal idea of human clothing, especially considering that they are nudists. At best, they know about the basics of sewing. In any case, according to the doctor, I will be released from the hospital today.

Now I'm resting my feet on the bed and doing push-ups. I don't know what they have planned for me as a workout, but I'd rather be at least a little bit ready. The strangest thing is that if earlier I could do a maximum of about fifty push-ups, now I have already done almost three hundred and am not particularly tired. Apparently this is a vivid example of the body becoming stronger in every sense. While I was methodically doing push-ups, Celestia entered the room without knocking, with the guards on her sides. Judging by the expression on Celestia's face, she is clearly unhappy to meet me again. I've never understood why you can't express your dislike directly if you can't hide it. Anyway, when I saw Celestia, I stood up and adjusted my loincloth. The Guards frowned at me, probably because of the disrespectful attitude towards their ruler. If they knew how much I don't care, they would cry.

"Now you will be in a dedicated room of the castle, follow us. This is an order." Said Celestia. I must admit that I really like the conversation only on business and without frills. Although perhaps she is just afraid of losing in an argument in front of the public.

I just nodded and followed Celestia. Although I wanted to thank my doctor for the treatment, but I never found out his name, so I just left the hospital with Celestia. When I went outside, I saw this so-called "Canterlot" in person. To be honest, I don't like all these cities with castles, low houses and similar medieval attributes. I prefer huge skyscrapers and in general steel and concrete displacing bushes and trees from the city. Anyway, while I was following Celestia, a lot of ponies in town were staring at me. Hey! If some ponies have locked themselves in houses because they are afraid of me, then I have already become known. Success.

While the ponies were staring at me, I decided to play a little with the audience. Turning to the nearest pony, I smiled broadly, showing all my teeth. Seeing this, he and a couple of ponies nearby shuddered and hurriedly retreated. Disappointing. I was hoping to start a chain reaction and a general panic. Perhaps the influence of Celestia on the minds of the townsfolk is strong enough to make my attacks less effective. Okay, sooner or later I will achieve perfection and then my victory in everything will be inevitable. Besides, I'm going to get off this planet at the first opportunity.

Following Celestia, I was able to see the castle. This castle is probably the worst building I've ever seen. A lot of towers, just a bunch of strange architectural solutions and a general lack of confidence in style. One tower is golden with a long spire, the second is yellow-purple with a minimalistic sun, the third is generally a super-wide yellow-purple tower with a wave image. Or how do you like a rustic house attached to a castle that is not part of the general style? In the fucking air! Where did they get so much money to allow the construction of something so inefficient?

While I was looking at the castle and sorting out all its problems, Celestia turned to me with a grin, "Well, what do you think?" She asked.

"It's terrible, the one who built it should be killed for wasting money." I replied, forcing Celestia to look at me in amazement but not to say anything in response. That's good.

After entering the castle with ultra-high ceilings, I started walking along the corridors with Celestia and the guards. Walking along the corridor, I noticed a lot of ornate doors to various rooms. Fuck so much!? Okay, okay, okay, I just need to calm down, otherwise I don't have the physical or moral strength to afford a nervous breakdown. Continuing to walk at some point, Celestia stopped in front of one of the ornate doors and opened it with a flashing horn. It's even hard to imagine that if I had seen this about a month ago, my mind would have collapsed and now it almost doesn't impress me.

Turning around and looking at me with an impenetrable gaze, Celestia said, "You will live in this room. You must now enter and remain in the room until further notice. This is an order."

I went into the room, closing the door behind me and began to inspect my new possessions. The window opposite which is a simple wooden table with the same chair. A large red square double bed with a couple of pillows and a blanket. All of the above has different shades of red from the crimson color of pillows and a red mattress to a dark red blanket. Continuing to look around the room, I saw another door, not richly decorated, but an ordinary wooden one, but for now I decided to ignore it. The next thing I saw in the room was a large bookcase. Looking closely at it, I saw that all the books were arranged in shades. In my opinion, of all the methods of unfolding books, this is the most inefficient. I prefer unfolding on a general topic. In any case, after looking around the whole room again, I realized that I had nothing else to do, so I headed for the wooden door.

Entering the next room, I saw a largely standard bathroom in white and gold colors. A sink, a pool with a shower and. . . a hole? Coming closer and looking more closely, I realized that this hole is a pony alternative to the toilet. Disappointed, I left the room, closing the door behind me and went to the bookcase.

Pulling out the first book I came across and quickly reading the first few sentences, I realized that it has been just a novel. Fiction later, pure knowledge now. I thought before putting the book on the table and starting to sort through the entire library that was in my hands.

The sun is already starting to set and I have finally finished organizing the library for convenience. As a result of all this process, I have four stacks of books: 1. What I need now is the basics of sewing, physics and the rest that I need now or need to get off this planet. This is the smallest stack. 2. Postponed for the near future, that is, local history, blacksmithing and the rest that I will need if a way to return to Earth is not found soon. 3. What in theory can be useful, that is, mythology, alchemy and the rest that I will need if I have to really stay on this planet for a long time and try to use everything I get access to. 4. The biggest stack consisting of all kinds of fiction that I'm just going to pass on to people. While I do not know how I will bring books from another planet to Earth and remain free, but I am sure many people will appreciate this.

Looking at all these stacks of books now, I feel proud of my work. Despite the fact that it took me almost the whole day. Taking stacks of books and putting them on different shelves of the closet, I finally finished my reorganization. Alas, because of the size of the stack of fiction, she occupied the top three shelves of the closet, but in any case, the main thing is that everything is over and I can get busy. Taking a book on the basics of sewing and sitting on a chair with one leg crossed over the other, I began to read, but I was interrupted by a knock on the door.

I turned around leaving the book open and shouted "Come in!"

A guardsman in golden armor entered the room. No matter how hard he tried to hide it, he was very stressed by being so close to me. After a couple of seconds, he gathered his strength and said, "Princess Celestia wants to see you in the royal dining room."

"Okay, but how do Miss Idiot on the throne think I should know where this dining room is?" I said irritably.

"You don't dare talk about the princess like that!" The guard exclaimed, but realizing what he said, he froze with fear.

I got up from my chair, walked up to the guard and bent down to be of equal height with him. I looked into his eyes and said, "What's your name?"

"S-Solar Knight," he said with fear in his voice.

"Now listen to me Solar Knight. I'm not offended by you, not a drop, but I have a request for you. I want you to think about why and for what purpose you said this, and then answer me tomorrow and now-"pat him on the head"-be a good boy and show me where the royal dining room is."

As soon as I finished speaking, he nodded and left the room. I followed him, reading a book and periodically glancing at him so as not to accidentally miss a turn. While walking through the corridors, I began to think where I could find a sewing needle.

Even if you are the greatest tailor in the world, at least you need a needle. It's unlikely that Celestia will just give me a needle. But if earlier I could bend gold, maybe now I can bend a fork so that a needle turns out? Yes, it should work. I just need to find a good moment and steal the fork.

While I was thinking how to get a needle, we had already reached a large double door. It really seems to me that they don't know how to save. Anyway, when we got closer to the door, the guardsman turned to me and nodded his head towards the door. Taking the hint, I opened the double door with an effort and entered the dining room.

Bright light from the setting sun shone through the large stained-glass windows, illuminating the entire room. There are a lot of different tables and chairs in the room, and at one of them sits Celestia, surrounded by six different ponies. Looking at them closely, I realized that five of them attacked me when I attacked Ponyville and the sixth pony turned out to be a yellow Pegasus with a pink mane and tail. Also, looking closer, I saw that one seat at the table opposite Celestia was free.

How were they able to recover so quickly? It takes from several weeks to several months to treat a fracture. Besides, I can't have a dialogue with the group as well as one-on-one. I need to do everything to get the group to disperse and then defeat Celestia's plan, whatever it is. Yes , I will do it.

Knowing that I have support even in such a difficult situation for myself, I can't help but smile. Keeping a smile, I calmly walk up to an empty chair and sit on it with one leg crossed over the other. Looking around at all the ponies in the room, I noticed their location. The melee group of blue Pegasus and orange earth pony is closest to me. The ranged group of all the others except yellow Pegasus is a little further away from me. The yellow Pegasus is the furthest away and it shows that he is extremely frightened by the fact of being in the same room with me. Seeing how I was sitting, the ponies looked surprised and the lilac unicorn even took out a notebook and started writing something in it.

After examining everyone in the room, I decided not to waste time and immediately get to the point "Well, why did you call me here, Celestia?" I asked, causing the ponies in the room to be surprised that I addressed their princess by name.

"What, can't I just invite someone to dinner? It's already evening and you haven't eaten at all today." Answered Celestia with a question.

"Suppose I believe you, but then why are they needed here?" I asked, pointing to the other ponies in the room.

"I invited them here for you to apologize." Celestia said, making me laugh.

I finished laughing, wiped the tears from my eyes and said, "Good joke, Celestia."

"This is not a joke." Said Celestia.

"Then I have a perfectly logical question. What do I have to apologize for?"

The blue Pegasus quickly flew up to me at point-blank range and shouted "What did you do!? You came to Ponyville, beat up the Guards with us, and scared a lot of ponies!"

I just looked at her with an emotionless look and replied, "Is it my fault that ponies are so backward and timid? No. Is it my fault that you attacked me and got the appropriate response? No. I have nothing to apologize for."

The blue Pegasus growled and returned to his seat. After the unsuccessful attack of Pegasus, silence hung in the room. It's probably awkward for them, but for me the silence is so welcome. I decided to take the time to continue reading the sewing manual, but unfortunately, as soon as I started reading, someone cleared his throat. Looking up, I saw that a white unicorn with a purple mane was looking at me with interest.

"Honey, if you need clothes, then I'm ready to help." The unicorn said in a friendly voice.

"No thanks, and you'd better call me mister." I replied, continuing to read the book.

"You know, it's absolutely normal to accept help, there's nothing wrong with that, and besides, I'll make your clothes for free." Said the unicorn, which interested me for a second. No, free cheese only in a mousetrap.

"I don't need your handouts and besides, I very much doubt that you will do at least something satisfactory for free." I replied, forcing the unicorn to grunt resentfully and shut up.

The silence that I so desired hung in the room again and I continued to read. After listening to the surroundings and sniffing, I realized that something was being prepared in the kitchen. I hope they're not cooked, hay if it can be cooked at all. Unfortunately, once again my attempt to read was interrupted by the voice of this time Celestia.

"Can you introduce yourself for the sake of decency?"

I raised my hand and reluctantly waved, "My name is Daniel Ctumer and I'm not interested in your names." I said, forcing the pink pony to get up to me super fast and start throwing questions at me.

"Hi, my name is Pinkie Pie! When is your birthday? What is your favorite color? What do you like to eat? What kind of cake do you like? Do you like parties? Although what I'm saying is all ponies love parties." Pinkie Pie said.

I exhaled to calm down a little and not beat Pinkie Pie right now "It's my birthday on November fourth, but I don't need any gifts. I don't have a favorite color. I prefer different types of fried meat. I don't like sweet dishes or large gatherings of people such as parties. " I said, causing Pinkie to look at me in shock.

"How can you not want birthday gifts!? How can you not love sweets and parties!? All ponies love it all. I do not know of any pony who would not like it. Even those who say they don't like it really just never tried it. " Said Pinkie gesturing with her hooves.

I was already starting to lose patience, so I put the book on the table, grabbed her muzzle with my hand and squeezed my other hand into a fist as hard as I could "Do you know why THEY like it all? Because people like YOU, who have influence because of their character, make them change. And if they resist, then you forcibly change them and call yourself right. But do you know who you really are, bitch? You are just a happy being who is lucky to be himself and at the same time receive the approval of society. How about thinking about how they feel, thinking about how they feel when they are rejected simply for who they are, while you are basking in approval. Maybe you need to feel their answer, my answer! " I said at the end, concentrating all the rage that I had in my voice. I was about to start beating her, and I had already brought my fist back to strike.

But at the last moment I exhaled and let go of the Pinkie "You know what? Just get out of here, there's no place for trash like you in this place."

When I finished, Pinkie's mane deflated (how?) and the overall color of the fur faded and tears began to accumulate in his eyes. Pinkie lowered her head low and left the room. Minus one. All the ponies in the room were looking at me with a mixture of shock and disapproval. Although when did I care about their opinion? The question is rhetorical. I picked up the book from the table and continued reading again. Tension hung in the air, it was felt especially strongly from the side of the blue Pegasus, but the tension was relieved by the sound of the door opening. Turning around at the sound, I saw a unicorn pushing a cart with a plate and a dome. Unlike many other ponies, this one doesn't seem to care who I am. That's what I like when people do their duties, I hope she hasn't lost her personality. The unicorn's horn lit up and carried the plates with domes to each creature at the table. She quickly bowed and left.

Lifting the dome, I saw the last things I expected to see on the plate. There were fried fish and potatoes on the plate. And also as cutlery there is a fork and a knife. I put the book down next to my plate and looked up at Celestia.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked suspiciously.

"What's the big deal? I just asked the best griffin restaurant in Canterlot to cook meat, especially for you." Celestia replied in an innocent voice.

I laughed out loud and said, continuing to chuckle, "Do you know what the funniest thing is, Celestia? Your ability to make the worst possible decision."

"What do you mean?"

"I calmly eat all kinds of meat, but least of all I like fish and that we have here Miss idiot on the throne, decided that fish would be the best option. Bravo!" I said, starting to clap my hands quickly.

"I've had enough of this attitude! I want a deal. What do you want me to give you in return for treating me with respect? I'm ready for anything if you remember the rules of decency. " Celestia asked, unable to stand my actions and snapped.

I smiled broadly and asked with great joy in my voice, "Do you know the fish is my least favorite meat, but do you know what my favorite is?"

"Which one?" Celestia asked with caution in her voice.

I smiled even wider, already so wide that my jaw began to ache and answered by pronouncing perfectly smoothly and clearly every letter of "Horsemeat"

The reaction was instantaneous. The yellow Pegasus gave a brief squeak and hid behind Celestia. The lilac unicorn dropped the notebook from its magical grip and just hung there looking at one point. A white unicorn with a purple mane instantly fainted. Blue Pegasus, orange pony and Celestia just stared at me with varying degrees of shock.

Despite the reaction of everyone in the room, I calmly took a knife and fork to cut off a piece of fish and eat it. Having lived out the piece, I continued to say, "That's what my proposal is, Celestia: Any pony that died for unnatural reasons, that is, from a knife notch, hunger and the like, becomes my food in return, I will respect you. Well, what do you think? "

Celestia was looking at me in shock and trying to figure out if I was telling the truth. When she realized that this was not a joke, she replied with disgust, "There is no way I will allow you to dare to do such a terrible thing, especially with my approval. How could you possibly imagine something so disgusting?"

"You yourself said "I'm ready for anything" that you can't follow your statements? Or maybe everyone's favorite princess is afraid to admit that the lives of citizens are not important to her when surrounded by the same citizens?" I asked, deliberately irritating Celestia.

"Clinging to words is a very indecent technique, Daniel. Do you know that?"

"Don't deceive anyone, Celestia. Among everyone in this room, only the two of us understand that politics consists of everything, even the dirtiest and most immoral."

"Which of us talked about flexible policy?"

"And what did you think flexible politics meant by talented diplomats, kindness and friendship? I'm afraid to destroy your mini-world once again, but by flexible politics, I meant blackmail, political assassinations, deception, a powerful intelligence service and similar fun things."

"And where are you going to find so much money to carry out all your plans? You want to fund education and give support to scientists. You want to create an intelligence service that can actually control a neighboring state. You want to create a well-trained army, but where are you going to find the money for all this?"

I put the cutlery on the table and began to actively gesticulate with my hands, "In short, I will build a very long train like tin how long and this train preloaded with a bunch of people will be sent to neighboring countries. The train will travel through all countries of the world and steal everything valuable from them on the way and then return to their homeland loaded with mountains of jewelry. Profit! " " I finished my story solemnly raising my hands up.

Celestia looked at me for a long time, again trying to assess whether I was telling the truth. When she realized I was serious, she said, "You're crazy."

"No, I'm a crazy madman!" I exclaimed before starting to laugh.

When I finished laughing, I continued, "Okay, I have a better idea. First of all, I will gather an army and take away the property of all the nobles. Then I will take apart such useless buildings as this castle for materials. And at the end, I will expand the list of crimes punishable by death to save on providing prisons. Yes, you can call my ideas immoral, but I'm sure they will work. "

Surprisingly, it was not Celestia who answered me, but a lilac unicorn, "But that's bad. What will the nobles do after their property is taken away from them? Residents of the city will not be able to enjoy the beauty if all the castles are demolished. You offer to ruin the lives of many for the sake of profit."

"I believe that more than one person will not be able to create something as beautiful as nature did, so I don't see any special meaning in any art. And speaking of nobles, I don't care what happens to them, I have no pity for those who received something by birth. I can only recommend that you re-evaluate the values a bit. "

"What do you mean? "

"You say what I propose to do is bad, but I just want to do the best. Notice the strangeness? When parents do what they see fit, they are called good parents for caring, but when I do the same, you say it's bad."

"The difference is that parents know how to raise their children and they genuinely care about their children."

"Of course, of course, but let me ask you a question if parents know better what is best for their children, then why did I become like this?"

"Um. . . Your parents didn't take much care of you?" Lilac unicorn asked uncertainly.

"Nope. Let me tell you something. Do you know who cared about me the most? Father, it was he who gave me all his free time and taught me. He taught that it is necessary to follow only material benefits, taught that in order to survive in a cruel world, you need to be able to lie, taught that in order to feel comfortable in society, you need to create a socially acceptable image. On the other side of the scales there is a grandfather with whom I saw only on winter and summer holidays. Grandfather spent most of his time hunting and only sometimes took the time to teach me. Grandfather taught me his values of honesty, straightforwardness, following his ideals and preserving individuality no matter what. That's my question to you. Listening and following my parents' advice is good. I listened to my parents, that is, I did well, but now everyone in this room treats me with varying degrees of disgust. Why?"

When I finished speaking, there was silence in the room. Looking at all the ponies, you can see that they were taken aback by my question.

I sighed and answered for them, "The fact is that the concepts of "good" and "bad" are just conventions created to simplify perception. And a little more information so that you understand the further material. Any society is built on three things: an internal enemy, an external enemy and a central figure. The central figure is a person with a built-up personality cult or just a super influential ideology. And now the material. To eliminate the conditionality, you need to create a new logic. The new logic is based on honesty, straightforwardness, lack of excuses and, most importantly, the maximum possible use of freedom. To create a new logic, you need to put a person who has already achieved this result in the place of the central figure. Why am I saying this? My main task is to achieve an idea, but the dissemination of an idea is also very important. And now-"I took the plate along with the cutlery and got up"-I say goodbye to you. I hope you make the right choice." I said before turning around and leaving the room.

After going through the corridors from memory, I got to my room. Going into the room, closing the door behind me and putting the food on the table, I opened the book and continued reading.

Training Pt.1

I finally finished reading a book on the basics of sewing. Although by the end it became very difficult due to the fact that I could not find the lamp for a long time. Seriously, who hides a lamp behind a table? If we continue the series of questions, who hides the lamps at all? Okay, not the point.

Now I'm lying on the bed having decided that I will make a needle out of a fork tomorrow. In case the maid comes into the room, I hid the fork on the cupboard. If it was difficult for me to climb on it, then the pony is even more so. I rolled over on my side towards the window and covered myself with a blanket. After closing my eyes and lying down for a while, I fell asleep. Or so I wanted to do. A knock on the door interrupted any attempt I made to sleep.

I got up with a grunt and started walking to the door instead of shouting from the spot. Going to the door and opening it, I saw Luna. When I saw her, I rubbed my eyes and asked with a little irritation in my voice, "What do you need?"

"Good evening to you too, Mr. Ctumer. Your training starts today." Luna said with a smirk on her face and to my confusion.

"And let me ask you, why should I be notified about this at night?" I asked with growing irritation.

"Oh, we forgot to tell you. Since the nobles imposed many restrictions on the Solar Guard, one of which is a ban on serving in the No pony Guard, so you will serve in the disbanded lunar Guard, that is, work at night." The Luna explained to me, increasing my irritation even more.

"Wait, wait, wait, how can I serve in a disbanded army unit?"

"Although the Lunar Guard was disbanded during our absence, there is no ban on its recreation. Do you have any more questions before your training starts? "

"Why arrange training at night? "

"The lunar Guard is a night unit of the Equestrian army, so I recommend that you learn to sleep during the day. "

I sighed in defeat, knowing I had no right to refuse and said with humility, "Okay, tell me where to go."

The Luna turned around and went in an unknown direction while I was following her. Examining the night castle, I mentally noted that at night it looks at least tolerable. Pointless spending on ugly door decorations is almost invisible at night, so only the stained glass windows remain, which are the only good part of the castle. Yeah, no matter how crazy it sounds, this castle can only be beautiful in the conditions of eternal night. Okay, whatever.

After passing through many corridors, all of which I could not remember because of the volume, we reached the gardens. In the garden there are many statues, plants and most importantly a pond in the middle, from which the moon and many stars are reflected. Perhaps the idea of sleeping during the day will not be so bad. While I was looking at the landscape, something pushed me sideways, knocking me to the ground. Turning around, I saw Luna, which immobilized me by putting one hoof on each of my limbs.

"The first lesson: always be vigilant. In battle, any carelessness can lead to death." Luna said while I was trying to figure out a way to get out of her trap.

After thinking a little and examining my position, I began to create ricochet arrows in both hands. Having fired arrows, they began to bounce many times from the hooves of the Luna to my hands, constantly gaining more strength. In just a second, the arrow gained enough strength to push Luna hooves away from me hard enough for me to get out from under Luna. I stood up in a stance, about to go on the offensive, but Luna instantly moved to me and hit my leg, pushing it back.

"Lesson two: your fighting stance should provide protection, reveal your strengths and smooth out your weaknesses. Now she does all of the above terribly," Luna explained to me, moving various parts of my body to change my stance. When she finished, she took a couple of steps back and continued, "now try it."

She made a dash to me and struck a blow that I blocked with my right hand and responded with my side kick to the head with my left hand. Luna blocked my blow and made a cut, knocking me to the ground. While I was trying to get up, Luna put a hoof on my chest, not allowing me to get up.

"Already this mistake could lead to your death. Besides, you're always looking where you're going to attack, so you're very predictable. Try to look for gaps in the defense is not so noticeable."

I pushed Luna's hoof off me with both hands and quickly jumped a couple of feet away. I got into a modified fighting stance and began trying to look for gaps in her defense unnoticed. She did not wait for me and made an instant dash to me, striking me with a hoof. I did a somersault to the side and kicked off from Luna a few feet. Unfortunately, as soon as I felt safe, Luna instantly moved towards me and hit me, sending me into the pond. Landing in the pond and sprawled half submerged in the water, I almost fell asleep.

"Get up." Luna said in a commanding tone.

I got up with a grunt and wearily took a stand again, despite the fact that I was knee-deep in water. Luna moved towards me again, once again striking me on the chin with a hoof. Quickly reacting, I blocked her blow with my hand and struck back at the head with the other. Luna also reacted quickly and took my blow aside and struck at the gap that had formed. Without having time to react, I received a strong blow to the jaw, staggered and fell back into the pond. I tried to get up, but Luna put a hoof on my back and pushed me into the pond.

"Don't think that the opponent will give you time to get up. You have to act faster. Come on, show me how you fight when your life depends on it!" Luna shouted in my ear, making me think for a while.

Does she want a real fight? Okay, I'll do it. I don't care what happened last time, now I'll show her what perfection is.

I turned around on my axis like a cat and grabbed the hoof of Luna. Stretching out a hoof to myself along with Luna, I kicked her in the neck. Luna didn't expect such a blow, so she stepped back quite a bit, pulling the hoof out of my grip, but I continued to attack. I made a quick fake blow to the head, but also quickly changed its direction to the chest, but Luna managed to react and block it. Luna tried to put an uppercut in my jaw, but I grabbed her hoof with both hands and tried to bend it. Unfortunately, Luna quickly suppressed my attempt and hit me in the stomach with a free hoof, knocking me into the water again. Luna had already opened her mouth to say something, but I got up and slammed her mouth with both hands. To be sure, I also kicked her in the chest, throwing her a few steps away. I ran up to Luna and made a tackle under her by shooting a ricochet arrow into her belly. I was about to continue my offensive, but Luna struck with its hind hooves, throwing me with great speed into a tree.

Having broken through a tree with my body and stopped only by hitting the next one, I wearily slid to the ground. While I was thinking how I was even alive after this and why it didn't hurt as much as when orange punched me, Luna flew up to me and started talking.

"I'm really impressed. The fact that you were able to switch from passivity to aggression so quickly is very impressive, but unfortunately your training is over for today. " Luna said bitterly, to which I objected.

"No. I will train until I stop moving. " I said, standing up again and making Luna grin.

"As you wish. " Luna said before rushing forward.

She flew up to me, trying to push me away, but I grabbed her and threw her aside. I retreated a few feet to better assess my position, but Luna managed to recover and get closer to me. Approaching me, Luna struck with her right hoof, which I blocked and responded with a blow to the horn. She reacted quickly and instantly darted to the side. I started looking around for Luna, but it just seemed to have evaporated. At some point I heard a strange sound and quickly turned around at him. In a flash of light, Luna appeared and hit me right in the face. I tried to dodge and hit her back along with the dodge, but Luna also ducked to dodge my lunge. As a result, the hoof of Luna hits me right in the face, and my hand could not reach her.

I flew into a tree, but quickly recovered and rushed to Luna. As I ran, I raised my fist behind my back to deliver as powerful a blow as possible. Luna easily blocked my punch and responded with a punch to the jaw that knocked me to the ground.

I can't go on like this. A couple more punches and I'll be knocked out. I need a change. But what. . . Precisely! She's probably used to the way I fight, but what if I move to four legs? I've already done it, though not on my own. I just need to repeat it from memory!

I got up on four legs remembering how I fought with the guards in the cave. Luna looked very surprised by this development. I rushed to Luna and as soon as she was ready to strike, I jumped back to the tree line and started jumping between them. To distract my opponent, I tore off some branches and put explosive runes with a timer on them. At some point I pushed off from the tree and jumped to Luna to attack. Due to the fact that she was distracted by exploding branches, she did not have time to react to my attack. In the air, I took my position so that two legs were pointed at Luna. Flying into Luna, I was able to shake it slightly, but to continue my initiative, I took the Moon with my feet using them as a hook and threw it into the tree line using my hands as a support. I ran on all fours to where I threw Luna to continue the attack, but she instantly moved to me and hit me right at the top of the head. Fortunately, I managed to dodge and jump to the tree line again, but instead of jumping between them, I immediately jumped back to Luna. Luna immediately tried to hit me while I was in flight, but her blow was blocked and I was already preparing to hit her in the face. Unfortunately, she hit me in the solar plexus with such speed that I didn't have time to react and crashed into the nearest tree. While I was trying to catch my breath after an active fight, Luna started talking.

"Consider our training sparring over," Luna said to my confusion.

"Okay." I said exhausted between breaths

"This concludes your training for today. Tomorrow you will learn the basics of military skills. Get up, I'll take you to your room."

Due to exhaustion, I just silently got up, deciding that I would not be able to continue sparring and began to follow Luna with a limp. Despite the fact that part of me said that accepting her help and even more accepting defeat was a blow to pride, I still continued to follow her. When we got to my room, Luna turned around and said.

"Good night Mr. Ctumer."

"And the same to you, Princess." I said it purely out of an agreement about politeness before entering my room and closing the door behind me.

Entering my room, I took off my soaked loincloth and hung it on a chair. After that, I fell on the bed and without even covering myself with a blanket, I began to fall asleep. Before I finally fell asleep, I heard a whisper again, but this time it was much louder and more legible.

"Statue, go to the statue of chaos."

Training Pt.2

“Fuck.” I said, trying to bend the fork so as to make at least something like a needle out of it, but I constantly either couldn't bend it, or bent it too much.

I woke up about fifteen minutes ago and have already started working. The main problem, in addition to the inability to regulate strength, is the shaking of the hands caused by yesterday's intense training, also known as beating. Anyway, after countless attempts, I finally managed to bend the fork so that it at least looked like a needle. It remains only to make a hole.

I stretched out my hand with a curved fork in front of me, and in the other hand I started charging a very small rune. When I loaded the rune, a tiny arrow flew out of it, which unfortunately missed its target and crashed into the wall. I quickly jumped out of bed and ran to the wall. Putting my finger through the hole and looking more closely, I breathed a sigh of relief, because the wall was not pierced through.

I need to be careful, otherwise I'm afraid I'll be transferred to a less comfortable ward. I don't think I'll be lucky enough to have a library in my room next time. And then I'll have to fix this hole somehow, and now I need to make a needle.

I went to the table and opened the window. Sitting on a chair with a wet loincloth on it, I put the fork in an upright position, holding it in my hand and charging the tiny rune again with the other, but this time bringing the hand with the rune point-blank to the target. The arrow flew out of the rune again and punched a small hole in the curved fork. The arrow flew some distance before I stopped seeing it. Her further fate is unknown to me. I solemnly held up the newly created needle with a small smile on my face. Getting up from my chair, I decided to leave the window open to ventilate the room. Putting the needle on top of the cabinet, I wondered.

Now the question is where can I find such things as fabric, thread, scissors, accessories for drawing clothes and the like? I can use a blanket as fabric and thread if I tear it apart, but where can I find scissors and drawing supplies? I don't even think about a sewing machine. Damn, this is really difficult. Hmm, I'm afraid the only thing left for me is to ask the princesses for everything I need in return for something for them. I do not understand what I should give them in return and at the same time not too expensive. Phone? There is no better way to die than to put technology in such unreliable hands. Or the hooves, are not the point. Being polite to Celestia? No, definitely not. And I still need to learn about the princesses' fighting skills. It's all such a headache.

Propping my head on my hand, I looked out the window and saw that it was about noon. There are a lot of ponies walking along the street, which merge into a single mass because of their number.

I can't leave the room. I don't have sewing supplies and I don't expect them in the near future. Luna will only come to teach me at night. Given the factor that I cannot leave the room, it can be concluded that the creation of a guide weapon and armor is also impossible. I think I'm going to work out a fighting stance. Yeah, compared to what it was in the first month, it looks a little boring.

I stood in the center of the room and tried to get into a modified fighting stance. If earlier my stance was mostly open, which is why I could conveniently block only side blows and the rest with difficulty. Short for mobility, but not stable. High for even greater mobility, now it has radically changed. The position became much closer, which made my defense impregnable. In theory. The distance of the leading and rear legs increased significantly, which made the rack very stable, but greatly weakened mobility. The rack has become low, which makes strong blows easier to apply, but at the same time worsened my mobility. As a result, the new modified rack significantly weakened my mobility, but at the same time improved protection and overall stability. Whether this change will be positive or negative, I will be able to find out only in the conditions of a real battle.

After spending several attempts to get into a modified stance, I finally achieved this. No matter how to almost completely change the stance that has been used for several years is not the easiest task. In any case, standing in a fighting stance, I began to practice strikes, mainly focusing on the gradual development of actions to automatism. A step forward with the left foot and a sharp ejection with the left hand going with it. A turn of the right heel and hip, weight transfer to the left leg and in the final ejection with the right hand. Turning the body and hip together with a side kick. The transfer of body weight to the right leg and the twisting movement of the leg and body pushes the arm out for impact. Repeat all this until you come to full automatism.

After a while, someone knocked on the door. I, dissatisfied with the fact that my impromptu training was interrupted, came up and opened the door. Opening the door, I saw a lilac unicorn with bags on its sides and a plate of food in a magical grip. And along with the unicorn was an orange earth pony with a cowboy hat. Looking at me, they looked slightly confused, but I didn't pay much attention to it.

Looking at them, I said in an irritated voice "What do you two want from me?"

"I really wanted to get information from you about your species, if you agree, of course. Oh! And I also brought you some food." She said, handing me a plate of food.

"Although the desire to study is very commendable, but why is she here?" I asked, pointing to the orange pony and holding a plate of food in my other hand.

"I invited Applejack here with me so that she could recognize your lies if you lie. And by the way, my name is Twilight," she replied, holding out a hoof to me.

"I won't shake your hand. Just come on in and let's get this over with quickly." I said, walking up to the table and putting a plate of food on it.

Twilight walked over to the bed and sat down on it, starting to unpack her bags. Applejack decided to just stand next to the unicorn and watch me. While everyone was getting settled, I opened the dome that was on the plate to see what I would have to eat today. Looking at the plate, I saw Caesar salad and it would seem that everything is fine, but no ponies can't do something intelligently and instead of chicken they put hay. Okay, maybe now I'm whining, they're still vegetarians.

A little calmed down, I sat down on a chair and looked at Twilight "Come on, ask your questions."

Twilight pulled out her notebook and began to quickly look through it. When she finished, she lifted the scroll and the pen with her magic grip. Having prepared herself, she finally asked, "The Princess said that you mentioned some kind of "Soviet Union". Is this your homeland? "

I giggled at her question and replied, "No, I will say even more, many people in my homeland sincerely hate this country"

"Oh? What kind of somepony can hate the country for? " Twilight asked in a genuinely interested voice.

"Firstly, not somepony, but someone, and secondly, there are many reasons and each individual person makes his own conclusion which is the main reason. If you are ready to find pure information in my words yourself, then so be it, I will tell you. "

Twilight paused for a moment thinking and still replied "Tell me. "

I mentally prepared for my lecture and began: "Of the many reasons, I single out three: propaganda, myths and the ideology of the country itself.

"With propaganda, everything is very convenient because of the radicality of the Soviet Union in different areas and the country's closeness from the outside world, you can talk about it almost anything, and as one famous Austrian artist said "The more monstrous the lie, the more likely it is to be believed. "

"The first reason leads to the second creation of a myth from the category of "Soldiers were not given weapons during the war", "Forced labor camps or gulags at every turn" and my favorite "Stalin killed millions just for fun and generally ate children." In fact, after looking at the statistics and reading a lot of articles, all this will turn out to be a strong hypocrisy or even complete nonsense.

"The latter is quite simple. Communism, and it was precisely this ideology that the government of the Union tried to follow, presupposes the absence of private property and a society based on mutual assistance, which is contrary to what the society of most countries is used to. Yes, the Union had its horrors, but they are far from as terrible as those who have not discovered anything related to history in their entire lives think."

Twilight wrote down everything I said very quickly and when she finished writing it down, she asked apprehensively, "What horrors?"

"Dekulakization, rigid collectivization and scarcity of almost everything. Everything has its reasons, goals and consequences."

"Dekulakization? Collectivization?"

"Dekulakization is the process of forcibly taking away property from peasants who use hired labor, but do not engage in physical labor on their own. Collectivization is the process of combining private farms into collective farms under state control. In the Union, it was carried out forcibly, according to the articles. "

Applejack got into the conversation with extreme discontent in her voice, "I mean, forced unification of farms into collective farms? What kind of hay!?"

"In short, you either add a property to the collective farm by making it common, or, in case of refusal, all your property will be taken away and you yourself will be sent to forced labor somewhere in the ass of the world."

"But it's terrible! What right do these communists have to do what!?" Applejack said, losing her patience.

"I believe that the most important thing is to set and fulfill the set goals, and methods do not matter. The goal of the Communists was to obtain the resources for rapid industrialization. Did they do it? Yes. Could they have achieved this not by such immoral methods? They could, but the main thing is that they achieved the result. "

Applejack snorted and said nothing. Probably afraid of losing in an argument. Twilight wrote something down in her notebook and already opened her mouth to ask, but changed her mind and crossed something out. Gathering her strength, she still asked, "Do people have any technologies, such as trains?"

"Yes, there are trains. I will say more, if we conclude from what I saw, the difference between the technological progress of ponies and humans is several hundred years."

"Several hundred years!? Tell me everything!" Twilight said with great enthusiasm in his voice.

"No, I'm not going to tell you about it."

"Why?" Twilight asked in an offended voice.

"Based on what I've seen about ponies, I can safely say that ponies are clearly not the ones who can be provided by technology. Seriously, I don't understand why ponies exist in nature at all. "

"Do you have any problems with the pony? "

"Yes. In all the time I have been talking to ponies, I have seen only one pony worthy of respect. Besides, the fact that you're willing to submit to a mediocre ruler like Celestia says a lot about you as a species."

"Who, if not Celestia?"

"Anyone who won't sit on their ass and do nothing. The mad chancellor, obsessed with the racial superiority of ponies, will become the best ruler. A mad scientist who approves of experiments on people will become a better ruler. Anyone who is willing to change something will be a better ruler than Celestia!"

"Celestia has ruled Equestria for a thousand years! She never makes mistakes and only she can rule Equestria well."

I was about to start arguing, but when I heard Twilight's answer, I exhaled, calmed down and laughed. When I finished laughing, I said "Celestia is well done. Create an entire religion and put yourself at its center? Yes, it's brilliant! Listen, tell Celestia that I praise her for a good idea and execution."

"But I still have so many questions."

"No, no, telling Celestia is more important right now."

"But. . ." Twilight tried to object, but I quickly interrupted him.

"No "but "get your ass up and do something useful in your life!"

She looked very offended by my attitude, but still listened to me and left the room with Applejack. I sighed happily when these two got out of here and leaned on a chair. Relaxing, I moved closer to the table and started eating Caesar salad, separating pieces of hay from the total mass. Despite my dislike of salads in general, I finished it quickly enough. Looking out the window, I saw that it was already getting dark.

Or I still ate for a long time. Damn, it looks like I've also been crucifying with these two animals for a really long time. Well, let there be nothing to do here anyway, and it was some kind of occupation, but still. Well, I think I can only continue to practice strikes.

I stood in the center of the room again and took a fighting stance.

At some point, I completely immersed myself in the meditative process and lost track of time. Unfortunately, I was knocked out of my condition by the second knock on the door today. Grumbling, I went to the door and opened it to see the Moon with sheets of paper, pencils and a book in a magical grip.

"How do I understand the lessons of military art begin?"

"You really need to learn how to say hello Mr. Ctumer, but answering your question, yes, your lessons begin."

I made way for her and she went into the room. When she came to the table, she pushed the plate aside, put down the pieces of paper and motioned for me to sit on a chair. I sat down on a chair and Luna started explaining to me.

"Now there will be a small task so that I can determine your ability to plan a battle. Understand? "

"What task? Now I see only sheets of paper and pencils in front of me. "

"It's very simple. I will give you different conditions and positions in the drawing and you will perform the task that I will tell you. Understand? "

"Yes."

She nodded at my answer and started sketching something on a piece of paper. When she finished drawing, she got an image with two mountain ranges and a forest between them. There was a blue and a red circle on two different sides of the ridge. Numbers and symbols were written on the red circle, namely five hundred Earth ponies, four hundred Pegasus and one hundred unicorns. On the blue circle there was the same designation, but with different numbers, namely a thousand Earth ponies and five hundred Pegasus.

"Your task is to break up a numerically superior unit of the enemy army and draw an attack plan on the map."

"Am I in charge of the Reds?"

"Yes."

"Got it." I said, starting to get lost in thought.

If the mountains could be bypassed not through the forest, it would be indicated in the figure, so the choice is to go either through the forest or through the mountains. As history shows, it is very difficult, if not impossible, to cross the mountains. Wait, but Pegasus can just fly over. But given the number of ponies in the blue group, these Pegasus will simply be defeated if they come too quickly. So if you go to the mountains, then only with a small squad, for example, a hundred pieces, and send the rest to the forest along with the earth ponies. Unicorns can probably be good at long distances, that is, in the role of support. I think I got it.

I took a pencil and started drawing a plan. As a result, three lines turned out: the first passes through the left mountain to the side of the blue group and consists of fifty Pegasus, the second passes through the center to the forehead of the blue group and consists of five hundred earth ponies, three hundred Pegasus and one hundred unicorns, the third passes through the right mountain to the right side of the blue group and consists of the remaining fifty Pegasus. After looking at my plan, she said.

"Let's say. Now draw the formation of your shock group on another sheet." Luna said, handing me another piece of paper.

I drew a formation of Pegasus on the flanks, unicorns in the rear and earth ponies in the center of the whole group. Looking at this, Luna asked in a non-emotional voice.

"Now explain how this is supposed to work."

"Two groups of Pegasus will strike from both sides to disorient the enemy while the main group approaches. Pegasi from the main group will be able to introduce the enemy into even more turmoil due to speed, and as a result, the earth ponies will smash the enemy while the unicorns are supported at a distance. " I answered, forcing Luna to sigh heavily, resting my muzzle on my hooves. After finishing, Luna still answered.

"No, it doesn't work that way. Firstly, the Pegasus will not be able to fly over the mountain faster than the main group, they will need even more time, and this is not to mention the fact that a horde of Earth ponies will very quickly suppress two small groups of Pegasus. This is the first problem. Your formation can easily be taken in a pincer and simply be broken. This is the second problem. You didn't leave yourself any reserve and just threw all your strength into battle. This is the third problem. In general, your plan is just bad from a tactical point of view, but from a strategic point of view, it is a complete failure because even if successful, your plan will cost a lot of soldiers. "The Moon criticized my plan. I sighed, rubbed my temples with my fingers and answered.

"Yes, it's my mistake, but you're going to teach me, so let's teach."

"Okay, let's give a simpler example." Luna replied before starting to draw a new map. When she finished, she got an image of a hill and a plain. On the hill there was a red group of a thousand Earth ponies and five hundred pegasus, and on the plain there was a blue group of a thousand ponies and eight hundred pegasus . And the blue formation was made in the form of an arrow.

"Your task is to defend everything is quite simple."

She said that the reserve is necessary, but I do not understand why it is needed at all. Probably to support the defense if something goes wrong. I think the reserve should consist of Pegasus and no one else. And the earth ponies will line up in a circle and when they hit, they will move away to surround the enemy. Yes, it should work.

I started drawing my defense plan. As a result, two lines turned out: The retreat of all the Pegasus creating a reserve and the formation of the earth ponies in a circle. I also displayed in the picture how, when hit in front of a group of earth ponies, it moves backwards to create a trap. Luna studied the plan carefully and finally answered.

"Not bad, but there is one important thing that you didn't pay attention to. Soldiers in the heat of battle will think first of all about saving their lives, that is, they will most likely forget about the plan. You need to build a trap in advance"

Luna took everything except the book in her magical grip. Before leaving the room, she turned around and said finally, "In the next lesson, you will study the basic combat formations. Tomorrow you will be learning magic and reading the book is your homework. See you later, Mr. Ctumer. " Luna said before leaving the room, closing the door behind her.

Looking at the book, I read aloud the title "Sunny Funny the Art of War. " Seriously?

Despite my dissatisfaction with such a silly title, I opened the book and started reading.

Training Pt.3

Dawn came a few hours ago and only now I was finally able to finish reading the book that Luna gave me. Yes, I could not read the whole book at once, but why if I can read everything at once? In any case, now I can only try to rearrange my sleep mode, that is, start sleeping during the day. I got up from the chair where I had been sitting all the time while reading and flopped down on the bed. After many unsuccessful attempts, I was finally able to fall asleep.

I found myself in a space whose bottom consisted of a dark liquid similar to water. Several columns of black color were rushing up into the blue sky. I have a feeling that something is wrong here. Suddenly I felt a presence behind me. Quickly turning around, I saw a very strange creature. The creature has a horse-like muzzle with a dark gray mane. One is a deer horn and the other is a goat and also a goatee. One lion's paw and the other eagle's. One bat wing and one Pegasus wing. One leg of a lizard and the other in the form of a horse's hoof. As a result, the creature looks like randomly assembled body parts of different animals.

Seeing how I was looking at him, the creature grinned and began to say, "Oh, are you impressed by my incomparable beauty? Of course, because before you stands the one and only Discord, the spirit of chaos and disharmony!" Discord finished speaking while posing proudly.

"And what do you want from me?" I answered not particularly interested.

"Hey Dani, this is not scripted."

"First of all, you call me that again and I'll beat the shit out of you, and secondly, what are you talking about at all?."

"It's too bad that the actor forgot the script, but here you go." Discord said, pulling a script out of nowhere and handing it to me.

I looked at the title written on the first page and without opening the script I said "Why did you give me the script of American Psycho?"

"Oops confused, I was invited for the role, but alas, I could not come to the shooting. Here you go." Discord said, taking the script from me and handing me another one.

"Are you idiot?" I said, showing Discord the front part of the script on which it says "Joker"

"Oh, I got it mixed up again. But let's be honest, you don't have to prepare to play a madman. Okay, back to business. Where were we? Oh, yes, you're not working according to the script. Let me look for yours. " Discord said, pulling out a bag out of nowhere and starting rummaging through it. Throwing aside at least a hundred scripts, he finally pulled out the right one and began to read quietly, creating a director's chair under him. When he finished after a couple of seconds, he said.

"Right now you should have fallen on your ass and gone into shock. You've generally moved away from the script almost everywhere. For example, yesterday you had to say that you love Lulu and today you had to make love to her and then escape from your room to find me. And yet. . ." He wanted to continue, but I cut him off.

"Hold your horses. Did I understand you correctly? According to this scenario of yours that you got out of nowhere at all, should I fuck a horse?"

"Yes. It here in the order of things besides, we have a thousand and one excuses why it can be done calmly and without problems. Starting with the fact that she is reasonable, that is, having sex with her is not considered zoophilia, ending with the magical protection of your bones from crushing under the mass of the mare. "

"But she's a horse! "

"And why should it bother? "

I put my hand to my face and said, "Fuck, I can't argue with your logic."

"Well, since you realized that you can't argue with what's not there, then we can go over your deviations a little more. For example, when you first met the elements, you had to immediately make friends with them and become super kind. Okay, since you're not listening to me anymore, let's get down to business. " Discord said before snapping his fingers causing everything but the dream scenery to disappear. He put his fingers together and looked at me with an impenetrable gaze.

"I have a trade offer for you. I receive: lots of fun and chaos. You receive: my confession. Well, do you agree? "

"Can you be more specific?"

"You're not funny, but I'll explain it to you as my favorite actor. You will be more restrained when communicating with the elements so as not to destroy their friendship ahead of time because I want to do it myself. Seriously, I know literally everything about you and it's clear to me that sooner or later you will want to influence them. Divide and conquer, right? But you'd better refrain from doing that because I want to have fun myself, too. In return, you will receive my recognition as the strongest if your crazy plan works. Well, do you agree? " Said Discord, extending his eagle paw.

"For you, I'm crazy just because you're too underdeveloped to understand basic things, but okay, I accept your offer. " I said, reluctantly extending my hand to him.

Discord shook my hand in return and said before disappearing, "Remember! Reality is an illusion, the universe is a hologram, buy gold, bye!"

Damn, how old is this reference? Seven years? Ten? In any case, using something so unoriginal and old is a real shame. And how do I get out of here anyway?

I didn't even have time to start thinking about the possibility of escaping from the dream when I heard a knock on the door. With each knock I hear it more clearly and the space around me becomes more blurred. As a result, the dream finally collapsed.

I opened my eyes abruptly and looked around my room. As expected, the source of the sound was the door to the room. I got out of bed and went to the door after putting on the already dried loincloth. Looking out the window, I saw that it was already night outside. How did I sleep for so long? Going to the door and opening it, I saw Luna. In general, it is expected.

"Well, for other reasons, you couldn't come to me." I said, anticipating what Luna would say.

"I asked you to learn how to say hello before starting the conversation itself." Replied Luna in a slightly offended voice.

"If you explain in a reasoned way, why I need to change my behavior model to something else, then I'm ready to listen."

"Have you heard of such a good thing as politeness?"

"Politeness? Yes, I have heard about some beautiful words and techniques behind which people are hiding who are afraid to show themselves as real. I prefer to speak and act openly if possible."

"You do understand that sooner or later you will have to contact the nobles and than politeness will become a necessity for you?"

"Why should I contact all sorts of jerks?"

"It has always been accepted that the captain of the princess's guard, in case of her absence, can temporarily take over her duties, so you need to win over the nobles in advance in case something happens."

"I doubt very much that something serious can happen to you." I said with doubt in my voice.

"Maybe nothing serious will happen, but the nobles are well aware of this rule, so they will begin to put enormous pressure on you to leave in case they don't like you."

"Okay, let's see what happens in the future." I said, walking past Luna in the direction where the gardens are approximately. I decided to end the conversation now because maintaining politeness for a long time really annoys me.

After a while, Luna broke out ahead, taking the lead in our small group. Well, I don't mind. After going through the many corridors of the night castle, we finally got to the garden where my sparring with Luna was.

Luna began to speak in an indifferent voice, "Since you have very little control over your magic, we will have to start from the very basics, namely with breathing. The fact is that the magic of its nature is connected with breathing and therefore good breath control is needed for its effective use. As your first exercise, you should hang on to that tree by pulling magic and hold on as long as possible. Luna said, pointing with her hoof at the nearest tree.

I approached the tree without much interest and released the magical tentacles from two hands on the highest branch. Hanging about five feet above the ground, I just stared at Luna with boredom in my eyes.

"Well, this. . ." I wanted to say, but as soon as I started talking, the tentacles began to crackle and I had to shut my mouth to return them to their initial state.

"You know that talking interrupts normal breathing, right?"

Even though I only found out now, I just nodded and continued hanging. Over time, it began to feel as if the energy was constantly being pulled out of me, which made it difficult to even maintain even breathing. In the end, I fell out of the tree, but quickly recovered and hung again, despite the growing pain in my chest and arms.

Seeing that I already understood what to do, Luna sat down in front of me and began to say "Since you understand what to do, I will begin to explain the theory. The soul is closely connected with the heart and lungs. The connection with the heart is that magic moves through the body through the blood, that is, bleeding at certain points can make it difficult or even stop the flow of magic. The connection with the lungs is that magic can only be transmitted through very well-oxygenated blood. Therefore, it is very important for you to be able to transfer blows to the side and control your breathing so as not to lose the ability to create magic at the most inopportune moment.

"Also, magic can accumulate through the efforts of its owner in one part of the body to strengthen it and increase physical strength, but for this you need a very good control of magic, which you currently do not have. You can make it your personal motivation to train magic, we don't mind.

"And the most important thing. Because of your rash decision to combine dark and ordinary magic, your magic as a whole has become dependent on emotions, that is, for the full potential of your magic, you need negative emotions. We cannot teach you to delay and release emotions at the right moment, so we can only recommend that you learn from your own experience."

While Luna continued to talk, I got distracted and saw a statue of the creature that I saw in my dream. Just like in a dream, Discord looks like a mix of random animals.

How is it even possible for a living being to be trapped in a stone as an ornament in a garden? Although I consider myself a very immoral person, this sounds too harsh even for me. Between being stuck in a stone forever and dying right away, I won't hesitate to choose the latter. It's even kind of embarrassing to me that ponies are shown only one nonsense after another and show almost nothing positive.

"Are you even listening?" Luna asked irritably, knocking me out of my thoughts. I shook my head negatively, which made Luna sigh.

"At least you're honest. All right, I'll continue my lecture. And so I settled on resisting natural magic." Luna continued to speak while I continued to hang on the tree with the help of magical tentacles. Before I completely immersed myself in the process, a thought appeared in my head.

It seems to me that further training will only be more difficult.

After training

It's been three months of my training under the guidance of Luna and collecting information about the princesses. Trainings were held every day without days off. Unfortunately, as I expected during my first magical training, the following workouts have become much more difficult. Combat lessons have become as long and hard as possible. Starting from a simple tightening of sparring until I collapse from exhaustion, ending with the demands to strain all my muscles to try to uproot the tree. Military art lessons began to be combined with others, and besides, huge stacks of various literature do not give me much time to rest. Magic lessons also threw me a lot of literature and began to last as long as my body could.

Speaking of the princesses fighting skills, I was able to learn from unobtrusive conversations with Luna the following: Celestia took a weapon for the last time so long ago that she no longer remembers herself, but she is still considered a specialist in shaft weapons. Luna, on the contrary, is considered a warrior princess and regularly practices with bladed weapons, but she also understands bows and hand-to-hand combat. I was able to tear out a flyleaf from one book and knock out a bird with an arrow from a rune to write a letter with a pen. What did I use as ink? Blood. I have plenty of blood that Luna knocked out of me during sparring. As a result, the letter is hidden on the closet and waiting for the moment when I can safely deliver it to the garden.

It's almost night now, and after reading a lot of books about the art of war and magic, I can at least rest on my bed for a couple of minutes and think about my successes. My fighting skills have advanced significantly and now previously impossible techniques like deflecting an opponent's blow to the side and strong, almost indestructible grips have become something commonplace for me. In addition, at the last training session, I was able to hold out in battle all night. In the lessons of military art, Luna notes that in defense and counterattack tasks I show myself perfectly, but in tasks where it is necessary to take the initiative, I am not so good. I haven't really made any serious progress in magic. Yes, the magic has become stronger and the usual rune now breaks through a couple of layers of bricks. Yes, the creation of one rune now takes me a maximum of a second, but something completely new? No. Well, okay, you don't always get what you want right away, the main thing is to keep working.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door. I got out of bed mentally preparing for new bruises because today is a training sparring. When I opened the door, I saw the familiar horse face of Luna again. I could already make concessions to Luna and say hello before starting a conversation, but I'm not going to change something if there are no adequate reasons for that.

"Come on, let's go. Let's start faster and finish at the same time." I said, bypassing the Moon and moving along the road to the garden, which I had already managed to learn in these three months and knowing that if I did not fall from exhaustion, the training would last until dawn, so there is not much point in starting earlier.

Surprisingly, Luna, instead of giving her comment about my impoliteness, Luna said, "Actually, you don't have a workout today."

I turned around and asked with restrained surprise, "Then why did you come to me today? You could have just not come, because I still can't leave the room without permission."

"The fact is that your kind of final exam will take place today." Luna replied in a calm voice. Looking closely at her, I saw that she had hidden something in the wing.

"I didn't know that the military academy could be completed in three months, but okay. Give me the exam, I'll get it over with quickly and that's it." I said to Luna, making her grin.

"Did you really think that studying at a military academy looks like this? In fact, everything was accelerated as much as possible in order to meet the shortest possible time. Although after learning that you imagined studying at the academy exactly like this, I have to completely reject the first impression about you."

"Well, what has changed?" I asked, not particularly interested in her opinion. Even though Luna is the only creature I've spent time with for the last three months, I still don't think her opinion is important. Interesting? Yes. Important? Absolutely not.

"You see, after learning that you were trained as a politician and learning about your character, we thought that at home you were the spoiled son of a rich nobleman. But gradually and especially now you have proved that you are at least not spoiled. Believe us, we personally knew a lot of spoiled nobles who always expect everything to be quick and easy. Although we still wonder who your parents were?"

"Firstly, they are still alive, healthy, just far away, so they "were" inappropriate. Secondly, everything is classic: a woman takes care of the house and children, or, in my case, the child, the father works in the office and is desperately trying to break into high society."

"What's classic here? A classic family in Equestria since the adoption of harmony is two working parents raising children in parallel with work."

After hearing Luna's statement, I scratched my mustache, which had already grown during this time, and replied, "Cultural differences, Princess, cultural differences. So what kind of exam are we talking about?"

Luna unfolded her wing and handed me a rolled-up scroll. I looked questioningly at Luna in response to which she began to say, "Your exam is a test of combat skills and the ability to survive in an unknown territory. You must go to the temple of the Thestrals located in the jungle and find the moon sickle there."

"Wouldn't it be better to send the guards there, and in general, why do you need some kind of sickle?"

"Unfortunately, all three expeditions to the temple failed and did not return back. There is a long history with the sickle, but in short, all the churches were given this or that thing from the personal storehouse of the princesses as a sign of legitimacy, but this sickle was never returned. "

"So you want to say that a few dozen people died just to return a small fraction of your material wealth?"

Luna sighed irritably, assuming that now I would start arguing and muttered "You won't understand"

I sighed knowing that I couldn't beat Luna in a dispute without resorting to philosophy and replied, "I'll take that as an answer. Better tell me why I need the scroll."

"A scroll is a map on which a temple is marked and a compass is wrapped in a scroll. Will you take the train

"As I understand it, the train will arrive soon. "

"To be exact, in half an hour."

"Understood." I said before quickly returning to my room.

In the room behind the closet, I hid what I could do with my limited tools. Namely, a T-shirt woven from my blanket and with feathers under the surface to keep at least some warmth. Because of my very meager inventory, the T-shirt turned out to be far from perfect. Sleeves of different lengths, the mismatch of the length of the front and back, a lot of small holes created due to my inability to use a needle and the like. Despite the fact that its production, even in this form, took me almost three months and I was able to finish it only a week ago, the main thing is that now I have something to cover myself with. It remains only to find shoes, but I'm afraid for now I can only dream about it.

I put on an improvised T-shirt, turned around on the spot and left the room, closing the door behind me. Luna examined the change and said.

"Did you kill a lot of birds for this?"

"Yes."

Luna snorted and turned around on the spot and started walking down the corridor. I quickly figured it out and started following her. Only now I noticed that at night the castle has no protection. Inspecting the castle, I can barely restrain the desire. The desire to overtake Luna and get out of this castle as quickly as possible. Seriously, for the last three months I've only been out of the castle into the garden and that's it. Despite the fact that Canterlot is a bad city for my taste, it's still better to be on the street than locked up.

Having reached the double doors of the same that were at the entrance to the dining room, Luna flashed a horn, forcing the doors to swing open. After we left the castle, I breathed in the fresh air with satisfaction. Looking at the night city, I saw a lot of untidy decorations. Balls with various "scary" drawings and very simplified skulls. Is this not Halloween?

I turned to Luna and asked, pointing to my hand at the jewelry, "Why is this here?"

Luna looked where I was pointing and paused for a moment before replying, "If we all remember correctly, this is dedicated to the so-called nightmare night that was last night. We are going to attend this event next year."

"Who will take care of your duties while you go on holidays?"

"So far, we do not have a full-fledged government. First, we're going to show our subjects that we care about them."

"And for this you are going to attend various holidays and the like?"

"In general, yes."

"It's not the most effective method for my taste, but it works."

"Which method do you think is more effective?" Luna asked, looking at me with interest.

"You can give a good propagandist the opportunity to make a fiery speech or do a nice little thing for the people like lowering one insignificant tax by half a percent."

"If we can quite agree with your second statement, then we are interested in how you imagine a fiery speech?"

Instead of answering, I started looking around and after a few moments I saw a box. I immediately ran up to him and climbed on him to get a kind of platform for the performance. Luna caught up with me and looked at me with interest.

I cleared my throat and started "Ladies and gentlemen! As many people know, there are traitors in our holy homeland who brazenly deny the disinterested care and assistance to the people from the royal family! Such rot on the body of our society has no right to exist in any form! Today, an authoritative source who wished to remain anonymous personally saw that every day the royal family performs the load that an ordinary secretary, farmer and miner do in a month combined! And can you allow the ungrateful rot that denies the government's concern for us to continue to exist? No! Now every man, woman, child must all rally around our illustrious rulers to repel the rabble and clean our great state from betrayal, otherwise the state will fall apart at the seams and fall into lawlessness and anarchy. Is this the future you want for your children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and so on? Our common answer is that we will not allow such a thing for anything. Glory to the God-chosen royal family!"

When I finished, the lights came on in some houses and a few ponies even went outside. I jumped down from my podium and looked at Luna. She appeared a little impressed by my speech.

"Do you really have that opinion about princesses?"

I grinned at Luna's question and replied, "No, I was just trying to demonstrate how I present a fiery speech."

"I think you did pretty well."

"Quite, but it could have been better. If all the ponies came out of their houses to listen to the speech, it would be a real success."

"In our opinion, you are too self-critical."

"Everything that is not as perfection must be improved to this state in order to be worthy of me." I said, making Luna sigh in exasperation. In response, I grinned at Luna's reaction and continued, "Calm down, I have no desire to philosophize with you today."

Continuing to walk, we reached the train station. Luna, not paying attention to him, just turned to the side wanting to get around him. I caught up with Luna and asked a question.

"Why aren't we going to the train station?"

"It's closed. Besides, did you really think that you would be allowed to ride on an ordinary civilian train?"

"Yes." I answered briefly.

"We could not put everything on your integrity, so you will go on a specialized military train."

Before I could answer, I heard the sound of an approaching train. Looking in his direction, I could only see the exhaust and nothing more because of the darkness. When the train got closer, it began to slow down and make a characteristic sound. The train door opened and a unicorn in armor with light gray fur and a sapphire mane got out of it. He bowed to Luna and began to speak.

"I'm ready to take the monster into custody." The unicorn said what Luna wanted to answer, but I was faster.

"Explain to me, you idiot in armor, why ponies are called monsters by everyone who does not relate to them?"

He turned to me with rage and replied with venom in his voice, "Because people like you come to the city and attack civilians for no reason!"

"Who told you such nonsense? Your imaginary friends or maybe your beloved mom? Oh! I get it! Your schizophrenia told you that! I think it's time for you to go to a psychologist."

He had already started to blush with rage and answered, becoming even more furious in his voice. "This was told to me by my sister, whom you beat up and brazenly refused to apologize to her, claiming that there was nothing to blame."

I scratched my mustache. Damn it turns into a habit you need to get rid of them somehow. And I replied, "You're like an older brother who protects his sister, right? You do realize that I don't care about your family, right? You know what? Just entertain me and answer the question. What is the meaning of life?"

He was silent for a while, but after a few seconds he proudly puffed out his chest and replied, "Help and protection for those who can't take care of themselves."

I briefly laughed at his answer and continued to say, "If so, then let me ask a counter question. Who is a person who "can't take care of himself"? "

The unicorn was silent again for an even longer interval, but eventually replied, "Those who are offended by villains like you."

"If I'm a bully who offends the weak, but at the same time I beat up all the guards in Ponyville, then I'm very strong, right?"

"Yes, but you use your power for evil, unlike me. As you know, good always wins over evil, so I am stronger than you."

I winced at his boldness and replied anyway. "Then let's have a fight right now, at this station."

He was caught off guard by my words, but quickly got his bearings and replied. "Dueling is prohibited in Equestria."

"It's very rude not to listen to the interlocutor, but I'll explain it to you. It will just be sparring. The winner is the one who first put the opponent on the ground and holds for five seconds. Well, do you agree?"

Unicorn started trying to come up with some kind of counterargument, but nothing happened. Luna decided to intervene in the conversation and said, "I don't mind."

I grinned while the unicorn looked resentfully at Luna. She went on to say, "There is nothing wrong with sparring on such terms. Besides, for your statement, Shining Armor, in our time you would be challenged to a duel without delay."

Shining tried to object, but eventually sighed and muttered. "Okay."

"If both participants agree to participate, then take a few steps back."

Before listening to Luna's order, I threw her a scroll to free both hands. Shining and I took a few steps and when the distance between us was about thirty feet, Luna stopped us.

"Is everyone ready?" Luna asked, to which I nodded confidently, and Shining hesitated a little, but still nodded uncertainly.

"On the count of three, the sparring begins. One."

I got into a fighting stance and Shining activated his horn.

"Two."

I focused on my breathing to keep it stable.

"Three!"

I did not slow down and rushed to Shining, preparing to knock him to the ground, but he managed to create a shield in front of him to prevent me from breaking through. Following the lessons of Luna, instead of retreating, I began to attack the shield in order to break through it. I started hitting the shield with all possible punches. Blows with knees, hands and from a U-turn. All this eventually made a small hole in the shield into which I pushed the magical tentacles and grabbed Shining by the neck, not allowing him to breathe. As soon as Shining lost the ability to breathe, the shield fell apart and I was able to pull Shining to me with magical tentacles and put my foot on his back. I let go of his throat to put my hand on his horn instead, preventing him from doing magic. After I did all this, Luna started counting down.

"One. Two. Three"

Only after three seconds Shining began to spin trying to pull out, but in response to this I quickly hit him on the back at a point that Luna called painful. Shining let out a painful groan from the blow to the painful point and almost stopped moving. All this happened in less than a second and Luna is still counting down.

"Four. Five! The fight is over. Daniel Ctumer won!"

Nothingness.

I lifted my foot from Shining's back and took a couple of steps back. After several attempts, he was able to get up on all four hooves with difficulty and groans of pain. He looked drooping after and upset after this short fight. Remembering that I needed to go on a mission, I turned to Luna and started talking.

"Well, I think it's time for me to go now." I said, extending my hand to Luna for a farewell handshake.

Looked surprised by my action, but still responded to my gesture and give a hoof. After a mutual handshake, I turned towards the train from which Shining got out and finally turned to him still moaning in pain.

"Let's get on the train," I said without waiting for his answer and entered the train myself.

When I entered the train, I saw a lot of wooden shelves. Many of them were occupied by soldiers, each busy with his own business. One sharpens a spear, the second cleans armor, the third reads Playcolt magazine without shame at all. As soon as I entered the carriage, some guards paid attention to me, but most of them seemed to already know who would be here. I saw one low shelf by the window that was free. I decided that it was meant for me and came and sat on the shelf with one leg crossed over the other. After a couple of moments, Shining entered the train quietly complaining of back pain. I heard a few chuckles from the guards at the sight of Shining. Especially among them, an earth pony with a little gray hair on an orange mane and gray fur stood out. He laughed especially loudly at Shining with his bass voice. Shining started to get angry and shouted.

"Shut up Stone! I am above you in rank and I order you to behave yourself!"

At this, Stone laughed even louder and almost fell off his shelf, but still managed to hold on. Stone was able to gather his strength and answer, "You were beaten in a couple of seconds by a child! Everyone here knows that the so-called "Sacred Hunter" is nineteen years old. We saw through the windows how you were beaten in a couple of seconds. Yes, you really deserve your title one hundred percent. " Stone said the last part with a huge amount of sarcasm.

Shining took a deep breath and shouted "EVERYONE SHUT UP QUICKLY!"

Surprisingly, it was able to suppress laughter and turn it into just a quiet giggle. Shining snorted and wandered to his shelf, which was located on the other half of the car from me. I felt the train start moving and began to pick up speed. Looking at Shining again, I saw that he took off his helmet and made a very sad face.

His face annoys me. Damn, if he keeps making such a pained face, then I'll beat him out of anger. I need to sort this out somehow.

I got up from my shelf and headed for Shining. Among the giggles, some voices could be heard whispering. When he reached the Shining, he looked at me, preparing for the worst. I leaned into his ear, directly invading his personal space and whispered softly so that only he could hear.

"Get up. We need to talk outside."

"Why should I listen to you?" He answered just as quietly.

"If you want anyone to think you're above shit, then you better listen to me."

He nodded, which I took as agreement. I got up and started walking to the opposite side of the car where there was an exit to the outside. Opening the door and stepping out into a kind of carriage, I leaned on the railing to better contemplate. The landscape sweeps by at great speed, turning into a single mass of trees, grass and bushes. The only thing that remains stable and unchanged is the starry sky, which contains infinite potential. Other planets with life among which should be my native Earth, a lot of resources that can end the problem of lack of resources and more. . .

I was interrupted by Shining's voice, "What did you want to say?"

I turned around and answered him, "Before I start the lecture, I first need to ask a question. Are you the real one?"

"What?"

"Your demand for respect, your desire to protect your sister, your conviction that good overcomes evil. You do all this because it's your character or because someone told you to? "

"What kind of crazy questions are these?"

I got so close to Shining that we were literally an inch apart. "I'll tell you some interesting news that may amaze you. Nobody cares about you and your life until someone needs you. Even now I'm only helping you so that you don't annoy me with your sullen face. So I'm trying to figure out if you're acting naturally and not getting the recognition or if you're just trying to play a role but you're not doing well."

He sighed, trying to gather his strength. After a few seconds, he still replied, "I've always wanted to become a captain of the Royal Guard to protect the weak. I have always valued my family and especially my sister. That's my character."

"Are you sure?"

He was silent for a few more seconds, but gathered his strength and answered "Yes."

"The second question. Let it be answered only by your character. You want to change the attitude only to yourself or to everyone who has a similar fate. "

He was caught off guard by my question and plunged in thought. I concentrated on watching the landscape. At some point, he was able to answer, "I only want the best for my family."

I sighed in disappointment. He won't help me. "Whether to follow my advice or not is your choice. I'm not forcing you to follow, just listen. You need to show yourself in all its glory. Show, openly and vividly your worst part. Show everyone what even relatives, can turn away from you for. After that, you need to show fortitude. Let everyone who wants to condemn you face a wall of principles and reality. If you succeed, no one will want to communicate with you and instead will try to fulfill your requests to reduce contact with you. They will simply start using a kind of mask of respect, which in the future may become a permanent. If you fail, then you and your morality will simply be crushed without leaving anything. You will become just an empty being that no one needs. I said everything I wanted to say. "

I turned away from Shining to continue contemplating nature, but he asked the question, "That's why you're always so angry?"

I sighed so as not to beat Shining right now and replied, "You have no idea what my bad side is, but if you want to see it, then keep asking stupid questions."

He swallowed and started walking back into the car but stopped at the exit "Thank you."

"You should say thank you when they help you just like that. In this case, you don't have to say anything. "

"So you're really helping me just so I don't annoy you? Is that all?"

Instead of answering, I just nodded, not paying much attention to Shining. I heard the door open and close behind me. Continuing to contemplate the landscape, one thought was spinning in my head.

What is it about that temple?

Exam

I woke up from the fact that someone pushed me in the side. Before I opened my eyes, I already felt that the limbs that were not covered with clothes were very cold. Sluggishly opening my eyes, I saw a Shining in front of me.

"Have we arrived yet?" I asked, rubbing my eyes.

"Almost. I woke you up so you wouldn't freeze completely."

"What are you talking about? Oh, yes," I said, realizing that at some point I fell asleep and did not return to the train.

"How did you even manage to fall asleep in the fresh air?"

"You know, it's better than sleeping surrounded by ugly faces."

Shining looked at me with an annoyed look: "Do you always need to be like this?"

"I'm just honest." I said, blowing a kiss to Shining.

He was very confused by this and asked with embarrassment in his voice. "What was that for?"

"For you to ask," I said calmly.

"Have you been told that you are very annoying?"

"Now I'm going to tell you something good. - "I put my hand on my heart"-Now I don't have the strength for full-fledged intellectual activity, so I can have some fun. By entertainment, I mean beautiful mockery of people like you."

"And what's good about it?"

"I spoke to you honestly. Honesty is good, right? So I didn't just say something nice, I'm always good. Note that I use the standard logic of "good and bad". In fact, I just analyze the social order of the modern world and draw conclusions that bring me a positive result in the form of self-affirmation."

"What?"

"Did I tell you that I like very long and confusing sentences?"

Shining sighed, shook his head, and returned to the train. I got to my feet and examined the platform outside the train. There is no map anywhere. I quickly opened the car door, almost breaking it, and frantically began to inspect the car with my eyes. Fortunately, the map and compass were on my shelf. I probably left them here yesterday without noticing it myself. Having calmed down, I sat down on my shelf and opened the map, which had remained folded before. Unfolding the map, the compass fell out of it, but I didn't pay much attention to it.

A village called Jungleville is marked on the map. Damn, what kind of idiot comes up with these names? In any case, about a mile from the city, if I correctly calculated the scale of the map, there is a red cross indicating the temple. There are no other designations on the map.

It may not be as easy as I thought. Who can actually kill a pony squad? Damn, it will be easier to answer who will not be able to kill the pony squad.

Shining on the other side of the train began to conduct some kind of briefing. I didn't pay much attention to him and began to look more closely at the map to find more information. Is this a direct road to the temple? Oh, no, it's just a piece of the map from which a piece of paint has come off. Apart from a few other settlements on the map, I didn't find anything else. Disappointed, I rolled up the map and put it next to the compass on the shelf. Due to the lack of classes, I decided to start meditation.

I took a comfortable position, closed my eyes and began to concentrate on the feeling of magic inside me.

Unfortunately, I was interrupted by Shining's voice coming from the end of the car, "Everyone get ready! The train is stopping!"

I got up from the shelf, taking a map in one hand and a compass in the other. There was an active movement in the car because of the soldiers putting on their equipment. It's amazing that they listen to him even though they don't respect him. As a result, the sound of the train stopping was heard and with it all the soldiers stood ready.

Towering over everyone on the train, without waiting, I began to bypass the soldiers and make my way to the exit of the train. Although I was moving fast, Shining still came out earlier, but for some reason the rest of the soldiers did not follow him. I didn't pay attention to it and got off the train.

In front of me was a city in many ways different from Ponyville. The most noticeable difference is the large, brightly decorated church in the city center. The second most noticeable difference is the use of pale brownish wood in most buildings and simpler architecture in contrast to Ponyville. I'm sure if study it more carefully, I can see a lot more differences, but I don't have time for that.

Shining, instead of turning towards the city, headed along a lonely, inconspicuous path leading into the jungle. I followed him and tried unsuccessfully to distract myself from the tension caused by the whole platoon of soldiers walking behind me. Although I can easily defeat half a dozen guards, but I'm afraid defeating an entire platoon will be an impossible task even for me. Fortunately, we quickly reached the entrance to the jungle.

Stopping at the entrance to the jungle, Shining turned to me and said: "You know why you're here. Go and better come back soon. And just so you know. All the nearby settlements are heavily fortified and have received an expansion of the garrison, so if I were you, I wouldn't try to escape. "

I walked past the Shining One and said goodbye: "If you were in my place, you'd be lying and crying into your pillow, so don't tell me what to do."

Shining shouted something to me for the last time, but I didn't hear him. I opened the map and, guided by the compass, began to move towards the temple. On the way to the temple, I began to think about what was waiting for me.

Let's figure out what I need to do. 1. Come to the temple. 2. Pick up the sickle. 3. Exit the temple. It sounds simple, but judging by the fact that the expeditions did not return, there must be something dangerous there. What could be dangerous about an abandoned church in the jungle? The only thing that comes to my mind is a group of ultra radical fanatics who are hiding in a secretive place. If this is indeed the case, then this will be a very simple exam.

During the time I was thinking about the possible danger in the temple, I managed to get to the part where the path was already overgrown and almost invisible. Continuing my movement along an increasingly overgrown path and dodging tree branches, I reached the temple.

In front of me was a half-overgrown temple made of unknown black material and a crescent symbol on top. Unlike my expectations, the temple does not look like a huge pyramid, but rather like the entrance to a mine. Great I have to go somewhere underground. I went to the nearest tree and broke off a branch from it. With a quick movement of my hand, I split one end of the branch. After that, I looked around and after a couple of minutes of searching, I was able to find a few needles. I put these needles into the split end of the branch, thus creating a kind of torch. Tearing off two more branches and rubbing them against each other, I got a fire that I threw an improvised torch. As a result, it caught fire and now I'm ready to move into the temple.

I started entering the temple with a torch in my left hand. Immediately at the entrance to the temple, I saw a staircase leading down. Having no other choice, I began to descend it into the depths of the temple. Descending into the depths of the temple, I began to inspect its condition. Surprisingly, the temple looks as if it is being taken care of and not allowed to fall apart. Not a single plant sprouted through the black stone, not a single broken stone and perfect cleanliness. All this makes me very tense and makes me constantly look around in search of danger. I finished descending the stairs into the depths of the temple, and a fork appeared in front of me. The right turn, which is perfectly groomed, and the left turn, which is terribly overgrown, and which will be difficult to pass through.

I am sure that my theory about the fanatics in this temple is true, so they can attack me at any moment. Turning right looks so well-groomed to lure someone into a trap. I'm sure of it. What if these fanatics believe that no one should get to the sickle and therefore decided that natural barriers will protect it? Far from the most logical, but I have too little information. I'll go left.

I decided to turn left and I already had a problem. If I try to get through the thickets, there is a high probability of setting them on fire. Considering that the thickets go to an unknown distance in case of arson, I risk being in a fire. After a little thought, I decided to use the rune that Luna showed me during training. I concentrated on breathing to saturate the blood with oxygen. After preparing, I began to slowly create a rune to prevent mistakes. A spiked outer circle, a central circle with irregularities similar to fire, and finally a ball symbol. As a result, a ball comparable in size to a basketball appeared in my hand. I endured his high temperature and pulled my arm back for a throw. Getting ready, I threw the ball into the thicket and it pierced through them, setting them on fire. After a while, I heard the sound of the ball hitting the floor and felt it disappear. What did you think he would fly as it is customary? Me too, but it turned out that the classic fireball here looks exactly like this.

After a while, most of the thickets burned down and cleared my way further. I moved on through the dying thickets, continuing to hold the torch in my left hand. Moving through the thickets, I got to the part where the plants had not yet had time to grow. A lot of time-scarred stones and several traces of landslides are clearly visible. Continuing to walk and examining the surroundings, I noticed that some passages were blocked and now inaccessible. Going even further, I saw the place where the door should have been. Interested, I turned in the direction where the door should have been and entered a small room.

When I entered the room, I saw places where there must have been furniture, but now there is nothing left. In the corner of the room, I saw a sheet of papyrus that miraculously survived. Coming closer and carefully taking it, I was surprised that it was written in a language I understood. Deciding to take advantage of the opportunity, I began to read despite the words that were erased by the action of time.

The first entry.

The traitor decided to finally assert her tyranny over the world and banished her. . . Judging by that. . . continues to move the traitor stretched out her rotten hooves even before him. We cannot allow such blasphemy to exist together, therefore. . . made a decision. We have to for the time being. . . trying to get back. . . For this. . . These records are necessary in order not to miss more than one detail. Tomorrow I,. . . and. . . will begin work.

. . .

I put the papyrus back in its place and left the room. Due to the fact that a lot of information was erased, I received only new questions from this document. Who is a traitor? What keeps moving? What kind of work are we talking about? All this remains a mystery to me and I'm afraid that I won't get a clear answer.

Disappointed, I wandered down the corridor. A few more rooms were available, but I didn't find anything there at all. At some point I reached a dead end. Damn. Before I could turn around, I heard a rustle behind the wall. Interested, I put my ear to the wall and heard a lot of hooves randomly moving in one particular direction.

Looks like they already know I'm here. I have to hurry. It won't be considered a retreat if I don't join the fight.

I turned around and ran down the corridor despite the risk of putting out the torch. Due to the high-speed pace, I quickly got to the fork and moved where I had not gone before. Rushing down the corridor, I saw some crumpled armor. Stopping, I picked up one of the armor from the ground and examined it. It looks like a whole crowd ran over them. The strangest thing is that the armor is dented, but there are no signs that someone put them on. A small stop to review the armor helped me calm down a little and I was able to think normally.

What can a crowd of fanatics do to me? I can stay in continuous combat for several hours and can kill a pony in less than a second with one simple spell. I overestimated the situation. A crowd of ponies who lives in the temple will act against me. At the same time, I am in fact already a trained soldier and a strong fighter in my own right. They don't have a single chance to win.

Having gained confidence and calmness, I moved with a calm step along the corridor. After walking a long way down the corridor, I came out into a brightly decorated room. There are a lot of stone benches in the room, suggesting that there will be a lot of people here. But the most important thing in the room is a fresco on the wall where Luna is depicted behind which there is a rising moon.

So Luna also created a religion and put herself in charge? Although why am I surprised? Luna is far from the stupidest creature I've seen. It would be strange if she didn't.

Looking closer, I saw that instead of the horn of Luna, a sickle comes out of the fresco. Bingo. I got closer to the mural and jumped up to get to the sickle. Having caught on the sickle, I tried to pull it out, but nothing happened. I braced my feet against the wall and made even more efforts to pull the sickle out of the wall, but this also did not give any result. Having stopped and examined the sickle in more detail, I noticed its difference from the standard sickle. Firstly, in its shape it looks more like a very strange sword. Secondly, the sickle has an ephesus, which makes it even more akin to a sword. Clinging to the ephesus with both hands, I pulled with all my might. Suddenly something hit me, throwing me to the other end of the room and slamming into the wall.

I cleared my throat from the dust caused by the half-broken wall and noticed what pushed me. What I saw made me numb. At the place where the mural once was, there was a terrible creature. The creature stands on many hooves like a centipede. Instead of one head, the creature has many different heads. The heads of unicorns, Pegasus, earth ponies, children, and even a couple of griffin heads. The topmost head has on its head the very sickle that I just tried to pull out. Surprisingly, instead of attacking me, the creature began to talk only not to me, but some heads to others.

The conversation was started by the lowest heads "Why should we suffer?"

Then the conversation was continued by the heads located high enough "You are not successful enough. You need to become successful."

The heads to the right of the topmost one entered into an argument with the successful heads: "You rejected the holy rules and now you are suffering. It will be the same with everyone who does not follow the rules. "

The heads to the left of the uppermost one joined the dispute: "You are suffering because the lady of the night needs strength. You need to be patient. It's for the common good. "

The heads continued to argue among themselves until at one point everyone turned to me and asked, "But we are all acting for the benefit of the Lady of the night. Are you acting for the benefit of the Lady of the night?"

I couldn't form an answer in time and the topmost head beat me to it. "Enemy!"

Suddenly, all the heads seemed to have lost their identity and everyone was divided into two groups. The lower heads began to look as if they were being drained dry. The upper heads began to look healthier and each said the same theses that the lower ones should continue and endure. Only now I noticed that my torch was lying right in front of the monster and he was preparing to put it out with his hooves. Before I could take any action, the monster had already extinguished the torch, depriving me of a view. The sound of a thousand hooves moving a huge body was heard. Focusing on the sound, I gathered my strength and jumped to the left. But something hit me in the right side, knocking my balance and forcing me to lean against the wall. While I was trying to orient myself in complete darkness, I heard the sound of hitting the wall and the creaking of hooves on the floor, as if the creature was trying to slow down. While the creature was somewhere unknown, I began to think over further actions.

I can't rely on reaction. Besides, I can't dodge to the side because of the size of this thing. Wait, I'm in a square room right now, that means. . . I have an idea!

I got to my feet as fast as I could and started creating bouncing arrows as fast as I could. Soon, a solid curtain of arrows bouncing off the walls and ceiling formed in the room. Barely keeping up, I manage to dodge all my own arrows. The monster ran into the room again on its innumerable hooves and many heads roared after a bunch of arrows hit the general body. To my shock, the horns of many heads and even the sickle of the top one began to glow and form a shield. The shield completely covered entire body and caused all my arrows to bounce off it. Over time, the arrows began to lose their energy and disintegrate one by one. When all the arrows disintegrated, the monster lowered his shield, plunging the room into darkness.

I heard a hundred hooves running up again, but this time I decided to jump up. I felt like I was hooked on something similar to a beak and began to slide off. Quickly reacting, I began to climb by touch on various ledges, but the monster did not wait long and his heads began to fire at me. Constantly jumping from one head to another, I was able to avoid most of the shots, but some still managed to hit my hands and feet. With a hiss, I continued to climb over the heads until I saw a sickle flash in the dark. I accelerated and quickly, avoiding shots got to the head to which the sickle was attached. Knowing that the sickle can't just be pulled out, I started hitting the head. Soon the head turned into a bloody mess and I was able to calmly take the sickle. Grabbing the sickle, I jumped away from the monster and collided with the wall, but quickly got my bearings and jumped away from the wall.

Once on the other side of the room, I again lost any chance of finding a monster not by sound. Instead of the sound of a hundred hooves, a strange click was heard, followed by horns lit up. Suddenly I felt a huge force trying to pull the sickle out of my grip. As a result, the sickle broke out of my grip and flew at great speed towards the monster. The sickle crashed into one of the monster's heads and began to connect with it. After the sickle finally connected with the head, it began to move to the place of the old one. As a result, the new head took the place of the old one and everything became as before.

Shit. To get this sickle I need to destroy all the heads. Leaving no one behind.

I rushed at the monster from the spot. The monster's heads tried to shoot at me, but I made a tackle right under the general body. Of course, the monster did not leave such an action unanswered and began actively trying to trample me. Thanks to Luna's lessons, I was able to dodge every hoof or shift the kick to the side. Once behind the monster, I jumped to the wall and pushed off from it, thus landing on his back. Due to the size of the creature and the lack of visibility, I could not determine where its pain point is, so I started kicking and jumping from place to place. The monster did not tolerate this for a long time and began to kick. I tried to hold on, but the monster threw me high into the air. It felt like I flew up dozens of feet, but still didn't crash into the ceiling. The room was lit up by a multitude of simultaneously lit horns ready for a shot.

Fuck. Fuck! FUCK! I created this rune only once. I thought it wouldn't be useful to me. It turns out that now I just need it. This is my only chance.

I spread my arms out to the sides, stretching as far as possible from each other, and with both hands I began to create a large rune. An outer circle with spikes inside, a central circle without a pattern and a mark in the form of a shield. As a result, a thick shell formed around me, woven from my magic. At first, the monster's arrows started bouncing off the shield, but soon began to get stuck in the shell. The shell finally fell apart, and the remaining arrows rushed towards me. I tried to defend myself by folding my arms in a defensive pose, but still a lot of shells hit me. I landed very badly on the stone floor. Gathering my strength, I was able to get to my feet. Rising to my feet, despite my wounds, I stood in a fighting stance, ready for battle.

Judging by the sound, the monster started moving towards me. I hit towards the sound and felt my fist hit something. In less than a second, I got up on one leg and started throwing a lot of punches. Following the blows, the cries of various monster heads could be heard. As soon as I got tired of hitting, I jumped up and successfully hooked on one of the heads. I set the explosive rune on several heads and jumped away from the monster as far as possible. A couple of seconds later, a series of small explosions occurred that tore apart several heads and set them on fire.

I didn't have time to enjoy my tactical success because the monster immediately moved towards me, but thanks to the light, I easily dodged the attack and kicked him in the side with a U-turn. While the monster was unwrapping it massive carcass, I started looking for something that could help me. The place I came from, a few rocks in the corners and another exit?

Where does this exit come from? Could it be that there was a huge corridor behind the mural? Judging by where the monster attacked me from, it looks quite logical.

My train of thought was interrupted by another hundred hoof beats.

Fuck it all! I have an idea.

I dodged the monster towards the other exit. During my run down the corridor, I constantly looked around so as not to lose sight of the monster. With a sound like thunder, the monster started running after me, constantly colliding with the walls. As the monster slowly approached me and the light from the burning heads became more insignificant, I began to execute my plan.

Why have I always created magic tentacles thick? What if I create a tentacle thinner than a fishing line and stretch it to the limit? Due to the tension, this kind of fishing line should have an excellent cutting property.

I stopped and focused on my breathing. I started to release incredibly thin tentacles and attach them to the bricks. The monster did not wait for my tricks, ran up, threw me at the ceiling and lit a lot of horns. Surprisingly, instead of firing a thousand projectiles at me, he grabbed himself with his own magic and took off. He went to the air ram and punched me through miles of stones. Even though I have constantly created shields for my protection, I still feel hellish pain. After what seemed like an eternity, the stream of blows to my back ended and I found myself in the fresh air. Despite the pain in my back, I gathered my strength and jumped away from the monster. Nearby I saw a city with a church proudly towering over it. Due to the fact that I was distracted by the city, I did not have time to orient myself and fell on my back.

It feels like my whole nervous system has broken down. I see, but don't understand the picture. I can hear, but I can't describe the music. I feel, but I can't realize.

I have to get up. Now. Right this second!

Overcoming the pain, I got up from the ground with a blow of my elbows and examined my surroundings. A lot of fallen trees and an infinite number of hoof prints leading to the city. Fuck.

Despite the pain, I limped along the hoof prints. Gradually, as I approached the city, I began to hear sounds of panic. There were words that seemed to come from the mouth of a new head with a sickle.

"The enemy! The enemy! We are surrounded by enemies! We need to unite in a single mechanism against enemies!"

Rage began to gain momentum in me.

This stuff got to me. It dared to resist me. Me! I am a symbol of perfection! At first it was purely a task, but now. It's personal now. A being whose power consists of collective unification into one gray mass is a direct insult to me. At first I thought total annihilation was too wild, but now. THIS IS A GREAT PERSPECTIVE!

I forgot about any pain and on pure adrenaline mixed with the desire to satisfy my sadism moved at great speed to the sound of destruction. Approaching the monster, I saw several guards trying to scare him with their spears. Of course unsuccessfully.

I ran past the guards and growled at them, "Do something useful and clear my territory!"

Without waiting for an answer, I got even closer to the monster and kicked in the air. Only now I noticed that my leg was enveloped in black flames.

I don't care about that! The main thing is to destroy the enemy.

The monster staggered back a couple of feet from my blow, but quickly got his bearings and turned in the direction where I was. But faster than anyone could react, I struck a lot of blows to each head. The withered lower heads could not withstand my pressure, but the upper ones resisted. The remaining heads lit their horns and created a shield, forcing me to retreat. I started circling around looking for a new opportunity to attack.

While I was looking for a new opportunity to attack, the head with the sickle shouted "The main enemy has appeared. All our problems come from the main enemy and his servants!"

Only now I noticed that some miraculously surviving lower heads fall off from the main body when they dry up completely. While I was trying to find an opportunity to attack, the monster removed its shield and started firing at me. But I was able to dodge without any problems thanks to the constant movement. Only now I began to feel the pain of past wounds again. This needs to be finished as soon as possible.

Despite the shelling, I moved straight to the monster. As soon as I got to the general body, I jumped on the topmost head and quickly destroyed it by pulling out a sickle along the way. And again, as soon as I moved away from the monster, he began to try to return the sickle with his magic. Instead of resisting, I grabbed the sickle tighter and pressed my legs to my chest. As a result, I flew with the sickle to the monster. As soon as I was close enough, I regrouped and hit the nearest heads with a sickle. Thanks to the power invested in each blow, the sickle was able to calmly cut each head. After what seemed like an eternity, the last head was cut in half and the monster fell. I dropped the sickle and fell to one knee.

After the fight, I felt my every injury. My back hurts as if I was carrying a whole mountain on it. After my last outburst, I stopped feeling my legs and arms. The main thing is that I won.

One step closer to perfection.

I heard the sound of hooves pounding behind me. I quickly turned my head back, preparing for the worst. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw that it was Shining and just turned back to the lifeless body of the monster.

Shining stopped next to me and tried to formulate a thought for a long time, but in the end he was able to say, "I think I can forget about a restful sleep."

"Wow, you said something smart. Why can't you always say something like that?"

I noticed out of the corner of my eye how he turned to me, "Even at such a moment, do you find the strength and time for such a thing?"

I just nodded approvingly at his question. He snorted, but still decided to continue the dialogue "What is this thing?"

"How am I supposed to know?"

"He came out of the forest you went into."

"Listen, the main thing for me is that this shit is dead. If you want, you can sit here and think for three hours about the innermost meaning that the creators put into this thing."

I didn't even pay attention to Shining's words and instead began to slowly get to my feet. Despite staggering, I got up and walked over to the monster's body, simultaneously picking up a sickle. I bent down to the lifeless body and tried to cut off a piece, but unfortunately the sickle turned out to be too blunt.

Shining came up behind me and asked, "What are you doing?"

"Instead of a stupid question, it's better to give me some kind of knife." I replied, stretching one hand back.

Surprisingly Shining took a knife from somewhere and gave it to me. Looking at the knife, I noticed that it looks like the most ordinary one only with a belt for taking hooves. I didn't pay attention to the belt and took the knife in a normal way. Despite the fact that the knife was badly sharpened, I was still able to chop off a decent piece of meat from the body.

I turned to Shining, who, judging by the look, wanted to ask something, but I beat him to "Where is the camp?"

"Camp? We settled down at the nearest hotel."

"Well, to hell with it," I said, before quickly and casually cutting off a piece of meat that had wool on it. From the remaining piece of meat, I bit off as much as my jaw could allow me, and closed my eyes. After chewing and swallowing, I opened my eyes and saw Shining in front of me, who could throw up at any second.

Despite his reaction, I still said, before laughing and throwing the meat aside, "I have good news for you, Shining. Ponies are bad food."

Shining couldn't stand my words and ran into the nearest bushes. I grinned at his reaction and stuck the knife in the ground so Shining could find it. Deciding that I could only wait for the train, I limped to the station.

While I was limping to the station, a timid clatter of hooves was heard from behind. I turned back in a panic, assuming a threat, but fortunately it was just a blue Pegasus with a chestnut mane. When she saw me turn around abruptly, she stood up.

I calmed down and said, "What do you need?"

She calmed down and began to speak in a friendly voice, "Hello, I'm sorry to bother you, but I have two requests for you."

I sighed and replied, "Okay, just hurry up."

With her wings, she handed me a piece of paper and a pencil. When I took them, she said.

"My brother is really a fan of you. I would appreciate it if you would give me an autograph so that I could give it to my brother."

"Why is your brother so interested in me?"

"Funny situation. My brother works as a repairman in Ponyville and there's a mare named Rainbow Dash. According to his stories from her unsuccessful tricks, he is forced to work overtime and at the same time for free. From his point of view, you are the real karma for this mare."

I handed her an autographed piece of paper and continued walking to the train station.

She whispered softly from behind, "What a strange handwriting."

She changed her tone to a loud one and said, "Thank you so much. If it's not difficult for you, you can also say something about what happened in the city. "

"Why? "

"You see, I'm a reporter. I was supposed to start writing a article today about Southeast Equestria. And I thought that what happened today might interest the public."

I was silent for a while and came up with an answer: "There is a temple a mile from the city. Based on the information I have received and some personal assumptions, I can make a statement that this creature was created artificially. But this creature was destroyed by me, so it's not dangerous now."

I heard her actively recording my words. She wrote everything down and said with gratitude, "It's not much, but I can work with it. Thank you very much."

I waved my hand listlessly and continued walking to the train station. "No problem. Don't contact me anymore."

I got to the train station and sat down on the nearest bench that was on the street after putting a sickle next to it. I sighed, letting myself relax. After a while, I fell asleep on the bench without noticing it.

Oath

I was once again awakened by a knock on the door. With a groan, I got up very slowly, gathering my thoughts along the way. Surprisingly, I didn't dream of anything at all. I hope this trend will continue. When the constant knocking on the door began to annoy me, I still got to my feet and, guided in the dark, went to the door. Opening the door, I saw Luna in front of me holding my outfit in her magical grip. She handed it to me without saying anything and let me enjoy it in silence.

The family coat of arms was embroidered on the back of the coat. The coat of arms depicted an arrow flying out of a bow and breaking chains. All this was depicted on the shield, which was held by a colorful pattern similar to a ribbon and on top of which was depicted a hunting hat. The bow looked like it was made of branches and had some protruding parts. At the same time, the arrow looks perfectly straight and even something similar to a glare was depicted on it. The broken chain looked so rusted as if it had existed for decades. Only after taking a closer look, I noticed that the colorful ribbon depicted two bears who were directly holding the shield. At the very bottom was depicted something similar to the motto. "Freedom can be defended by force."

Luna cleared her throat and started saying, "Well, what do you think?"

After a little thought, I replied, "Everything is fine, but I don't like the motto. It sounds too one-sided."

For a second it seemed to me that she was surprised by this comment, but this feeling quickly stopped. Surprisingly, she turned around and said goodbye, "You will be informed when you need to come."

She had already taken the first step outside the door, but stopped at the last moment "We have a request for you."

I mumbled as if saying "What request?"

Luna took this as an agreement and began to explain, "Our request is that you play along at the ceremony and feast. When you take an oath, just give your consent. At the feast, please do not start a showdown with the nobles. "

I did not hesitate to ask the question "Where is my benefit? "

It seems that Luna was ready for this "Believe me, you don't want to have problems with the nobles. Knowing your character, if you are not polite to them, you will find yourself a lot of enemies. So it will be better for you if you agree. "

I had already started to put on my coat slowly and, out of politeness, I replied to Luna, "I'll think about your offer."

Fortunately, Luna was satisfied with this answer and decided to leave. As soon as Luna closed the door, I continued to put on my coat and trousers. While I was getting dressed, I looked out the window and realized that it was already night. Damn, I sleep too much. After putting on my coat and trousers, I sat down on a chair and continued to study local physics using my free time. Turning on the desk lamp, I started reading and simultaneously remembering what I could learn earlier. Unfortunately, over the past three months I have not been able to learn anything important and different from the laws of physics that I am familiar with. I'm afraid the plan to "get off this planet as quickly as possible" may take a long time. In any case, sooner or later I will be able to achieve my goal. It can't be any other way.

Concentrating on the book, I did not immediately notice someone knocking on the door. After a while, I was about to get up to open the door, but changed my mind. Instead, I decided to shout from my seat.

"Come in!"

The door opened and three guards in golden armor appeared in front of me. I put the book on the table, turning off the lamp along the way, and went to the guards. The first one in the column of the guards was about to say something, but I beat him to it.

"I know why you're here. Go, I'll be right behind you."

He seemed to expect something like this from me, so he just turned around with two other guards. I followed him and closed the door behind me on the way out. Tonight the castle turned out to be well lit with something similar to lamps. I don't know where they came from, but I hope it's not forever. I can only look at this castle without tears at night, but if these lamps are left, then even at night being here will be hell. I slightly shook my head so that it was not visible to the guards walking nearby and decided to focus on walking.

After making several turns along the corridors and almost crashing into the guards, I was able to get to a huge, colossal double door. While I was trying to find the top of this door, it had already started to open. Focusing on the view in front of me, I saw that the guards parted, giving me a passage straight ahead. I started walking straight ahead on the red carpet. At the end of the way, Luna was waiting for me with an impenetrable face and a sword clenched in a magical grip. There were a lot of ponies of different colors on either side of me. As a result, I approached Luna point-blank and she started talking loudly so that everyone in the room could hear her.

"Daniel Ctumer get down on one knee."

Knowing that under the contract I had to follow orders, I silently got down on one knee. Luna continued her speech.

"Do you swear, Daniel Ctumer, to take the solemn oath of Equestria? To protect the princesses of Equestria without sparing even their own lives, to defend the well-being of the Equestrian people, strictly comply with the requirements of the higher authorities? If you break the oath you have given, may the corresponding severe punishment befall you. Do you take the oath, Daniel Ctumer?"

I was going to just agree, but part of me actively resisted. It feels like by taking this oath I'm selling myself out. Besides, playing an obedient puppet of princesses in public is a huge blow to pride. I will recoup at every opportunity.

"I am taking a solemn oath."

I felt how smoothly, without making a single unnecessary movement, Luna touched my shoulders with the sword. I could barely resist the urge to pull away from the sword and remained on my knees. Judging by the following words, the ceremony is over.

"You can stand up, the captain of the night watch Daniel Ctumer."

Despite the desire to ask a question, I decided to postpone it for later and stood up to my full height. Judging by the whispers among the ponies, I wasn't the only one surprised by the instantaneous promotion. It looks like Luna planned it all perfectly and therefore continued to speak as if nothing had happened.

"Now everyone present must follow us to get to the feast."

With just one small flash, Luna made the sword disappear. After getting rid of the sword, she started walking and I decided to follow her. Following Luna and trying not to be distracted by the footsteps of many ponies, I plunged into my thoughts.

What does she want from me? From the very beginning, I assumed that I was being used somehow, but what scares me is that I still haven't been able to figure out exactly how. I need to sort out all the available information on the shelves. Two princesses are involved in manipulating me, but a third party is not excluded. Knowing the characteristics of both princesses, it is clear that the organizer is Celestia, whom I have not seen for a long time, but Luna is the brain of the operation. Than in general from the point of view I can be beneficial to them? Hell, I deliberately didn't give them specific information about humanity except for small pieces of the big picture, but it looks like they were able to find out something they needed. No, this is nonsense. They wouldn't have given me the phone knowing about the level of technology involved in it. But what if they deliberately misled me by giving me the phone. They tried to gain trust. No, then Twilight would have tried to ask something personal. It's all fucking pointless! Nothing fits!

Immersed in my thoughts, I did not immediately realize that following Luna I had already reached the dining room. Apparently, rearrangements in the dining room were made especially for this event. At the head of the table were two chairs with a long back and carved in the shape of the sun and the moon. Next to each of them stood one high throne, but slightly smaller. And so it went on until there were chairs with a very short back on the opposite side of the table.

Luna made an obvious move and sat down on a long-backed chair. I sat down next to her and began to examine the rest of those present. Shining, who was already familiar to me, was sitting in front of me. A little to the left sat an unfamiliar white unicorn with a golden mane and something similar to a blue bow tie. When he saw me, he lifted his nose up disdainfully. I turned away from him and began to wait for the moment when the food would be brought.

When everyone sat down at a very long table, Celestia entered the room. At the sight of her, everyone except Luna stood up and briefly bowed. I continued to sit with my head propped on my hand. Again, I heard a disapproving whisper in the crowd, but I didn't dwell on it. Celestia took her place next to Luna. After a couple of seconds, a lot of ponies came into the room and began to lay out food on the table. When the turn came to me, there was a Caesar salad with hay in front of me and in addition a golden cup with wine. Fuck.

Unfortunately, I couldn't move on to food because Luna started saying, "Do you Daniel Ctumer as a captain have any ideas about the Equestrian Army?"

I put down the fork and after thinking a little, I answered, trying to get away from the answer, "In the beginning, I would like to know the military budget, who produces weapons and of course the size of the army."

Luna continued to push, "But still you must have some ideas."

I sighed, assuming that I would not be able to get out of this situation normally and began to say, "First of all, we need to improve the armor. Make belly protection and improve face protection."

I wanted to continue, but I was interrupted by Shining "It won't work. If you introduce such changes to the armor, then the Pegasus simply will not be able to take off normally and besides, such changes will be too expensive. More than one blacksmith would not agree to make such armor for a small cost."

"Well, I have an addition. What if the Pegasus will work without armor? -"Shining was about to object, but I stopped him with a gesture of my hand"-I suggest using the Pegasus as a mobile force for sudden attacks to the rear and conducting reconnaissance. The main fighting force should be heavily armored Earth ponies that will be almost invulnerable to enemy attacks. On my system, unicorns will take the place of distant forces that disorganize the enemy before the offensive with regular shelling. "

Despite the quality of my idea, Shining still objected, "Even if you stop making armor for Pegasus, it will be too expensive to make indestructible armor for Earth ponies. In addition, most unicorns do not know combat spells, so this is also a miss."

"Okay, if it's all about budget and preparation, then I have a great idea. Just take and mobilize everyone into the army without exception. Children, women, government figures and commanders. And this multi-million horde to take over the whole world. Cheap? Yes! Does it require special training? No! This is an ideal option if you are not ready to make the same radical changes as me. "

There was silence in the hall from my idea, but after a couple of minutes the voice was given by a white unicorn "Get out of here, you idiot! "

I turned to him and pierced him with a look, "Who are you to command?"

He seemed offended by my attitude and replied with contempt, "Know that I am the Prince Blueblood nephew of Princess Celestia."

I grinned and continued to speak without making adjustments to his status, "You still haven't answered my question. I'll say it as simple as possible. Why are you, dirt from under the nails, ordering me around? "

He was already shaking with rage, "Don't you have any brains at all, idiot? I'm a prince! "

"I'm not a fan of the monarchy. I prefer authoritarianism with the appointment of an heir."

He has already begun to boil with anger, as if steam will soon come out of his ears, "How dare you, a commoner, flattery into politics. It's none of your business."

I started making a quiet "hush, hush" to calm Blueblood like a child and after a couple of seconds I started saying "Calm down Bluby. What's wrong with you? Or maybe you have a problem? For example, low female attention associated with the small size of the penis?"

Everyone in the room fell into a stupor from this answer, but after a while I heard Luna giggling and followed by laughter throughout the hall. I couldn't help but grin at my success.

Unfortunately, the laughter soon subsided and Blueblood, who was already at the peak of his rage, decided to continue the conversation "How dare you! I'm a nobleman, you're a commoner. I am by definition smarter and generally better than you. "

His words provoked something in me and I decided to use a different style of conversation: "Very well, Prince, I will play by your rules. Since you are smarter than me, you will be able to understand me if I speak the way I feel comfortable."

I cleared my throat in preparation for a long speech and began to speak steadily, turning the fork in my hands, "Following your theory, we can conclude that an individual's intellectual abilities depend on his social status received from birth. In fact, I note that in a certain sense you are right, but not completely. The problem with your stupid and shortsighted point of view is that it does not take into account small probabilities. Prodigies, mentally retarded, having mental disorders and of course, just the characteristics of an individual. For those whom you called "commoners" are trite more, respectively, they have a numerical preponderance of outstanding personalities for which you will not be able to find justice. You yourself have made a serious mistake by taking such a position. But I must note your small share of the truth. The place occupied in society from birth has a positive effect on the individual as a whole. This can be described by the phrase with which I describe my view of the problem of being and consciousness. Consciousness determines being, but only after being determines consciousness."

At the end of my speech, it seemed that almost no one could understand the meaning of my words. I shook my head in disappointment, "I repeat for the stupid. You, Blueblood idiot materialist who does not see what is under his nose. But you just poked the sky and could be one hundredth right. "

Blueblood started to look like it was about to pounce on me. I picked up a fork in response, preparing to throw it at him. Unfortunately, the growing conflict was stopped by Celestia with a thunderous roar of "Calm down, you two!"

Blueblood quickly calmed down and calmed down until I decided to start eating. Taking a fork, I began to slowly eat the salad, simultaneously separating pieces of hay from the total mass. After Celestia's shout, silence fell in the room. Judging by the sounds nearby, the ponies began to take an example from me and started eating. Continuing to eat, I thought.

I miss normal meat. I really miss the feeling when you come home, cook meat with the last of your strength and eat with unimaginable pleasure. I hope I won't become anorexic from such a diet. What if these are also actions against me to weaken me? No, this is just my paranoia.

During the time of reflection, I managed to finish my meal and when I saw it, I decided to go to my room. Before I could even get up, the Moon approached me and whispered softly, "Wait outside." I nodded almost imperceptibly, got up and walked towards the exit.

I didn't have time to take a dozen steps when I heard Blueblood's voice, "You didn't finish your wine."

Without even turning to him, I replied, "Why are you worried about the condition of the drink? If you are so addicted to alcohol, then I will gladly give you my drink."

Blueblood didn't have time to form a decent answer so I was able to calmly leave the room. After leaving the room, I leaned against the nearest wall, waiting for Luna. After a while, Luna came out of the hall and looked at me with a mixture of rage and disappointment.

"What was that just now?"

"A complete success."

"If you call success that you have made an enemy in the form of one of the most influential nobles in Equestria, then you have achieved it. We had big plans for this part, but you completely ruined them."

"If that's all you wanted to say, then I'm off." I said, turning around and starting to move towards my room.

Luna seemed to calm down slightly and asked a more rational question, "What guided you in making such a stupid decision?"

I turned around to look Luna straight in the eye and said, "I think it's better to show myself than to grovel in front of all sorts of jerks. And by the way, you should remember the following words. The first thing I will do as soon as I achieve my goal is to make sure that not one individual is not condemned for words with material damage. Total freedom of speech. "

I was about to leave nicely, but Luna gave her answer: "If we do not touch on the complete impossibility of implementing this law, then there is still a problem. If a group of ponies morally injures one, then this law will not apply to them. In fact, your law will not help you in any way to achieve whatever you want there. Regardless of what you want. If you arrest this group of people, then it turns out that the states under your rule are violating their own laws."

I was about to answer, but realized that nothing came to mind. After a little thought, I headed towards my room, giving Luna a thumbs up "You're a good, princess. As always, you find objective problems even in the highest quality ideas."

Fortunately, Luna didn't say anything in response and I was able to walk safely to my room. After entering the room and closing the door behind me, I turned on the lamp again and continued reading the physics book. Before finally plunging into the current, a feeling began to form in my head, which I quickly dismissed.

A sense of approaching danger.

Fifty soldiers

"So what exactly do I need to do?"I asked Luna as I walked with her to the train station and felt my pockets. Alpha core? There is. A dead phone? There is. A folded Equestria map many times? There is. A train ticket? There is. Everything in place.

"Thestrals have always been the backbone of the night Watch because they are the only ones well suited for such work. But they went underground and are now undergoing their reintegration. Since now, in fact, only you are in the night watch, it will be up to you to train them."

"Any advice?"

"Gain authority among the soldiers and don't lose it." Luna answered after a couple of seconds of reflection.

I massaged my temples with two fingers, restraining the desire to ridicule Luna for such useless advice and asked another question "How many people will I need to train?"

"Fifty. By the way, here's another tip for you. Try to look for outstanding soldiers among the soldiers. Someone who can command and who will be loyal. "

"Why so few people? "

"There was only enough equipment for fifty of the many volunteers."

"Well, I have one last question. What will it look like? I just don't understand how it's going to happen. Are they going to ride the same train with me or something?"

She shook her hoof as if rejecting my version of, "No, they will arrive a little earlier than you and will be waiting for you at the train station. Then, using the map I gave you, you will get into the military base and start training soldiers."

I nodded to Luna and focused on the road to the train station. There are quite a lot of ponies on the street now because I was woken up this morning. Judging by the very neutral reaction of the pony to me, it can be concluded that the idea of me as a monster has already disappeared from the mass consciousness. That's why I hate collectivism. The memory of the crowd exists only when it is beneficial to the manager. Only I can turn a stupid crowd into a gathering of intelligent, free and honest people united by mutually beneficial relationships and a single goal. Achieve perfection.

During the time I was thinking, Luna and I had already managed to get to the train station. When I got to the train station, I leaned against the wall and waited for the train, enjoying the scenery in parallel. Well, or I would enjoy it if there was a landscape here instead of a bunch of medieval houses.

I hope the military base is far from the city. And in general, it sounds like a simple job. You find a boy and tell him to do everything for you and that's it! You sit, relax and develop yourself. Only advantages!

A loud horn brought me out of my thoughts and made me pay attention to the approaching train. The train began to creak as it slowly braked and eventually stopped. The doors of the train opened and surprisingly only twenty ponies got out of it.

I turned to Luna and asked the question, "Don't a lot of ponies ride the train?"

"At four o'clock in the morning? Not very much."

"I thought it was about seven o'clock. Anyway, I'll see you again." I said, holding out my hand to Luna in farewell.

She silently gave me a hoof and I shook it. Having finished with this, I boarded the train and took the seat indicated on the ticket. Sitting down in my seat, I began to inspect the car in which I found myself. There were five ponies in the carriage.

Well, I don't mind.

After examining the very meager train composition, I took a seat closer to the window and began to peer into the view behind the train. After a while, the train started moving and began to pick up speed. Soon, when the train was already rushing at full speed to its destination, a pony in something similar to a work uniform entered the train. Judging by his face, he is already tired of work and is waiting for the end of the shift. He silently took the tickets of all the little ponies in the room and came up to me. I gave him a ticket, he did some kind of fraud with it and returned it to me. Having finished with me, he moved on through the cars.

I just had to look out the window of the train, behind which there was a picture that was already familiar to me. Rapidly passing trees and bushes merged into a single green mass. But this time there was nothing I could catch my eye on. Due to the lack of classes, I just had to look at the map.

I took the map out of my pocket and put it on the table. This one, unlike the last one, is much larger and better executed. Unfortunately, I was not given a compass. I have to navigate by the sun. Sighing from this realization, I began to study the map more deeply. The map shows in several large cities. Manehattan, Fillydelphia, Las Pegasus, Appleloosa and the capital Canterlot. There are also many small towns on the map that I didn't pay attention to. The map also shows the difference of the terrain. In the north there are continuous mountain ranges, in the south there are deserts and jungles, depending on the west or east and in the central strip of forest along with plains. In general, a very good map.

I folded the map several times and put it in my pocket. I took the ticket that I left on the windowsill. I looked at the ticket search of my stop. Stop location: Akmarene station.

I decided to hold the ticket in my hands just in case and just started waiting. At some point, my eyelids began to close due to lack of sleep, but I quickly gathered my strength and directed all my efforts to keep myself conscious. At some point, a voice came over the speakers installed on the train, as if coming from a very bad dynamics.

"Attention! The next station is Taillin. Arrival time is exactly five o'clock in the morning."

There was a bang and the speakers turned off. A strange union of the nineteenth century and the Middle Ages. I can't describe it any other way. Only now I noticed that there was a clock hanging on the far wall of the train. It's ten minutes to five in the morning.

I settled back in my chair and waited for my station.

"Attention! The next station is Akmarene. Arrival time is fifteen minutes to six in the morning."

"Finally," I muttered, getting up from my seat and heading for the exit. On the way out, I looked at the watch. Ten minutes of arrival. Stable. While I was waiting for the train to stop, I began to imagine what the soldiers I would have to train would look like.

Spoiled children who were pushed into the army with the help of money? Just lucky bastards? In any case, I will know for sure only when I meet them.

I heard the train start to slow down and immediately got ready to get out. The train finally stopped and I got out of it. While streams of ponies were rushing past me wanting to get on the train, I started looking for a crowd of fifty soldiers. Soon I saw how, far away from all the ponies, having occupied several benches, ponies with bat wings were located. They also wore black and lilac armor and spears, swords, axes and even bows were fixed on their backs. Probably everyone chose it himself.

It's probably them.

While I was approaching them, I heard two of them talking.

"Who do you think will be our captain?"

"I don't know, some millennial old man. Something like that. "

Some brown-eyed Thestral silently raised a hoof pointing at me.

"Where are you pointing, stutterer? - "Turned his head in my direction "- What do you need, Minotaur? " He asked in a rude manner

"There's your captain right in front of you. " I said, spreading my arms wide and ignoring his rudeness.

"Really? Then say something in the captain's."

I decided to go along with him for now, "If you don't pick up your asshole now and don't go to work, then I'll make you clean the toilet during all your time in the army! Got it, bastard?"

"Yes." Thestral said, standing up and saluting.

I took a couple of steps back and raised my voice so that everyone could hear me, "Now a little acquaintance is purely for the sake of us being able to interact with each other. I am Daniel Ctumer but you will call me sir. You are also very lucky to have me. All I require from you is the fulfillment of all my orders and nothing more. If you fulfill my requirements, maybe I will do something nice for you. But while the service is going on, you do everything I say without question. And believe me, if you don't fulfill my simple requirements, then you will not be well. Understand?"

All fifty soldiers collectively nodded.

"Great. Since you understand everything, here is my first order. -"I opened the map, found a military base on it and, having oriented myself by the sun, realized where to go. "-Follow me and keep up!" I said, running towards the base.

I deliberately ran not too fast so that they would not lag behind. Surprisingly gradually, one thestral began to catch up with me and began to keep about the same speed as me. He started talking to me in a very friendly voice

"Sir, did you plan this? I can't imagine such a good idea coming up right away."

I didn't glance in his direction and said, "If you want to make an impression, you're not doing well."

He decided to ignore my comment and ask his question "By the way, how long do we have to run like this?"

I looked at the map and replied, "About five miles."

"How much?" He asked with shock in his voice

I turned around to run backwards and see the soldiers. Continuing to maintain such a strange situation, I turned to my soldiers, "Don't relax, you ragamuffins! To get to your new home, you need to run five miles."

I heard the collective sigh of the soldiers and turned around to start running normally. Gradually, the pesky thestral began to lag behind and in general, the thestrals began to lag behind me. I jumped over a root that sprouted across the road and soon heard several thestrals fall.

They'll catch up somehow.

I continued my run and almost stopped hearing the sound of hooves. I had to slow down even more in order not to lose sight of my soldiers completely. As a result, I slowed down to almost a step and began to follow the squad like a shepherd following a flock. Seeing how everyone was lagging behind, I had to raise my voice again

"If you leave me alone, I will personally start kicking you in the ass!"

This roused the soldiers a little and they increased their speed. I was able to allow myself to speed up again and focus on the road. Soon I reached several overgrown buildings. I would have just brushed it off if it wasn't for the inscription on the concrete slab. Military base twenty-four.

I got up and began to inspect what was called a military base. One tall tower-like building that seems to fall apart at any second. A large building similar to a residential complex without glass and with roots sprouted in brick. And a smaller building that looks very fortified and has remained almost untouched by time.

I heard thestrals fall to the ground from exhaustion from behind and began to catch their breath. Turning back, I started counting the soldiers. While I was counting, the remaining ones just ran up.

I clapped my hands, attracting the attention of all those present and began to say, "Well, I have good news for you. As you can see, we have all been cruelly deceived. So today, instead of full-fledged training, you will establish order here. I'll give you three minutes to rest and then start cleaning up this mess."

Once again, I heard a collective sigh, but I did not dwell on it and went towards the uninjured building. While I was walking, the pesky Thestral followed me again.

"Where are you going, sir?"

I sighed because he was already starting to annoy me and replied, "I think there should be an arsenal there. Ideally, some kind of hammers to put this place in order. "

"How are we going to fix this? "

"I'll think of something. I'll find a couple of guys who got here and understand the repair. Even in the best case, I'm afraid I'll have to sleep on a concrete slab like Snoopy on a booth."

He ignored my reference and continued to say in his friendly voice, "Until you arrived, we managed to get to know each other. The guy who was called a stutterer is some kind of scientist or something like that. He said that he loves exact sciences and making drawings of buildings. I wonder how he ended up among us. "

"First of all, he is probably an architect. Secondly, I don't care how he got here, the main thing is that he is now useful. And finally you said at least something useful. Continue the trend and maybe I'll start considering you not dirt."

I noticed out of the corner of my eye how he nodded vigorously. I got to the supposed warehouse and with an effort opened the door. When I entered the room, I saw the sunlight illuminating rusty weapons and armor. Having entered the room, I began to actively peer trying to find something useful.

While I was looking for something useful in the dark, a pesky thestral called out to me, pointing somewhere into the darkness, "Maybe it is?"

I looked where he was pointing and looked at him like an idiot "You're just pointing into the darkness."

He went into the darkness and disappeared for a couple of minutes. I was about to follow him, but he came out of the darkness holding a toolbox in his teeth. I took and opened the drawer, which turned out to be a hammer, a saw and some nails. Will fit.

I took the box and headed to the tired soldiers, but first I gave an order specifically to this thestral, "Find more tools in the warehouse and take them out."

"Yes, sir!"

I shook my head and carried the box towards the waiting soldiers. None of them started working and decided to stall for time. Although I don't blame them for that. I shook my head and continued to them. When I got close enough to them, I started talking.

"Where's the silent one here?"

One thestral came out of the crowd looking emotionless. While he was walking, I was able to distinguish his differences from other thestrals. Brown eyes and grey fur. The mane is hidden by armor. It is quite light compared to other thestrals of black shades. When he got to me he began to speak very stammeringly

"D-D-Do you n-n-need me?"

I did not pay attention to his uncertainty and immediately got down to business, "I heard that you are an architect. Is that so?"

"Yes." he replied.

"I don't understand it at all, but you have to be good at it. Can you tell me how to fix everything here?" I said pointing my finger at the large building.

He looked and thought for a very long time, but gave a fairly detailed answer: "The roots d-d-do not n-n-need to b-b-be removed all at once. P-P-Part of the structure m-m-may c-c-collapse along with a p-p-piece of root. I think first we n-n-need to explore everything f-f-from the inside and understand w-w-what we c-c-can remove and w-w-what n-n-no. Something t-t-that w-won't t-t-take t-t-the b-b-building away w-with it, we c-c-can cut d-d-down t-t-together with t-t-the t-tree and t-t-then c-c-can walk with p-p-plaster. P-P-Probably have to p-p-partially rebuild. And of c-c-course n-n-need to put w-w-windows. "

"What materials will be needed? "

"C-C-Clay, w-w-water, g-g-glass and p-p-preferably plaster."

"I see." I said before I started thinking.

I'm afraid I can't leave the manual to him. He stutters too often. I'll have to stay here and manage the process. But to get the materials you need to get to Luna. We'll have to send someone to her. Damn the first day and I already have difficult tasks in front of me.

"Do any of you know where Canterlot is?"

I was met by the silence of the soldiers talking about their misunderstanding. I'll have to give them a map.

"Okay, which one of you is flying well?"

Almost instantly, a thestral appeared next to me, ready to fly, "I, choose me!"

"Hold the map well, fly to the city of Canterlot and find Princess Luna there. Tell them to send clay, more water, glass, parchment and ink here." I said, handing Thestral the map.

"What if she doesn't believe I'm from you?"

I paused a little to think and gave the answer, "Tell her what from me if she don't believe to you, say "total freedom of speech"."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"What did I say about following my orders?" I said in a tone not suggesting an answer.

My answer was enough to make the Thestral fly. I looked around at everyone present again and there was only one question left for me to settle.

"Everyone line up in a row!"

They reluctantly obeyed and stood in an uneven row. I didn't pay much attention to this and continued to command, "Pay off the first, second, third!"

They looked at each other in disbelief and then turned to me "What?"

I sighed and went over to them to explain. Approaching the leftmost thestral, I pointed at it with my finger and said, "We count from left to right relative to the commander. You have to say first."I came to the next one. "- You have to say second."I went even further. "- You have to say third and then the score is reset. First, second, third, then again first. Understand? "

The Thestrals began to express their agreement and I, satisfied with this, took a few steps away from them. "Pay off the first, second, third! "

The leftmost thestral shouted "First. "

The next one said "Second. "

And the next "Third."

As soon as they finished, I took command again, "All the first ones go to that huge building. All the second ones go to that warehouse and bring the tools for first. Others are following me."

As a result, they split up and a crowd of about sixteen thestrals followed me. I led them in the direction of the forest and along the way began to give instructions.

"Everyone holds the formation! Everyone is following me."

I heard someone from the crowd asking, "Why are we going to the forest?"

I got up and turned around on the spot, "Glad you asked. You see, I just realized that we don't have enough food for fifty people. Therefore, you will collect food."

"Meat is not allowed?"

Unlike most of the questions, this one made me smile, "If you eat meat, then I have really good news. I'm great at cooking meat in the field."

For the first time that day, I met the crowd, though restrained, but still cheering.

Excellent. I'm as well as ever.

I led the soldiers deep into the forest in order to find some food. Soon some thestral came closer to me and started talking. His voice sounded very unique. A very strong wheeze, as if it were a hundred-year-old grandfather speaking and at the same time absolute calm.

"Sir, there seems to be some kind of animal nearby." Said the thestral, whom I singled out from the rest with jet-black fur and blue eyes.

I shushed him to keep his voice down, but still answered him in a whisper, "Really? I don't hear anything."

He nodded and also switched to a whisper, "I have good hearing, sir. Someone is walking about thirty yards away from us. Give or take two yards. I can't determine the exact location."

I couldn't help but ask him the question, "How old are you?"

"The same age as almost everyone here. Eighteen."

I looked at him suspiciously, but decided to postpone it for later. I took the information into consideration and began to study the area fluently. The bark is stripped in some places in large layers. In the worst case, a rodent, is at best an elk or a wild boar. I quietly gave the order to the soldiers, "Hide on the trees. I'll give the signal."

At first they started to protest sluggishly, but my look was enough to make them obey and start climbing trees. Fortunately, there were enough trees for everyone to find a place for themselves. I also climbed up a tree and waited.

After what seemed like an eternity, two wild boars ran into the clearing. It could be better, but it will go. I decided that I had to give my subordinates a chance, so I started creating an arrow rune and directed it to the sky. She flew out almost soundlessly and the first to react to her was the thestral who warned me. He quickly flew up to the boar and holding the spear with his wing quickly struck them in the heart of both boars. The animals did not even have time to squeak, but already managed to become prey.

I jumped down from the tree and went to the thestral, and took the carcasses of wild boars from him. I wanted to simplify my task, so I asked him a question.

"Can you take over the hunt?"

"Yes, I can handle it." He answered without thinking for a second.

"Great, then I'll do the cooking." I said, moving back to the camp, but already with the loot. Of course, not the most impressive, especially for fifty people, not counting me, but it will do. On the way to the camp, I began to collect various sticks to make a fire and cooking.

After a while I was able to get to the camp. Calves have already started to hurt from constant walking. I focused on the case and stacked the brushwood next to the concrete slab to protect the future bonfire at least on one side. After folding the firewood, I took two sticks and started trying to make a fire. Since I had time to train in the forest, it didn't take long for me to build a fire. For now, I left the carcasses of wild boars next to the fire and went to the arsenal for a knife.

There I saw how most of the thestrals lay down to rest. I loomed over them and started talking.

"You had one task. One elementary task. And you fuckers failed it not just with a bang, you failed it with an explosion!"

They quickly gathered and began to chaotically salute. I continued to hover over the thestrals and raised my voice again.

"Who gave you ragamuffins the right to rest?"

At first they looked like they wanted to give up, but suddenly one of them said, "We've already taken everything out."

From the depths of the warehouse came the voice of the pesky thestral "Nothing like that. We barely disassembled the tools here and there is an underground floor in the warehouse."

I approached the thestral point-blank, raised my voice and said directly invading his personal space, "I give you the choice of punishment. You don't have to thank me for my generosity. Option one, you can do ten laps around the entire base. Or you can go sparring with me right now. Whatever you chose it wouldn't free you from work."

"Sparring!" he said confidently.

I couldn't help but smile and said cheerfully, "Very good. We're going to fight now. Follow me."

I took a few steps back to hold the duel and at the same time not to interfere with others to work. As soon as we got into the right position, I started talking to the thestral liar again.

"Ready?"

He took his sword with his wing in a surprisingly human-like manner, "Ready."

I clapped my hands announcing the start of the fight and got into a fighting stance. He quickly ran towards me with a sword in his wing and struck aside the blow. But I jumped over his sword without any problems and kicked him in the head, then jumping back to give him another chance. He staggered from my blow and ran again charged with rage. Quickly getting closer, he struck down from above, but I again took a step to the side and hit him in the face, restraining the force so as not to knock him out. He staggered, but quickly gathered his strength for a stabbing blow. I stopped feeling sorry for him and made my answer faster than he could strike. I kicked the sword out of the wing and sent it flying. I hit him in the jaw from the bottom to the top, thereby stunning him and delivered the final blow to the chest, causing him to fly a dozen feet away.

I walked unhurriedly to the soldier and squatted down next to him to inspect the damage. A bruise on the bridge of his nose and chin and a small dent in his armor. I went a little too far. I tapped his head with my hand to wake him up and started talking.

"Your punishment is over now you can go back to work."

"You can't be serious," he said between breaths.

"Do you want to check?"

He immediately became active and trotted to the others who were already continuing to work. Remembering why I was originally headed to the arsenal, I went in his direction again. Approaching the arsenal, I shouted inside.

"Do you have any knife there?"

From the depths of the arsenal, I heard the answer of the thestral who pestered me, "I'll find it now, sir!"

I stood next to the door so as not to disturb the other soldiers and waited. Soon a thestral appeared out of the darkness, holding a long knife in his teeth. I took a knife and got a better look at this Pegasus along the way. Purple fur and yellow eyes. The mane is hidden by armor.

Pass me the knife he started to say in his friendly manner, "If it's not a secret, why do you need a knife, sir?"

"I'm cooking." I said, moving towards the fire.

He answered something, but I couldn't hear him, so I just continued walking to the campfire. When I got to the campfire, I began to prepare the carcasses of wild boars for cooking. Soon I was completely immersed in the process and lost track of time.

The sun is already high in the sky and most of the soldiers have finished their initial work. A lot of different tools were formed around the warehouse, hunters brought a lot of berries and a couple of small animals, and the big building was spared from the roots of trees, Of course there is still a lot of work to be done, but there is already successful. I was able to cook wild boars and small animals just by the time everyone finished work.

While I was slicing the food so that it was enough for fifty-one people, the tension from hungry thestrals began to be felt in the air. Soon I finally finished slicing the food and gestured with the thestrals that everything was ready. They reacted instantly and attacked the food almost starting a fight for it. Fortunately, I managed to pick up a piece of the boar while I was still cutting, so I didn't have to participate in the crush. Deciding to distance myself from this, I climbed onto a concrete slab and hung my legs from it, eating my food in parallel. A little bland, but it will go.

Finally, all the problems are settled. . . Fuck. I forgot about the patrol. Considering that the night guard sleeps at day, noon should be like midnight for them. I need to choose someone and assign them to patrol.

I looked down at my subordinates and saw that some had already finished while others were struggling to stretch the process. I beckoned with my hand to those who had already finished their meal. As soon as they got closer I started talking.

"In short, I have a case for you. Split up into two and guard the area. The priority is the trail to the camp and the campfire."

They already wanted to protest, but the threat in the form of a fist was enough to convince them. They reluctantly quickly divided into pairs and went to guard various places. I sighed and finally was able to lie down quietly on the concrete slab.

But my brain once again remembered the case. I reluctantly moved from a recumbent position to a sitting position and loudly announced.

"Everyone who is not assigned to guard, look for a place to sleep and go to bed." I said, making the soldiers a little happy.

The soldiers were divided into three groups. The first group chose a warehouse as an overnight stay. The second group chose a dilapidated building as an overnight stay. And the last third group decided to sleep by the campfire. After making sure that everyone was distributed in their places, I calmly lay down on the concrete slab and fell asleep.

Author's Note

Well, I was able to write a chapter faster than usual.

Battle formation

I woke up and immediately felt a strong pain in my back. My back from sleeping on concrete doesn't feel nearly as good as it could. The fire had long since gone out and after looking around I realized that the soldiers assigned to guard decided to go to bed. I urgently need to find someone for the role of overseeing discipline.

I discarded this thought and realized that I wouldn't be able to sleep anyway, so I decided to take a walk. My attention was attracted by a tower to the top of which a dilapidated staircase led. I carefully walked around the soldiers so as not to wake anyone and started moving towards the stairs.

When I got to the stairs, I took the first step on the step and it fell under my weight, but it didn't break. I decided to continue climbing the stairs despite the danger, but at an accelerated pace. Jumping from step to step and almost falling a couple of times, I was able to get to the top.

A small office-like structure was waiting for me at the top. Opening the door with a creak, I saw in front of me a table, an old armchair, a carpet and an incredibly old calendar. Approaching the chair, I realized that it was not enough for me, so I decided to check the cabinets of the table. Opening the locker, I saw a dusty pair of binoculars with one broken lens. Better than nothing. I thought before I took it. In the following boxes, I was met only by wood beginning to rot and dust. I slammed the drawer shut and went over to the ancient calendar. The year was indicated on it. Nine hundred and twenty-third year. If I knew what year it is now on this planet, I could find out how many years this base has been abandoned. Unfortunately, not today.

I had already turned around to leave, but I was covered by some kind of feeling as if something was going to attack me. Right now. I turned around quickly. So fast that the alpha core fell out of mine pocket and landed quietly on the carpet. When after a couple of seconds I was not met with a threat, I sat down and took the core. Holding it in my hand, I looked at it. The core has the shape of a stone ball with some holes similar to breakaway areas. A small green light makes its way through these holes, which seems to be alive, but at the same time slowly dies.

No, it must be my imagination. First paranoia, then calling the light alive. Maybe I've been overexerting myself a little lately. At first, to survive in the forest every day, then to study for three months without sleep and rest, and this. Maybe ask Luna for a day off for Christmas? Perhaps by that time I will have trusted people. I'll think about it.

I returned the sphere to my pocket and left the office, closing the door behind me. I would stop to look at the night view, but the fragility of the steps will not allow me to do this. I started walking down the stairs quickly, ignoring their protest in the form of a creak. A couple of times I almost fell, but I managed to avoid the failure and returned safely to earth. Looking at the moon, I realized that I spent about fifteen minutes in that office. Or five or twenty-five. I can't tell the time perfectly by the sun or, in this case, the moon.

Looking at the soldiers, I saw that they were still sleeping. I decided that they would not be worth it yet, so I headed into the forest in search of food. Although the soldiers were able to pick some berries yesterday, it's still not enough. Yes, doing it alone is not so effective, but now there are no other options.

I stubbornly moved into the depths of the forest and looked for fresh animal tracks. Soon I found the trail of some animal. Squatting down, I began to examine it. Judging by the shape, this footprint belonged to an animal with hooves. The problem is that I have already forgotten which hooves belong to which animals. After all, my last full-fledged hunt was a very long time ago. Almost six years to be exact. At the end of December it will be exactly six.

I shook my head and focused all my attention on the trail. The hoof trail is still visible, so not much time has passed. Pressing on the trail with his fingers, he slightly pushed through. Looking at the surface of the trail for a long time, I noticed a small gap in it, which gives me one option out of two. Either I found an unknown animal or my victim has wounds on the hoof. Useless information, but at least something.

I got up and carefully followed the trail so as not to accidentally scare off the animal. As I went deeper into the forest, the light of the moon had almost ceased to illuminate the area. When I was about to turn around because of the risk of getting lost, the firelight began to make its way through the trees. I instantly moved behind the tree so that I could not be seen. After a couple of seconds I dared to look out and what I saw confused me. I saw deer sitting around a big fire. I wouldn't hesitate to pounce on them if I didn't see one bandaging the hoof of another and saying something in an incomprehensible language consisting of many sounds as if marking natural.

Just one jerk and they're finished and my camp will get a good supply of food. Wait, when did I start thinking about the well-being of individual groups? I need to think bigger. Perfection is the path to freedom and an ideal society that is accessible to everyone who is willing to make an effort. This is my highest priority and since I am the only one who wants to, I am my highest priority. Now the important question. Will I get benefits at least at the level of basic needs of their sacrifice? No. Have these deer done something that I can define as restricting a total person's freedom? No. I have nothing to show them. But that didn't stop you from killing that dragon and those guards. It smells like double standards. The dragon threatened others and the guards attacked me themselves. Of course we will write it down. An inhuman murder committed only for the sake of self-defense and nothing more. A decent alibi.

Despite a part of me wanting to deal with them quickly, I quietly walked away and started walking towards the camp. On the way, I covered their tracks. As I approached the camp, I noticed that some Thestrals were actively roaming the area in search of something. As soon as I came out of the forest, they immediately spotted me and ran up. Of course, the yellow-eyed thestral got to me first

"Sir, we've been looking for you! I was so worried about you."

"Of course." I said sarcastically as I walked past him.

Unfortunately, he followed me anyway and continued the conversation in his friendly voice, "So what are your plans for today?"

I pointed my finger at the moon and replied, "Do you see the moon? When it is at its zenith, I will raise everyone and make them work. I don't know exactly how to work yet, but I will make."

"And now?"

"Now you can do whatever you want, but when the moon is at its zenith, you must come here. Otherwise, do whatever you want. "

"What if I want to be with you? "

I pointed my hand in a random direction and started saying, "There's a dick out there somewhere. As soon as you find him, you have to sit on him and tear your ass off."

He took my hint and walked away from me. I reached my destination in the form of a concrete slab and sat down next to it. I just have to look at the sky and wait for the moon to enter the zenith. After a while I noticed out of the corner of my eye that someone sat down next to me.

By the hoarse voice, I realized that this was a blue-eyed thestral with good hearing, "I overheard here that we can do anything until midnight."

I nodded, confirming his words and he continued the dialogue, "So now I can call you whatever I want?"

I answered with an exasperated sigh, "Yes you can, but if you're going to call me by my first name, you'd better introduce yourself."

He giggled that in conjunction with hoarseness made a very interesting combination of, "Very good. My name is Flying Night."

I'm already used to the names of the ponies, so I didn't get indignant, "Come on, ask what you need."

"Me? I don't need anything, I just want to talk."

Although it was difficult to distinguish individual intonations because of the hoarseness, I still did not believe him, "It's not good to lie, you know."

"Who are you calling stupid?" He said abruptly changing his mood to aggressive, thereby surprising me.

"Hey, hey, calm down, I just pointed out a mistake. And why did you get so angry right away anyway? "

He snorted and replied, "I just don't like being insulted. "

I sighed and decided to switch to the previous topic, "You lied anyway. You have a reason to approach me."

"Okay, okay. You see, I've already told all my jokes to all the soldiers. So there's only you left, Daniel."

"Let me clarify. You come up and start a dialogue just to tell jokes. Is that all? No other reason?"

"Yes, only jokes."

I sighed and shook my head in frustration, "Come on, tell me."

"Two Pegasus are falling. And then one Pegasus says to another, "Do you know when we will land?" And the second Pegasus replies to him, "I do not know. I'm racing with you!"" At the end of the joke, I was left with a stone face and looked at Flying.

"Where to laugh? I didn't understand the joke at all."

He rubbed the back of his head with a hoof and replied, "I don't know myself. It's just that whenever I talk to someone this joke, they laugh."

After that moment, I briefly laughed, "That's really funny!"

My laugh turned out to be contagious and Flying also laughed in his hoarse voice. After a few seconds, it was over and silence hung between us.

But she was destroyed by Flying's hoarse voice, "I remembered another one. The stallions are sitting and drinking beer, then one of them takes a small stallion out of the bag, puts it on the table, pours beer into his thimble and says, "Well, tell us how you insulted the sorcerer.""

The joke itself was not too funny, but I was more amused by the voice of Flying. As a result, I couldn't hide a small grin from his anecdote.

He had already taken a breath to continue talking, but I interrupted him, "You'll tell me later. It's already midnight."

Flying looked at the moon and when he saw the confirmation of my words nodded and stood up. I got up from the ground and saw that most of the soldiers had already stood up. I raised my voice.

"Everyone line up in a row quickly!"

After my words, the soldiers began to move chaotically and lined up in an uneven row. Since it will not be possible to continue repairs without materials, I decided to conduct normal exercises today.

First of all, I began to align the formation. Approaching the soldiers point-blank, I began to align them so that they were on the same line. After a couple of seconds, one soldier asked a question.

"Why is this necessary?"

"Drill is the basis of which every soldier is trained. In the battle of armies, the most disciplined wins." I replied quoting the lessons of Luna.

Fortunately, there were no further questions and I continued to align the formation by moving each soldier forward or backward. After a while, I was finally able to level the formation and took a few steps away to assess its integrity. When I saw that everything was perfect, I raised my voice again.

"Great. Now you just need to keep the formation moving. Full speed ahead!" I said, giving way so that the soldiers would start walking forward.

They began to walk slowly in formation so as not to destroy it, but its fragility was visible. After a couple of minutes of slow movement in the ranks, the most difficult moment came. U-turn.

"Stop!" I shouted, forcing the soldiers to stop.

I looked for a long time to figure out how to make a turn of the system correctly and at the same time maintain integrity. After a few minutes, a solution to the problem came to my mind.

"Everyone turns around while maintaining positions!"

The soldiers tried to do this, but because of too sweeping movements, they collided with each other, from which most of the formation collapsed. I put my hand to my face trying to hide this shame from myself. But I gathered his strength and began to command.

"Quickly return the formation!"

Thanks to my adjustments, the soldiers returned to the starting position again. As soon as the formation was restored, I took another attempt. I repeated my command and this time the soldiers began to turn around much more carefully and with restraint. As a result, barely avoiding the destruction of the formation, they were able to turn around. I wiped the sweat off my forehead with my hand and continued to command

"Great. Now go ahead!"

They obeyed and continued to march, but in the opposite direction. This time they were a little more organized and roughly began to understand how to move. Moving slowly, they met another obstacle. Arsenal. I decided to use this as an opportunity to work out a maneuver.

"Flanks, start encircling!"

The soldiers started doing something very strange. Most of the soldiers were distributed around the arsenal and only a couple of soldiers stood in front of him.

"The flanks are the extremities of the formation. Return to the starting position."

The soldiers had already begun to express indignation, but they listened and returned to their starting position in front of the arsenal. I repeated the order and this time the flanks began to move away from the main formation, creating a kind of semicircle. I smiled with satisfaction when I saw that everything worked and gave the following order.

"Very good. Now return to a level formation and return to the starting place."

I already began to feel like the soldiers were ready to run away from the line and very reluctantly obeyed. They restored an even formation and miraculously turned around to return to the place where they were lined up. This time they calmly returned to the position.

"So far the drill has been stopped. Now it's time to run. Running around the camp for three laps!"

There was indignation among the soldiers, to which I immediately reacted, "Five laps!"

They took the hint and ran first outside the camp and then started running around it. At that time, I took binoculars with a broken lens, wiped the whole lens from dust and began to watch the fleeing soldiers. I took the binoculars in such a way that I could look into it with only one eye. Watching through binoculars, I saw that the black and purple thestral, which I identified as Flying and pesky, were running ahead of everyone. The others moved in behind them. I was distracted from watching by the sound of a fall from behind.

I turned around and saw how an exhausted thestral landed next to me, which I sent to Canterlot yesterday. I went over to him and squatted down next to him.

"Report. I need a report."

After a couple of seconds during which he tried to catch his breath, he gathered his strength and replied, "Everything you need will be delivered in two days."

"Great, you can rest for now." I said, turning away and continuing to watch the soldiers run.

"I'm not done yet." he said between breaths.

"What else?" I asked, turning away from the binoculars.

"The Princess asked me to give you this." He said, handing me the card in which the letter was hidden.

"Everything?"

"That's it." He said, walking away and looking for a place to rest.

I opened the letter and began to read

To the Captain of the Night Guard Daniel Ctumer

Judging by the words of your subordinate, you have already seen where the first months of your service will take place. Consider this a just punishment for your disobedience. And you should also know that we are going to come to your camp on the twenty-fourth of December.

From Her Highness Princess Luna

Fuck

I rubbed my forehead and put the letter in my pocket for the future. Having dealt with this, I returned to observing the soldiers. During the time I was reading, the situation has changed. Flying started to lag behind pesky. But suddenly, through the tired soldiers, the gray thestral began to slowly move forward. Flying has already faded into the background and the competition is beginning to take place between the pesky and stuttering thestrals. As soon as the pesky one saw his opponent, he began to pick up the pace, but due to fatigue he could not break away normally. They started running at the same speed, but it was clear that no one was going to take the championship. Suddenly, Flying reappeared from the crowd and joined the race at equal speed. I watched with interest as one overtakes the other for a couple of seconds to lose him again in a couple of seconds. And in the final of the last fifth round, the soldiers reached the end and collapsed from fatigue.

Almost immediately, the annoying thestral got close to me and asked the question, "Who came running first, sir?"

He was followed by Flying, which seemed to be just having fun. Gray thestral just sat in the place where he finished and tried to catch his breath. I returned my attention to the pesky thestral, and replied.

"Purely counting in my opinion, I can say that you were in the lead in three at the same time."

"But there must be a winner!"

I put my finger to his nose and said, "Consider it motivation. Even if you had pulled out a couple of inches, I wouldn't have recognized you as the winner. If you need my recognition so much, then work so well that I will be impressed."

It seemed that he was activated by my words and trotted somewhere in the other direction. I let the soldiers rest a little after the race and after a few minutes shouted.

"Everyone line up in a row!" After my words, the soldiers reluctantly lined up in a row, after which I gave the following order.

"Pay off the first, second!"

Since they quickly finished the calculation, I was able to calmly give the last order, "Everyone first go to the arsenal and unload everything there. All the second ones go to the forest and find food. Flying Night will be the commander of the second group."

The soldiers listened to me and moved in different directions, each with their own task. I saw that everything was in its place on a concrete slab and began to think about how to train soldiers further.

Christmas

"A little to the right and a little more. Perfect!" I said, pointing out to the soldiers where to hang pieces of dry trees of the tower.

As soon as I said it was over, the soldiers scattered to rest. But an annoying thestral got close to me, which, as I learned earlier, is called the Rising Moon. When he got close to me he asked a question.

"I don't doubt your genius in any way, sir, but I still want to ask. Why do we hang flammable materials on the tower?"

"It's very simple. I don't want to cut down a tree just so it rots in a few days. Using a tree as a bench makes at least minimal sense. So I found a great alternative. Burn this tower. It will be like a Christmas tree with a garland, but only brighter." I said, having already managed to get used to the constant stupid questions of Rising.

This explanation was enough for him and he went somewhere about his business. I struggled to make my way through the snow to a log that was located next to a concrete slab as an improvised bench. After breaking through a layer of snow and dropping its remnants from a tree, I sat on it with one leg crossed over the other. I looked up at the cold winter setting sun. A cold wind swept by, which made my limbs not covered with clothes tremble. I started rubbing my hands together to cope with the cold, but it didn't give much result. I was about to get up to start commanding the soldiers, but I was disturbed by the sound of flapping wings.

I turned my head in the direction from which the sound came and saw a very strange sight. A chariot in which Pegasus were harnessed floated across the sky. I saw that the soldiers in the camp were about to attack the chariot, but with a gesture of my hand I ordered them to calm down. As soon as the chariot landed, Luna and Celestia came out of it. I did not please them with my reaction, so I just continued to sit on the fallen log. Soon the two princesses approached me and started a conversation.

"Haven't seen you for a long time." Luna told me, holding out a hoof to me.

I shook her hoof and briefly replied, "Yes."

Celestia tried to copy Luna's gesture and handed me a hoof. I looked at her hoof for a long time and finally gently pushed it away from me. Celestia seemed outraged by this but didn't say anything. I turned to the Moon, which seemed to be focused on the thestrals. Soon she turned to me and asked a question.

"Did we interrupt something?"

"No, I gave them a little break now. Why?"

"We wanted to see how you handled the training of the soldiers."

"We'll arrange everything now," I said, getting up and heading closer to the soldiers.

When I got close enough to the soldiers, I clapped my hands and gave the soldiers a signal to form up. They dropped everything they were doing and almost instantly formed into a perfectly even formation. I turned to Luna with a small smug smile, to which she responded with an attentive look. I gave the command to the soldiers to go into formation with a gesture of my hand, and they obeyed again and began to march, scattering snow in all directions. Thanks to the long and thorough training, the soldiers were able to maintain formation even moving over rough terrain. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that the harnessed Pegasi were shocked by the quality of the drill of my soldiers. After a few minutes of silent commands, the soldiers returned to their starting point.

"You've done a very good job, Captain." Said Luna.

"Yes. But I don't think you came here just to say the obvious thing. You have another reason." I said, turning to Luna and trying to put pressure on it.

She didn't seem to succumb to the pressure and simply replied out of politeness, "Okay, let's go in order. Firstly, until the first of January inclusive, all members of the night Guard have a weekend."

There were enthusiastic exclamations from the soldiers nearby from such news, but I focused on the further words of Luna.

"Secondly, your salary." Luna said and flashed her horn, causing two bags of gold to appear in my hands, each the size of a fist. If take the wealth from the dragon cave, then I think I will get the budget of some city.

"Well, if that's all, then I'll sit here, wait for Christmas and solemnly burn that tower." I said, returning to the log and putting the bags of money in my pocket.

Celestia's soft voice came from behind, "So that's why the tower is wrapped in branches."

"What is Christmas?" Luna asked with interest.

"A Christian holiday in which it is customary to give gifts and spend time with loved ones. Given the circumstances, I will celebrate it with a genius." I said pointing a finger at myself.

"So you're going to celebrate Hearth's Warming alone?" Luna asked.

Hearth's Warming? Probably an adaptation of Christmas.

"In general, yes."

"This is no good!" Said Celestia who suddenly got into the conversation.

If I don't come up with something, I'll have to spend the next hours next to them. They're like sisters, plus Celestia has a useless nephew. I use it to get rid of all at once.

"Firstly, the very idea that you spend a holiday with me is terrible, and secondly, you have relatives with whom it is customary to spend a holiday. So just get off me."

"No one should be left alone tonight." Said Celestia.

"What do you want, Celestia?"

"I just don't want anyone to be alone today."

"Suppose I believed you. But what about the others? Somewhere out there behind your eyes there are poor people in ditches, divorced fathers stuck in addictions and orphans. They all want to spend the holiday with someone too, but you're coming to me."

"What do you want to say?"

"I'm saying that if you attach so much importance to this holiday, then maybe you need to make it something more than a fleeting reason to gather a family. Can you forget about the holiday forever and always behave like normal people? To gather a family not once a year, but every single day. To remember that the lower strata of the population also have a desire to live well not only once a year, but every day. Instead of turning into the kindest people for one day because of the date on the calendar, you need to be normal people always. "

"So you want to cancel Hearth's Warming? "

"Yes! But not because I didn't get a gift or any other stupid reason, but because this holiday allows people to justify their terrible nature. They remember about relatives only one day a year, not because they are garbage, but because it is a "tradition". They are willing to spend more than one penny on another person only once a year, not because they are greedy, but because "tradition". As a result, I speak with pride and without doubt. The holiday is a licimer, deceitful spectacle that must be canceled. You can leave the day off, I have nothing against it."

"What are you going to say to the children who were deprived of the holiday?"

"I'm really sorry. Sorry for that your parents can't give your child what he wants without such a stupid reason. What did you think would put me in a stupor?" I asked with a grin.

Celestia turned to the moon in search of help, but she pretended that she had nothing to do with it. Suddenly an idea came to Celestia's empty head

"How about a culinary duel?"

"Do you really need to spend Christmas with me?"

Celestia nodded at which I sighed ruefully.

There is not a single kitchen nearby, so we will cook in nature, in the field. I have every chance of winning.

"I don't know what's wrong with you, but I agree. I accept the challenge."

Celestia smiled as if she had already won and began to say, "If you agree, then let's agree. The dishes should be festive and there should be a drink for the main course."

"Ha is that all? Give me milk, cream, eggs, medical alcohol, water, cinnamon and sugar for the drink. And for the main course I will need potatoes, onions, mayonnaise, mustard and celery. And of course to cook, I will need tools and a couple of pots."

As soon as I finished speaking, Celestia made all of the above appear on a nearby log with a sparkle of the horn and even created a stove that was powered by I don't understand what. I silently approached the log that will play the role of a table and got ready to cook. Celestia took a different place for herself and was also ready. Luna realized that there was no one else to fulfill this role, so she started counting down.

"On the count of three. One. Two. Three!"

I moved my hands incredibly quickly to a glass of water and medical alcohol. I carefully poured the alcohol into the water to maintain the ratio of two parts alcohol to three parts water. Quickly finished with this, I threw the pots on the stove and turned them on.

Soon I lost the perception of time due to concentration on work. By the end, I was barely using my hands because of fatigue. With a final jerk, I put everything I had on the table. Potato Christmas salad and three glasses of eggnog based on improvised vodka. I turned to Celestia who had also finished everything and looked at what she had. She had something that looked like an apple pie and next to it were three glasses of something very similar to eggnog.

Luna first approached her sister and tasted the pie. She said something quietly about him, but I couldn't hear her. Then she took Celestia's drink and again said a review that I didn't hear. Finally it was my turn.

Luna came up to me and tasted the potato soldier without preamble. She didn't say anything at all and came up to my eggnog. I saw her eyes pop open after tasting it, which made me grin. The moon continued to go to announce the results.

I just looked after Luna and waited for her to announce the results. Taking a few steps back and gathering air into her lungs, Luna announced the results

"Celestia cooked better!"

She smiled smugly and began to walk towards me with a proud gait. When she reached me, she offered me one of the two glasses. But I rejected her offer by taking my eggnog. I started drinking it and a lot of sensations swept through me that I wasn't used to. Burning sensation going down the throat along with the drink, the residue of the pungent smell of alcohol, and so on. I even had tears in my left eye.

"Did everything turn out badly?" Celestia asked, not ignoring me.

"I just rarely drink alcohol. I make an exception only three days a year." I answered already starting to slowly adapt to the drink.

"And these three days?"

"It's none of your business." I said in a voice not suggesting a continuation of the conversation in this topic.

Celestia decided to temporarily retreat and went to her sister. I barely finished my eggnog and ate a few spoons of salad. When I was done, I sat down on a log and stared at the moon, waiting for the right hour. During the time I was cooking, a lot of time passed and there were literally a couple of minutes left.

Seeing this, I got to my feet and started walking towards the tower, simultaneously looking for sticks to get fire. When I got to the tower and got the fire by rubbing sticks, I threw the fire to the bottom of the tower. Ogono began to grow slowly and strive upward through the piles of winded wood around the tower. I went back to my seat and stared at the fire. I felt someone sit down next to me, but I didn't even look at the intruder.

"You know, you're a unique case." Said Celestia.

She is not my friend, comrade or ally. There must be a reason for this behavior.

"Where does such kindness come from?" I asked abruptly turning to Celestia.

"I thought a lot about your behavior and realized. You're scared. You are alone without relatives and friends and you are trying to create an image of strength because you are afraid of appearing weak. I think despite your actions, even you deserve empathy. I want to help you. "

I silently handed the unfinished glass of eggnog that to Celestia and took a full one for myself. After that, I started saying, "Do you know what I can tell you, Celestia? "

"What is it? " Celestia asked, very interested.

I put my glass on Celestia's head, almost breaking it, and moved on to the revelation, "For me, most people are not above dirt in importance, and you are dirt too. Your help amounts to an insult to me. Your opinion means nothing to me. And your theory is a stupid delusion. I'm acting like this because I'm just like that. Do you understand? "

"I think so. " Celestia said, moving her head so that I couldn't use it as a stand.

I turned around and saw Luna to my left. I sighed, knowing that I had lost the competition and said, "Okay, Celestia, let's talk. "

"About what? " She asked.

"I have no idea. I'm giving you the initiative and you can use it as you want."

"Well, I know what to tell. It was one terribly old night. . ." Celestia started her story and I lost track of time listening.

The best

I opened my eyes and there was a ceiling in front of me. Soon, thoughts began to come into my newly awakened consciousness. And along with my thoughts, a headache came to me.

Hangover. Although I drank very little, it was enough to give a result. That's why I only drink alcohol three days a year.

With a sigh, I tried to get up from my bed, but the awakened headache stopped me and sent me back to bed. While the soldiers were restoring a large building, this room was found in it, located far from the main barracks. Of course, when I found out about the presence of a bed in it, I immediately declared the room my own.

I very slowly moved to a sitting position and put my hand on my forehead trying to calm the headache. Now all I have to do is focus on what happened yesterday.

Nothing unusual. I just gave Celestia the initiative and she decided to tell a few stories, not one of which I didn't remember. A little talk about how long our deal will last, which ended in nothing. I want to reserve the right to cancel the deal, and Celestia wants to make it valid for the next couple of years. After all the conversations, I went to my room and went to bed. And here I am. Now it's time to get up and find a place where I'll rest for the next week.

But I don't have any idea where I can spend a week. Even if I use the card, there is nothing useful. Okay, I'll set this for myself as an initial task. I'll figure something out next.

I tried to get up, but the trembling in my legs sent me back to the bed. Fortunately, there is a bedside table next to my bed on which I can put a map of the area. I moved closer to the bedside table and pulled a map out of my coat pocket. Having unfolded the map and put it on the bedside table, I began to peer into it to find at least something.

Several mountains and rivers are located throughout the territory. The station and railways are marked. It is noteworthy that there are practically no railways in the north. Also on the map there are several cities and villages whose name does not mean anything to me. Of course I can go to Canterlot, but what will I do there? Sit in my room and pray that one of the hundreds of books will give me useful information? Or hide under the skirt of Luna because she is supposedly the closest person to me? It doesn't take a genius to figure out that a trip to Canterlot is a bad idea. Manehattan? No just no. Las Pegasus? Let's say it's a parody of Las Vegas. No, I'm not mentally ready for this. We need to choose at least something!

I just poked at Ponyville out of anger. Yes, this will do. A familiar place, a castle in which there were many more books and I popularity among the locals. Full speed ahead!

I folded the map and put it back in my pocket. During the time I was staring at the map, the headache eased a little. Gathering my strength, I slowly stood up and withstood a little shaky, I was able to stand on my feet. I began to slowly work my way to the exit step by step.

The first obstacle is at the door. Now I'm standing only because of willpower, but now I need to turn my attention to the door. Exhaling, I moved my hand to the door handle and tried to turn it. Along with the opening of the door, my knees buckled, which almost made me fall, but fortunately the door handle saved me from falling. Using the handle as a support, I regained my balance again and left the room.

As soon as I left the room, I was met by the second obstacle. Sunlight. As soon as my eyes spotted this bastard, I quickly shielded myself with my hands and hissed. After what seemed like an eternity, my eyes were able to get used to the sun. After making sure that the danger was over, I lowered my hands and continued to go to the exit. After a while, almost falling, I was able to get to the exit door. I opened the door and the sunlight blinded me again.

This time the light was not so painful, so I quickly adapted and left the building. Finally, after going through the pain and blows to pride, I was able to get out of here. No sooner had I celebrated the victory than a whistle was heard to my right, which made me close my ears and wince in pain. I turned my head in the direction from which the whistle came and saw two Minotaurs. One carried a massive two-handed sword on his shoulder and was armored from head to neck. The helmet is missing. To his left stood a fully armored Minotaur who seemed to stop in the middle of the attack and turned to his partner. In the hands of the fully clothed Minotaur were two daggers with terribly thin blades. There was a distance of about thirty feet between me and a promising opponent. While I was standing and trying to get my brain to work, a dialogue began between the partners.

"What the hell are you doing? And where's your helmet?" The muffled voice of the Minotaur in full armor was heard, who had already completely switched his attention to his partner.

"I left my helmet in the camp. In helmet It's stuffy. And don't you think we're doing it wrong? " A Minotaur with a two-handed sword answered.

"What do you mean wrong? You're a mercenary. You get paid to kill. "

"I mean attacking someone from behind is somehow unfair. Don't you think?"

"Let me be clear. We spent a whole month planning the attack, learning the habits of the victim, and even I waited for you to finish the bread before the attack, only for you to rip everything off at the last second. Thank God Speed Arrow is with us and she has already completely figured it out. "

The growing headache forced me to intervene, "Can you discuss your problems somewhere far away? I have a very strong reaction to alcohol and now a hangover is killing me."

For a second, the fully armored Minotaur froze and said emotionlessly addressing his partner, "What did you do with Speed Arrow?"

"I kind of talked to her a little bit and maybe convinced her not to shoot. That's it." Replied the Minotaur with a two-handed sword at the end making an awkward smile.

"You really should go. . ." I started to speak, but was interrupted by a dagger thrown at me.

"You know, sometimes I really am. . . " The armored Minotaur continued talking to his partner, but he was stopped by my answer. I caught a dagger flying at me and threw it at my opponent. But unfortunately, the dagger could not penetrate the enemy's armor and just bounced off it.

The armored Minotaur stopped for a second and then began to look alternately at me and at his partner, "Did you conspire?"

"No, I just want to do it in my own style." A Minotaur with a two-handed sword answered.

The dagger-wielding Minotaur growled and took a step to the side. His partner smiled and took a few steps towards me with a relaxed gait.

"I'm Big Sword! And I came for your soul." He said, slightly shortening the distance and bowing.

"Fuck off." I replied using the first thing my brain could come up with.

"Don't worry, it will be a fair fight. Just you and me." Big continued to speak without paying attention to my answer.

"I refuse. If you're going to attack me, then let's crowd right away." I answered, starting to think a little.

"As you wish." Big said, taking his sword in two hands, and starting to circle around me. Soon he was joined by an unnamed partner.

Thanks to the developed reflex, I got into a fighting stance and began to evaluate my surroundings and opponents. Big moves erratically like a beginner and constantly moves his shoulders as if the armor is not comfortable. But his partner moves smoothly and professionally without paying attention to the armor. Suddenly my ears caught a strange sound. It's as if something is cutting through the air at high speed and approaching.

Arrow!

I turned my head towards the sound and saw an arrow flying at me. I reacted quickly and jumped back, letting the arrow get stuck in the ground. While I was distracted by the arrow, a Minotaur ran up to me with daggers. He delivered a long stabbing blow with one hand, but I easily dodged and prepared for a response. But when I saw the second dagger conveniently aimed at my head, I retreated a few feet. Before I even had time to take a breath, a two-handed sword fell on me from behind, cutting the air. Fortunately, I was fast enough to dodge and gain distance again.

Think, head, think. I need a plan. Can I shoot?

Obeying the first thing my head came up with, I quickly created a magic arrow and sent it to the Minotaur with daggers. The arrow seemed to have absorbed into the armor without harming my target.

Uh, it was awkward.

As an instant retribution, an arrow flew in my direction, from which I easily dodged. Literally five seconds later, another arrow flew at me, but due to the fact that I focused on my opponents, the arrow was able to hit me in the leg. I gritted my teeth trying not to scream and focused on the approaching danger. The Minotaur ran up to me with daggers and struck again with one hand. I instantly dodged his lunge and struck him in the jaw. First, I saw his head move half an inch. And then I felt a huge pain in my knuckles comparable to how I fought with Luna.

No, fighting Luna was more painful.

Using my confusion, he stabbed a second dagger into my right hand. Along with a cry of pain, blood spurted from the wound and my brain finally woke up. A surge of adrenaline allowed me to act quickly and I immediately hit his hand with a dagger despite the pain. The dagger came out of the wound and I was able to jump back calmly to assess the wounds. A small hole more like a needle mark. I grinned and raised my voice.

"Is that all you can do? It looks like you're the weak link in this team. Maybe it's time to give up?" I said pointing my finger at the Minotaur with daggers and openly mocking him.

As if in response, a two-handed sword came down on me from behind. Once again, Big turned out to be too slow and I dodged without any problems. This time I jumped on his sword as if on a crossbar and ignoring the pain began to strike at his open head. He staggered back a few yards under the pressure of my blows and almost fell, but was able to keep his balance. I wanted to continue the offensive, but another arrow from which I barely dodged said its word. At the last moment, I tried to shoot the disoriented Big with a rune. One second. Two. Three.

Luna said that wounds of blood vessels can stop the flow of magic to certain parts of the body. It looks like that's exactly what happened.

There was a short lull again, which allowed me to keep an eye on the opponents. Only now I noticed that their armor is not solid. Their armor is more like separate parts and plates connected to each other. When moving, the seemingly solid armor shows small gaps in protection. Even say more if look very closely, you can see the straps fastening the parts together.

My chance!

I took the initiative and, trying to ignore the pain in my leg, started moving towards the Minotaur with daggers. During my run to the enemy, I heard an arrow and quickly reacted to it. I caught an arrow in the air and turned around and threw it straight into Big's eye. I turned around and made a final dash for the Minotaur with daggers. I instantly grabbed his hands and pulled with such force that the straps holding this part of the armor just tore. Part of the armor that protected his arms fell apart, allowing me to attack. I grabbed his arm and pulled it forward to hit it with my elbow. There was a loud crunch followed by the cry of the Minotaur. Taking advantage of his confusion, I pushed him away using my good leg. He staggered away from me and grabbed his broken arm.

Suddenly, a shout was heard from behind: "I will avenge you, bro!"

I turned around and saw Big rushing at me with an arrow sticking out of his eye, raising his sword high. It's amazing that this jerk is alive. I immediately took advantage of his openness and hit him on the open head, causing several splashes of blood. He didn't react to the single blow in any way and swung his two-handed sword. I easily dodged his blow and began to carry out a series of blows to his face.

While I was struck, footsteps were heard from behind. The next second, I felt a dagger thrust into my left hand. I hissed, trying to contain the pain and hurriedly retreated. Looking up again, I saw both Minotaurs standing side by side and giving some kind of signal. Before I could gather my strength, an arrow flew out of nowhere and plunged into the ground. Immediately after the arrow landed, a wall of smoke rose in front of me. I coughed and lost concentration on enemy.

Soon the smoke cleared and with it the Minotaurs came out of my field of vision. I turned from side to side a couple of times, but I didn't see anyone.

They escaped. Bastards.

I sighed and pulled the dagger out of my hand. Thanks to the thin blade, I didn't get severe wounds, but it still hurts. After the dagger, I pulled the arrow out of my leg and threw it to the ground. I'm scared to see what kind of wound she left. The adrenaline had already worn off and the pain began to become unbearable. I started limping to the warehouse because there were some medical supplies there.

After a while I was able to hobble to the warehouse and opening the door, I was able to enter it. Among the strictly laid out armor and guns, I saw something that looked like a first aid kit. When I opened it, I saw nothing but bandages. Everything else has already rotted and fallen into disrepair. I took a bandage and started bandaging my wounds on my arms and legs. After wrapping up the wounds, I put the remaining bandages in my pocket. Just in case. And walked out of the vault. As soon as I came out of the vault, a thought popped into my head.

What now? I can't let a mercenaries just come after me and I can't pray that I'll get lucky next time. And I can't go kill Blueblood right away. Not only is this a deal breaker with Celestia, but I'm also the main suspect. There's only one thing left for me. Become a fucking detective.

I sighed in disappointment and began to inspect the battlefield. My eyes caught on the dagger that was recently thrust into my hand. Picking him up from the ground, I began to rotate him in my hands to get the blood off him and find something useful. Twirling the dagger in my hands, I found a barely noticeable inscription on the hilt. Made in Manehattan hammer workshop.

Great, I have a plan of action. Come to Manehattan, find this office, ideally find out who owns the weapon and then get to the organization where he works. Further on the situation.

I took the dagger in one hand so as not to lose it and headed to the train station to take a ticket to Manehattan.

First day in Manehattan

This can't be happening.

I pressed myself against the train window and stared in shock at the approaching city. Outside the window, I was met by far, from the city I expected. Manehatten turned out to be not just another medieval city, it turned out to be industrial. A lot of skyscrapers, a huge bridge over which a train is now traveling, a poor version of The Statue of Liberty and even a large accumulation of smoke talking about only one thing. There are factories here. In my head, a rapid activity immediately began.

Why is Manehatten exactly like this? Why is even the capital stuck in the Middle Ages while Manehatten is a hundred years ahead? I won't be able to sleep peacefully if I don't find out the truth. To hell with everything, I need to find out what the secret of this city is. I don't know how but I'll find out.

The train slowly started to stop and I got up to get out. I squeezed through a lot of ponies with difficulty and stood in front of the door. The train door opened and a wave of ponies poured out of the train. Constantly dodging the pony, I was finally able to get off the train. After leaving the train, I looked around for something that could help me. For example, a tourist card.

After a while, I noticed a small shop located right at the train station. The shop looks surprisingly simple. In fact, a gray box with large windows and surprisingly well cleaned from snow. I first felt my pockets in search of bags of gold and making sure that they were in place, I started moving towards the shop.

The door opened and I went into the shop with the bell ringing. I immediately felt the temperature change and stopped for a second to look around. The whole shop was lit by a pair of light bulbs creating the effect of warmth. A large and, judging by the patches, old carpet is spread out on the floor. Numerous shelves were filled with various things for tourists. Postcards, key chains and the like. Suddenly, the sound of hooves was heard from the back room and, turning to the sound, I saw an Earth pony. He had fur of a dark shade of orange and a bright red mane.

Reluctantly approaching the wide table separating the store and the utility room, she began to say in a female voice, "Have you come to buy or just to warm up?"

Oops. I completely forgot that I can't distinguish ponies from each other, and even more so I can't determine the gender.

I dropped the initial surprise and carefully approached her so as not to touch the goods. When I got to her, I put my hands on the table and started a conversation

"I need a map of the city. -"I paused for a second to think about the idea and continued. "-And I need a paper clip."

"Ho ho. I'm sorry, stud, but I have no idea what and where is here." She replied with a fair amount of sarcasm in the word "I'm sorry."

A difficult case. Most likely a teenager who was forced to work here and even more likely that her parents did it. I'll have to use heavy artillery.

I bent down slightly to look the young lady straight in the eyes "Adolescence, unjustified self-confidence and the desire to drop out of school. The perfect description of you, right?"

"How you?" She started to speak, but I quickly interrupted her.

"I really like to delve into any topic to such an extent until I become at least an expert in it and at most perfection. Psychology has become one of these topics. Therefore, I perfectly understand what you need. You want two things. Complete individualization and the need for peer approval. But don't you think it contradicts each other? Maybe instead of merging with the merciless and faceless crowd, you need to go against the flow like a real revolutionary? Well, will you be a good, adult woman and help the kind mister find the map? " I said, ruffling her hair with my hand.

She paused for a couple of seconds, studying me carefully. In response, I continued to look at her with a fake friendly look. After a few seconds, she replied with her head tilted to the side, "I didn't understand anything, old man."

Every day I become more and more convinced that I am surrounded by idiots. I simplified my thought to something that can be written in children's books. I'll have to turn to a secret trick that my father taught me. I really didn't want to resort to this. A bribe.

I pulled out one bag of gold coins from my pocket and looked at the young lady, "How much should I give you so that I can inspect everything that is here. Including working spaces."

She smugly pressed a hoof to her chin and mumbled, ostensibly thinking. Although I doubt that it can be classified as an intelligent being.

She finally lowered her hoof and said "Fifty Bits."

I quickly started rummaging through the bag, throwing ten Bits on the table each time. After repeating this procedure five times, I returned the bag in my pocket and headed to the back room. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that she was surprised that I really gave the required amount. Before I went into the back room, I heard her talking to herself

"Really an old man. Still pays with ordinary Bits."

I didn't pay much attention to it and began to inspect the back room. For the first second, the smell of cigarette smoke hit my nose. I covered my nose with my hand and returned to the back room. Among the piles of junk and a simple exit to the street, I found the things I needed with great difficulty. A city map and a paper clip. I took a large map out of my pocket and put it against the wall. Then I attached a small map to a large map in such a way as to hold the entire structure with one hand. And as a final touch, I stapled two maps with a paper clip so that his map was in place in Manehattan. I barely folded the double map so that it fit into my pocket and left the back room.

Going outside, I took out a double card and began to think where I should go. My attention was attracted by the City Hall, which is located in the city center. I stood for a couple of minutes making up the route and memorizing it started moving to the City Hall. During the walk, I began to explore the city.

First of all, I noticed a lot of skyscrapers. I could call them beautiful, but I'm more concerned about another question.

Where do people live? Usually such skyscrapers are occupied by large companies and these are jobs rather than housing. But during the observation from the train, I did not see a single residential building.

Looking around, I noticed that there was no one on the streets. No ordinary citizens, no drunkards. Only snow keeps me company. I looked at the sun to determine the approximate time. Five o'clock in the evening, give or take half an hour. Isn't this the time when people go out with friends or something? Okay, I'll get to the mayor's office and sort it out there.

I continued my way through the snow-covered city, crossing intersections and not ceasing to peer into every corner. By the time I stopped feeling my hands, a building with a flag hanging on it looked out from around the corner. The flag looks like a blue canvas with stars, two alicorns and images of the moon and sun. At the sight of this flag, I immediately had a number of thoughts involuntarily in my head.

Cult of personality, imperialism, nationalism.

I shrugged off these thoughts and headed to the City Hall. After entering the building, I rubbed my hands together to keep warm. Having warmed up, I looked around the building and immediately noticed a pony with glasses who was sitting at a large table and there were a lot of file cabinets behind her.

I went up to her and started saying, "I need to meet with the mayor."

She looked at me with an emotionless look, sigh wearily and said before going to the file cabinet, "Just a minute."

She got up from her chair and went to the file cabinet. While she was rummaging through the file cabinet, I turned away and began to inspect the room. On the ceiling there was a large window through which the evening light filtered through. And the building had a total of eight columns, four on each side. Next to each column there was a pot with some kind of plant. Seeing the evening light falling on one of them, I yawned without noticing it myself. Maybe not sleeping on the train was a bad idea.

"The purpose of the visit?" She asked, taking a document from the file cabinet and putting it on the table.

I doubt that the reason "I need to know why this city is developed" will be considered significant. Besides, demanding a favor and not giving anything in return is not my style.

I slightly changed my position to massage my temple.

But I have a lot of really good ideas that I usually don't mention so as not to turn the conversation into a lecture. Just give the mayor a little idea in exchange for information.

"I want to discuss a new bill with the mayor."

"Name?" she asked, not paying much attention to my words.

"Daniel Ctumer."

"The one? Who was first called a monster, then abruptly a hero and eventually appointed captain of the guard?"

"Yes." I answered briefly without hiding a small smile.

She looked at the document and said, "The nearest available place in the mayor's schedule will be the day after tomorrow at three o'clock in the afternoon. Will it suit you?"

"Not the best option. What's the next window in the schedule?"

"The twenty-sixth of January. . ."

She wanted to continue talking, but I quickly interrupted her, "I get it. So the day after tomorrow at three o'clock."

I turned around and was about to leave, but I remembered my main task and asked, "And by the way, do you know where the Manehattan hammer workshop is located?"

She started tapping her chin in thought and after a few seconds said, "It's somewhere in an industrial area."

Seeing my uncomprehending face, she continued, "The industrial area is located in the east of the city, next to the shore."

"Thanks for the tip." I said before leaving the City Hall and looking at the map again.

Looking at the map and assuming that the part of the city in which the roads are very thin is industrial areas, I made a surprising conclusion. I'll have to search a huge area.

I started walking towards the industrial area.

It will take a long time.

"My legs." I said, rubbing them with my hands longingly.

To say that finding one particular workshop in a whole huge area was difficult would be an understatement. Now the moon has begun to set over the horizon and I have just found the right store. Besides, the lack of sleep has already begun to take its toll and I'm barely conscious.

Barely able to stand on my feet, I stretched out my hand to the door of the store and pulled. There is no reaction. One more time. There is no reaction. The door is closed.

"Fuck!" I said angrily hitting the nearest trash can.

There was a big dent in the tank, but fortunately it didn't fall. I took a deep breath and exhaled. Calming down a bit, I opened the map again and started looking for a hotel. Fortunately, she was relatively close. I once again started moving to the next destination and, along with the movement, I regularly winced in pain.

Well, I need to take stock of this day. I made an appointment with the mayor. I found the right store, but it was closed for the night. In fact, the whole day was a preparation for the next. As I always expected to be a detective is terrible. As always, I was right.

As soon as the hotel appeared in my field of vision, I immediately ran to the door and entered the building. Due to fatigue, I didn't even pay attention to the room around me and immediately asked a loud question

"How much money for a room?"

"Do you have to shout like that?" Asked the stallion sitting at the table and behind which the keys were hung.

I came closer to him and said with a normal intonation, "How much money for a room?"

"One hundred. Receipts are accepted."

I pulled out the bag of gold again and started pulling the required amount out of it. As I laid out the money, the gears began to move in my head.

A receipt? Judging by the context, it implies receipts that were issued in exchange for gold so that the valuables could be taken away later. Soon, the owner's name was no longer written on the receipts and they began to be used for exchange. In short, the ancestor of modern paper money. I hope I didn't mix anything up.

The last energy of my brain was spent on digging into history and I completely switched to autopilot. The stallion handed me the key to the room and I immediately headed for the stairs. Looking at the key, I found out which room I got. Second floor, eighth room. With a final jerk, I walked up the stairs and opened the door to my room. I got tired to such an extent that I stopped paying attention to the pain.

I slammed the door behind me and immediately seeing the bed began to act. I took off my coat and threw it aside without thinking about all the valuable things in it. The coat landed loudly in the corner of the room and the sound of all my little things colliding with each other was heard. I also threw my T-shirt there, thus leaving the upper part of my body naked. I didn't have enough strength to take off my trousers, so I just fell on the bed and fell asleep almost instantly.

This is a bad idea

Do you know this feeling when after physical exertion you wake up the next day and your body hurts terribly? Right now I'm experiencing it for myself.

Now I'm just lying on the bed and trying to gather my strength and thoughts to start the working day. Or a day off, depending on which side to look at. I gathered my strength, inhaled and, together with the exhalation, got out from under the blanket. Immediately, cold air enveloped me, causing a shiver like a wave all over my body. I started to turn my head from side to side to find my clothes. Soon I saw an abandoned coat and T-shirt lying next to the closet. I started walking to the abandoned clothes, simultaneously suffering pain in my legs. When I got to the clothes, I took them in both hands and started to get dressed. First I lifted the T-shirt over my head and squeezed through it. Having finished with the T-shirt, I took my own coat and began to put it on carefully. First I put on my coat and put my arms through the sleeves. After that, I began to slowly fasten the buttons on my coat.

Having finished with my clothes, I decided to inspect my room. After taking a look at the whole room, I was able to identify the nearest goals for myself. First of all, I paid attention to the ceiling fan, which, despite the season, continued to rotate and thus create additional cold in an already cold room. Getting closer to the fan, I saw two switches hanging from it in the form of a rope with small precious stones at the end. I stretched out my hand to one of the ropes, gently grabbed the jewel with two fingers and pulled. Abruptly, the light in the room turned off and the only source of illumination was the light coming through the curtains. I realized my mistake and pulled the rope again, which caused a light to appear that dispersed the darkness. I moved my hand to the side and grabbed the other rope again and pulled it. The fan began to slow down slowly until it finally stopped moving.

I looked around the room again, this time more carefully. Right in front of my bed there was a passage without a door that led deeper into the room. After looking closely at the passage and not seeing anything suspicious, I came to a logical conclusion.

There has never been a door here. A passage without a door is a design decision. Or it was done to save wood.

Having dealt with the passage, I began to move deeper into the room. I saw how in the almost complete darkness the gemstone reflected the light as if inviting anyone who would be in this room. I took the hint and repeated the procedure with the switch again. The light illuminated the corridor and allowed me to see a single door at the end of the corridor.

I opened the door and saw a bathroom in front of me. The floor was laid out of neat and smooth ceramic tiles. At the other end of the bathroom, there was a shower stall and a toilet next to it. There was a sink with a mirror to one side of them. When I saw the mirror, a question immediately popped into my head.

How long has it been since I looked at myself in the mirror? Just so that I can look at myself in it?

When my brain could not answer anything in response, I decided to go to the mirror. Going to the mirror and leaning on my hands, I began to examine myself. First of all, I noticed the barely noticeable bags under my eyes. Because of my habit of examining and analyzing my surroundings, my eyes are almost always well open therefore, the bags are not so noticeable. If I squint a little, the bags will immediately become pronounced. Then I moved my attention a little higher, namely directly into my eyes. I began to peer into the eyes of the reflection and the eyes of the reflection into mine. I began to get the impression that I was literally looking into the abyss. I stared at my reflection even harder for a couple of seconds until I stepped back and rubbed my forehead out of shame.

It was a stupid idea.

I began to examine myself again. Lifting my gaze a little higher, I saw that my hair had already grown a little and began to cover my forehead from someone else's gaze. I put my bangs back in place and smoothed it a little to cover my forehead. I shifted my gaze below eye level and focused on my nose. My nose has a slight curve in the center and is generally similar to the beak of a hawk. Finally, I left my chin. I turned my head from side to side a couple of times to get a better look at my chin. I finished looking at the long, pointed chin and moved away from the mirror. While I was leaving the bathroom, active reasoning began in my head.

What was I going to find there? There is a difference between individuality and madness, and now it was clearly not the first. Not one person who is in his right mind will not look at himself like that. Maybe need to take a break from politics and philosophy for more than one hour a year?

I left the bathroom, closing the door behind me and started walking out. While walking down the corridor, I abruptly shook my head, discarding the past idea.

No. It's a terrible idea.

When I got to the exit of the room and started looking for the keys in the pockets of my coat. Searching my pockets, I came across something rough and cold. I took an unknown object out of my pocket and was able to recognize it. This is my long-dead phone. But now with a broken screen. It must have crashed when I dropped my coat.

"Damn." I said, looking longingly at my phone. I can only hope that the damage to the screen was not critical.

I put the phone back in my pocket and was about to leave, but an idea came to my mind that made me stop.

Just yesterday I spent one hundred and sixty bits. Ten for the train, fifty for the bribe and a hundred for the number. I need to know the total amount of my savings to save money better.

I walked over to the bed and sat on my knees. After that, I pulled out two bags of bits and untied the knot at the top of the bags and began to pour the bits on the bed. Soon, an impressive pile of gold coins was formed on the bed, reflecting the light in all directions. I started counting each bit one by one and putting it to the side.

"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. . ."

After what seemed like an eternity, I finally finished counting. I have one thousand three hundred and forty bits at my disposal. If I add the spent, it turns out that I originally had one thousand five hundred bits. I spent more than one tenth of all my savings on my first day in Manehattan. I need to be more economical.

I took one of the bags with bits so that it was located on the edge of the bed. After that, I started putting the bits into the bag with my hand. After repeating this process many times, I put the bags of gold in my pockets and went to the exit, simultaneously turning off the lights everywhere.

I left my room and closed the door behind me. When I got to the stairs, I hardly walked along it, wincing from the pain. I found myself in the lobby and was about to be directed to the workshop when a woman's voice called out to me.

"Are you Daniel Ctumer?"

I turned in the direction where the voice came from and saw a white mare sitting at the table where the stallion used to be. They must be from different shifts.

"The one and only." I replied, approaching the white mare.

"They asked me to tell you." Said the mare taking out a letter from under the table.

I took the letter from her and began to examine it. My attention was attracted by the seal on which M.T. was written. I looked closely at the seal trying to find out some information, but nothing happened.

Before opening the letter, I asked the question "Who is the letter from?"

"A mare came here this morning and asked me to deliver a letter to you. I don't know anything else."

I nodded silently and opened the envelope with the letter. I turned around in search of a trash can and when I it see at the exit of the hotel, I threw an envelope there. To my own surprise, I successfully threw the envelope into the trash and was able to calmly start reading the letter.

From Hot News journalist of The Manehatten Times.

Hello Daniel Ctumer.

Many, including us, are extremely interested in you. For various reasons, starting from the fact that you are the only representative of your species and ending with your place in Equestria. Therefore, we would be glad if you would come to us for an interview. We are waiting for you at The Manehatten Times Building on Eighth Avenue. You won't miss, this one of the few skyscrapers in the city. We are waiting for you there on the thirtieth of December at twelve o'clock in the afternoon. The main topic of the interview will be the rumors around you. Don't worry, we will pay you any amount you ask.

I finished reading the letter, and I got a twofold impression. On the one hand, I have always believed that an interview is a stupid thing where interesting questions are never asked. On the other hand, it is an opportunity to earn money and gain great popularity among the people. Money plus popularity equals power.

With a sigh, I put the letter in my pocket and headed for the exit. Pushing the door away from her, she did not react in any way. Quickly realizing what was wrong, I pulled the door towards me, and it opened. A crushing cold immediately pounced on me like a bear on an unlucky traveler. I gathered my thoughts and took a step into the snow-covered city. After leaving the hotel, I slowly began to remember the way to the workshop. After a couple of seconds of standing still, I was able to remember the way to the workshop and started walking towards it. Every step I took caused a small but still annoying pain in my legs. Approaching the workshop, I noticed that the trash can that I kicked yesterday is still in place and is holding up with dignity despite the injury.

I stopped in front of the store and shook my head to dismiss unnecessary thoughts. Gathering my thoughts, I checked the dagger that I had taken from the mercenary who attacked me. I put the dagger between my belt and trousers so that it could be easily hidden under my coat. Gathering my thoughts, I opened the door and went into the workshop.

When I entered the workshop, I immediately felt the contrast with the temperature outside. It was so hot in the workshop that I even undid the top buttons on my coat. Not seeing anyone behind the counter, I began to inspect the workshop. A lot of interesting things were hung on the walls made of something similar to a brick. Swords, axes, spears, shields, armor designed for different physiques and even a document attached to the wall stating that this institution has the right to sell goods. Turning my head forward, I saw how shadows similar in shape to burning flames were visible from the back room. The seller's counter attracted me next. I didn't see anything on it except a silver desk bell. I got close to the bell and pressed it, causing it to make a characteristic sound.

A rough male voice rang out from the back room, "Sister, a buyer has come to us!"

From somewhere above, a slightly irritated female voice rang out, "I'll be right there!"

I leaned one hand on the counter of the seller, and focusing my gaze at one point, I began to wait. Soon, a mare with blue fur and beige mane came into the room with a relaxed gait. She opened her mouth to say something, but I quickly interrupted her.

"Do you know who this belongs to?" I asked, taking out the dagger and putting it on the table.

After my question, the mare changed dramatically. She lost her relaxed gait and made a focused face as if her brain was working at maximum.

"Why do you need confidential information about one of our customers?" She asked very carefully, as if probing the ground.

I need to simplify. People like short and clear answers that him doesn't have to think about. I need to say "murder weapon". No, it's a bad idea if there was a murder, the press would talk about it. Oh, I have an idea!

"This weapon belongs to the assailant of a highly placed person. The attacker acted in a group and is now being searched for. "

For a brief moment, surprise flashed in her eyes, but she quickly prepared an answer, "Then why is the captain of the guard personally seeing the investigation? Especially considering that in Manehatten such cases are handled by the local police."

I don't know practically anything about Equestria legislation, so she has an advantage. Unfortunately, I will have to go even deeper into this swamp. A swamp of lies.

"Personally, Princess Luna sent me here to investigate as a proxy. While I'm talking to you right now, the first infantry regiment of the Night Guard is busy guarding a classified facility. In addition, the sixth, twenty-fourth and thirtieth infantry platoon of the Solar Guard, along with their commanders, are now busy searching in the immediate vicinity. "

Throughout the conversation, she believed more and more in my lies, but the last sentence ruined everything "Then why is there no news about this?"

Okay, the last part with investigations in platoons was a bad idea, but there is success or, more correctly, there was. I've lived too little in Equestria to talk about the level of censorship, so this option goes to the trash. Precisely! Undercover work, how did I not think of it right away!

"The sixth, twenty-fourth and thirtieth infantry platoon of the Solar Guard are working undercover."

"Then why aren't you undercover?"

I spread my hands to the sides showing myself in all its glory, "I will not be able to disguise myself with all my desire. Therefore, I act independently in the designated area. You disappoint me, Miss, I thought you were smart. "

She believed my lie but still resorted to another method of refusal "Do you really think that I remember every customer by name?"

If you didn't remember, then this conversation simply wouldn't have happened. The book should be.

"But you must have a customer accounting book." I said, moving closer to her and looking straight into her eyes.

"No, we don't have anything like that." She replied, copying my gesture.

Maybe there really is no customer accounting book? No, it should be! I need solid proof. Something that can be wrapped in the shell of the real law of the project.

""In the kingdom of Equestria, which is under the control of the diarchy, there are strict restrictions on the provision of weapons to civilians. Any institution must pass a commission and regularly give reports to the central government on the amount sold. You must have a customer accounting. " I finished by poking her in the nose.

She hung for a second without answering anything, which I took as an opportunity for a finishing attack.

"Where is the customer accounting book located? Maybe I should go check it out myself? " I asked, already starting to walk deeper into the workshop.

She seemed to have completed the reboot and immediately stood in front of me "The second subparagraph of the twenty-eighth paragraph of the criminal code of Equestria states that any penetration into the premises without the permission of the official owner is considered an attempted robbery. The term for non-ponies can reach up to two years. One more step forward and our next meeting will be in court."

I felt my hand involuntarily clench into a fist. Some more bloodthirsty part of me has already begun to think about what to do. It will be incredibly simple. Pretend that I'm putting all my weight on my right leg so that I can then suddenly hit with my left hand. One blow will bleed her nose and. . .

NO. I need to maintain the reputation of someone who always sticks to the deal. Besides, it is now more profitable for me to cooperate than to engage in confrontation. If I wanted to attack her and remain unnoticed, it would be too risky

Gritting my teeth, I started to turn around to leave. During the U-turn again, the bloodthirsty part began to make a plan. A roundhouse kick just like in an action movie! I shook my head, dismissing the thought and picked up a thin dagger from the table. I returned it to its rightful place and started to leave the store. With each step, it was more and more difficult for me to restrain my aggression, but I was able to get to the exit. After leaving the store, a thought immediately formed in my head.

This is a defeat.

"Goddammit!" I shouted, striking another blow at the trash can. Another dent formed in the tank, this time more impressive than the last one, but surprisingly the trash can still did not fall. I took a deep breath and exhaled trying to calm down and collect my thoughts. Calming down a little, I leaned against the wall in search of some clue, but I was interrupted by a sound comparable to the roar of an animal. Oops, this is my stomach.

I took a couple of steps away from the wall and pulled out a map to find a place to eat. Among the many eateries and restaurants with obscure names, I found the only more or less suitable place. Farmers' market located in the so-called trading zone. I put the map back in my pocket and memorized the route and moved to the designated goal.

After going to the market, I was able to find a bench where it is very convenient to monitor the workshop and at the same time remain invisible. Also, on the way I went to the flea market and bought an alarm clock there so as not to miss a meeting with the mayor and as an addition to the wardrobe I bought winter gloves that are designed for minotaurs. The gloves turned out to be slightly large for me, but not critical. Now I'm sitting on a bench and throwing one leg over the other eating what I bought as food. Three apples and two green bananas. The apples have long since run out and went to the wounded trash. There was only one green banana left. I barely bent the top of the banana so as to remove the skin of the banana and threw it into the trash can. Having finished with the banana skin, I started the main meal. After biting and chewing a piece of banana, I almost didn't feel the taste. Although what did I expect? The green color of the banana indicates that starch has not yet become sugar. The main thing is that it is not as sweet as usual.

I wiped my hands on my pants and got to my feet. The light in the workshop went out a long time ago, so I have the opportunity to implement my plan. I walked with a calm gait to the alley and constantly turned around to fix any threat. After making sure that there was no threat nearby, I ran the rest of the distance to the alley with a light run. Once in the alley, I looked up at what I needed. Window. Fortunately, the alley turned out to be narrow enough for me to fully realize the idea. I rested my back on one side of the alley and my feet on the other. Taking a small step with my right foot, I moved a little higher. Repeating this process several times, I got to the window I needed. When I got to the window and was about to open it, I was met with disappointment that the window was closed. I turned around to make sure that no one was watching me. Having made sure of this, I kicked the window with all my might, causing it to break into many pieces.

I immediately climbed into the room that was open to me and began to examine it. Despite the lack of lighting, I could still see a large desk in which there were three drawers. Turning my head to the right, I saw a single wooden door. Before doing anything, I listened for any sounds around me. To my horror, I heard footsteps along with dissatisfied muttering. I looked around in a panic and realized one sad thing. There are only two ways out of this room. Through the window or through the door where the mumbling comes from. A hopeless situation. When an animal is in a corner, it uses everything.

Well, I have a room key, a phone, two bags of gold in each of which about seven hundred and fifty bits and an alpha sphere. Task: leave the place without leaving valid evidence and preferably not kill anyone. A murder right after my arrival may arouse suspicion.

I instinctively put my thumb in my mouth and started biting her trying to calm my nerves. This is definitely the most difficult episode in Equestria for me at the moment. I began to press my finger with my teeth even harder, almost punching through my new gloves. As the steps approached, I began to put even more pressure on my thumb to such an extent that my teeth pierced the glove and bit into the finger, letting a little blood. As if the engine had received fuel, the brain was finally able to give a solution.

If we assume that one bit weighs at least ten grams, then with an amount of five hundred it will already be a mass equal to five kilograms. Perhaps it's a test of will and therefore I don't feel overloaded from two similar bags, but still the solution remains one. I need to hide in a corner and stab in the back of the head with a bag. There may be hundreds if not thousands of such bags in the city, no traces will remain, and besides, if you try hard enough, I can cut down him without killing.

I pulled my finger out of my mouth and walked to the door, pulling a bag of gold out of my pocket on the way. Looking closer at the door, I saw that its hinges are on the left and, accordingly, the door opens to the left. I ran into the left corner of the room and waited for the enemy to approach. Literally a second later, a pony whose color I couldn't make out because of the darkness came into the room. He went to the window and stared at the shards. I looked into the gap between the door and the wall and seeing that there was no one there, I started to approach the pony. Having reached the distance of the blow, I raised my hand and strongly restraining myself hit the bag on the back of his head. After my blow, the stallion seemed to go limp and almost fell to the floor, but I picked him up with both hands so as not to make too much noise. I checked his pulse just in case. There is a pulse.

Thank God

Taking the pony like a big dog, I carried him deep into the house, focusing on the places where the lighting was turned on. Carefully passing through several corridors, I reached an open bedroom in which the light was turned on. I carefully put the pony on the bed and covered him with a blanket. Having finished with this, I tiptoed out of the room, turning off the light on the way.

In the end, I got to the room with the table again. I went to the desk and opened the top drawer. In it I saw several folders with documents and took them all to look at. Shifting the folders with the documents back into the drawer, I found an interesting copy for me. A thick folder labeled customer accounting book. I opened the folder and started actively searching for something with the mention of the word dagger.

An engraved dagger. This doesn't fit. A dagger decorated with precious stones. It doesn't fit either. A dagger with a thin blade. That's what I need!

I took a closer look at the order of the dagger with a thin blade and began to read the document.

Number: one hundred and fifty-two. Date: 3MAR995. Condition: No payment required. Client: a mercenary of the cleansing sword organization. Order: A pair of daggers with a very thin blade. Type of payment: cooperation agreement between Cleansing Sword and Scarlet Legion.

I started looking for something on which I could record information. Opening the middle drawer, I saw several empty sheets of paper and immediately took one of them. I closed the middle drawer and moved on to the lowest one. There were various stationery items in the lowest drawer, but I only paid attention to the pencil. Taking a pencil and an empty piece of paper, I began to rewrite the information from the document. When I finished copying, I took the piece of paper and folded it in half so that it would fit in my pocket. I took the document and put it back in the folder and put the folder into its original place.

I took a few steps away from the table and began to examine the room for traces. Not noticing any traces, I slowly and cautiously approached the window. When I got to the window, I climbed out through it into the streets and descended in the same way as I climbed. After going down and looking around, I went towards the hotel.

Turning from side to side, I was met only by darkness and cold. At night, the amount of snow has increased significantly and now it is difficult to even just move around. Fortunately, I was able to break through the snowy haze and got to the hotel. Opening the door, I immediately felt warm and not wanting to stay on the cold street, I quickly ran into the hotel. Upon entering the hotel, I immediately went to my room, but a man's voice called out to me.

"Stop!"

I turned my head to the side and saw the stallion who gave me the number yesterday. Turning to him, I began to say, "What do you need?"

"You have to pay for the room." He said showing a hoof gesture hinting that I have to pay.

I sighed and started putting a hundred bits on the table. After finishing giving my money, I started climbing the stairs and got to the second floor. After walking a few more steps down the corridor, I reached my room and opened it with a key. Going into the room and closing the door behind me, I pulled out the newly purchased alarm clock and set it for twelve o'clock in the afternoon. When I finished with the alarm clock, I carefully took off my coat and hung it on a hanger in the closet. When I was done with this, I lay down on the bed, covered myself with a blanket and closed my eyes. Soon, I was overtaken by a peaceful, dreamless sleep.

A trio?

Loud, rhythmic ringing of metal mechanisms that hit each other. The sound, shrill as a woman's scream, spreads through the room and stops with thick walls. Daylight breaks through the curtains, which is the only light source in the room.

I instinctively stretched out my hand to the right and pressed where the alarm clock off button should be. But I was met only by cold air and emptiness. I reluctantly opened my eyes and turned my head to where the alarm clock was coming from. But I didn't see an alarm clock in front of me. Abruptly throwing the blanket on the floor, I got out of bed and began to inspect the room for the presence of an alarm clock. After a short search, I saw that the alarm clock was on the floor. Raising the alarm clock and after a short search turning it off, I remembered how he ended up on the floor. There is no bedside table in my room, so the best thing my brain could come up with last night was to put an alarm clock on the floor.

Having dealt with the alarm clock, I threw it on the bed so as not to lose it and went to the closet. Opening the closet door, I could see my coat in the dark and took it off the hanger. I put on my coat and quickly buttoned all the buttons on it. Having finished with my clothes, I went to the bathroom to somehow prepare for the upcoming meeting with the mayor. On the way to the bathroom, I turned on the light wherever it was necessary to see at least something in my room.

When I got into the tub, I went to the sink. Going to the sink, I turned on the faucet and turned on the cold water. I took the water with both hands and splashed it on my face. Due to the lack of a comb, I had to do with minimal measures and straighten my hair with wet hands. Having straightened my hair to a more or less acceptable state, I went to the exit.

After leaving the bathroom and turning off the light, I went to the door but decided to take a last look around the room. The alarm clock is still lying on the bed and steadily counting down the seconds. The cabinet is still rustic and still closed. The curtains quickly curl and tangle as if the window is open.

Curtains shouldn't behave like that.

I moved away from the door and on the way to the curtains turned on the light by pulling the rope. When I got to the curtains, I threw them aside and saw that the window was really open. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a thing that I didn't expect here. An envelope with a seal similar to the Chrysalis crown. I closed the window, took the envelope and opened it. Along with the letter, there was something similar to a locket in the envelope. I put the locket aside and started reading the letter.

Daniel Ctumer I received your report on the abilities of both princesses. You have done an excellent job and completed all the tasks. Unfortunately, I don't have a task for you yet, but I have a reward for you. I've been thinking about a suitable reward for a long time and found a great option. In the envelope of this letter is an enchanted locket. In short, it converts natural magic into an automatic spell that helps the wearer control magic. Just put it on so that the black part is located in front and the silver part is located behind. Consider it a reward for loyalty.

Your esteemed Queen Chrysalis.

I tore the letter into many pieces and opened the window and threw them out into the street. The cold winter wind caught the torn letter and took it to an unknown direction. I sighed to calm down and took the locket to get a better look at it. On one side it was made of a strange black stone with small holes and on the other side it was made of something similar to silver and a small crystal in the center. I carefully put on the locket as Chrysalis asked me and hid it under my T-shirt. I felt something hit me in the chest and began to deepen into the depths of my body. I fell to one knee trying to cope with the pain, but something still continued to delve into me. It stretches and fixes inside my body in my veins. When it reached the most remote areas of the body, the pain abruptly disappeared and I was able to stand up calmly.

Despite the fear, interest picked up and I wanted to see the changes. I started pulling the magic tentacles out of my hand and already at this stage I felt how easy it was to do. As an experiment, I decided to do something that I have never been able to do. Unwrapped the tentacle. I began to slowly and carefully lengthen the tentacle so that it unfolded. With a little effort, I was able to unfold the tentacle and began to hold it between my fingers. As a result, I got a kind of brass knuckles. Satisfied with the result, I stopped controlling the tentacle and it quickly disappeared.

Having finished with the experiments, I got to the door, inserted the key into the lock and turned it and went to my next destination. City Hall. I locked in my room with a key and headed for the familiar stairs. Step by step, I was able to get to the vestibule and without paying much attention to it, I continued to move to the exit. I got to the door and remembering my mistake yesterday pulled it on myself, thus letting the cold into the room. I had already begun to adapt to the cold, thanks to what I was able to ignore the cold.

After leaving the hotel, I pulled out a double card and began to build a route to the City Hall. Fortunately, the farmer's market is relatively close to the City Hall, so I can afford to go for food. I cracked my neck getting ready to walk and started my hike.

With each step, the snow underfoot made a pleasant sound like a crunch. The whole city was thoroughly covered with white snow. The sun stood proudly at the zenith and illuminated the city with its light. And again, there was no one on the street, which is why an atmosphere of devastation is created in the city. Fortunately, today I will talk to the mayor and find out what is wrong with this city.

But the question of which bill to propose to him remains open. Should I suggest that he enters a six-hour working day? No, he's the mayor, not a factory worker. It is not profitable for him. What if I suggest him to create a cultural ministry that will actively promote all kinds of art? No, I doubt that the mayor will be ready for such a long idea in the implementation. Here it is necessary to think.

During the time of reflection, I managed to get to my first destination. Farmer's market. Because of the atmosphere of Manhattan, the farmer's market looks quite strange during the day. There are sellers and there are no buyers. As soon as I was in the field of view of the sellers, they immediately became active.

"Buy a watermelon! Sweeter than any sugar! "

"Buy a pineapple! Saturated with citrus! "

"Buy apples! There are sweet reds and for sensation seekers there are sour greens! "

"That's interesting. " I said, mostly to myself, turning to where the voice came from.

After a little inspection, I saw a small stall on which various varieties of apples were located. Having got close to the counter, I turned to the seller.

"Give me one apple of the sourest variety."

"One? Buy one and get the second one at a discount." The stallion sitting behind the counter answered.

"I don't need any more." I said, starting to look at the stallion with an impenetrable gaze.

"Okay, that'll be two bits." He said with annoyance.

It was enough for him not to continue the argument, and he took one apple and threw it in my direction. I caught the apple in the air without any problems and pulled the bag out of my pocket and put the right amount on the counter. I quickly turned around and ran to the City Hall on the way eating an apple. I looked at the sun and realized one unpleasant thing. There are only a couple of minutes left before the meeting with the mayor.

I started running at full speed through the city despite the risk of slipping. Having accelerated to a high speed and not seeing a garbage can nearby, I made a dubious decision. I moved my hand with the remains of the apple far back and in one sharp movement threw it high into the sky. The further fate of this apple remains unknown. Having dealt with the apple, I continued running to the City Hall, accelerating to the limit. The cold wind hits me right in the face, forcing me to squint very hard, but fortunately I was able to remember the way to the City Hall, so vision is not so important now. Suddenly I felt that the surface under my feet was moving and my own movements did not matter. Subconsciously, I stopped running and started balancing. I was able to open my eyes a little bit and saw what was happening around me. I started sliding on the ice.

"Shit, Fuck, Balls, Cunt!" I shouted curses, desperately trying to keep my balance.

Fortunately, there was a lamppost nearby, for which I was able to catch on and stop the movement. Clinging to a lamppost, I took a deep breath and, calming down a little, detached myself from it to continue driving. Cautiously, step by step, I began to walk through the ice, already ready for the unexpected. Fortunately, the rest of the way to the City Hall passed without incident.

When I got to the City Hall, I stopped to catch my breath and, having regained my strength, entered the City Hall. When I entered the City Hall, I saw the same mare in front of me as the last time. I immediately went to her to finish with the mayor as soon as possible.

"Wait a bit." She said without looking up from the papers.

Looking at her desk, I saw two large stacks of papers. One is significantly higher than the other. Shifting my gaze to the other side, I saw a mug of coffee that had been cold for a long time. I was distracted by the creaking of the chair, which was freed from the weight. Raising my eyes higher, I saw that the mare had already got up and started carrying out some kind of fraud with papers. Taking advantage of the moment, I rubbed the bridge of my nose trying to figure out what I still need to say to the mayor.

The law on freedom of Speech? No, it doesn't fit. Free education that brings up ideas in children that the state needs? No, it's too long. Think, stupid head, think.

"Follow me." Said the mare who, in some unknown way, put a stack of papers on her back.

I nodded and followed her. Following her, I started unsuccessfully trying to calm down and find the right offer for the mayor. My thoughts were interrupted by the mare's voice.

"I will go to the mayor now and inform him about your arrival." She said as she opened the door to the mysterious room.

I leaned against the wall trying to collect my thoughts, but unfortunately nothing sensible happened. Only one more or less working thought came to my mind.

First of all, I need to study it and only then propose a law.

The door to the mayor's office opened and the mare who had accompanied me earlier came out of it. I understood her without a word and went to the office. Going into the office, I saw the light coming through the window, covering the shadow of the chair behind which the mayor was supposedly sitting. On a large, expensive-looking desk was a stack of papers and next to them a pen and a jar of ink. There were a couple of expensive-looking paintings on the walls. My attention was riveted by one painting that had two parts. The upper one depicted a large modern city whose skyscrapers reflected light as if depicting unstoppable progress. The lower part depicted a musty sewer that looked like a symbol of despair. Whoever the artist was, he was able to impress me with this painting.

"Interested in the painting?" The mayor asked in a confident and sly voice.

"Yes, it is drawn very well." I replied, trying to study the mayor's behavior. He sits calmly on a chair and looks at me with a relaxed expression.

"I am very interested in one unimportant thing. What do you think about this picture? I mean, what does the painting symbolize? " The mayor asked, still not showing bright emotions.

"This painting symbolizes the problem of the class struggle. " I answered without thinking.

"Tell us in more detail. " Said the mayor with sincere interest.

"The upper part of the picture reflects a developed bourgeois society that is developing at a rapid pace. The lower part of the picture reflects the proletariat squeezed dry due to the labors of which progress is taking place."

"An interesting thought. But I am interested in one small detail. What do you want to do about it?"

"I could say that it is necessary to destroy the bourgeoisie and create a dictatorship of the proletariat, but this differs from my own opinion. I believe that for a comfortable life of different classes of society, mutually beneficial cooperation and mediation of the state are necessary. If the proletariat takes power, it will create a new bourgeoisie after a while. The strengthening of the bourgeoisie will finally crush the proletariat and may lead to mass unrest. Cooperation is on the only good way out. In my opinion. "

The mayor actively nodded his head while listening to me, and when I finished speaking, he took over the conversation, "It is immediately clear that an educated and intelligent person is standing in front of me. That you came here on business so please have a seat. " Said the mayor pointing with his hoof at the chair.

Only now, among the shadows, I could make out the chair that is in front of the table. Unlike all the other things in the office, the chair looks very small and cheap. Most likely the chair will just break under my weight.

"I'll stand. Let's move on. . ."

"I insist." The mayor interrupted me.

"I also insist. I insist on the stand."

He stared at me with a look like a boss giving an order to a particularly lazy employee. In response, I gave him an aggressive look suggesting a promising fight. For a second, everything in the world quieted down, allowing the battle of views to pass. Along with the growing irritation, my gaze began to become even more aggressive. In response, the mayor began to look at me as an employee who is about to be fired. After a couple of seconds of battle, doubt flashed in his eyes for a moment. It's like I'm different from everyone he's talked to before. He slowly began to relax until there was not a single hint that there was a battle here.

"Well, if you want to stand, you can stand. I am ready to listen to your bill."

Having received the slightest bit of information, my brain finally figured out what to offer the mayor.

Full legalization.

"I suggest you start full legalization." I said, causing the mayor to be surprised for a second.

"Please be more specific."

"I propose to legalize everything that is possible. Drugs, casinos and the like. All these new legal businesses need to start being taxed a little. One percent or as much as you see fit. "

"How can you suggest something like that? " The mayor asked indignantly.

"According to the information that I have, such businesses never die out and they cannot be destroyed. If they become legal, then you will get a good share of their income and will be able to regulate them. State standards, Protection of workers and the like. Besides, imagine how many people from all over the world will go to the only city in the world where you can legally buy literally everything. These immigrants can become a new labor force in factories that will pay taxes."

"But most immigrants are likely to come here just for drugs and won't work." The mayor retorted.

""In that case, I offer you two laws for the price of one. Together with full legalization, it is necessary to introduce a law on possibly the government itself to distribute people to jobs if they do not have a job. That is, according to the new law, if a citizen who has reached a certain age does not have a job, then the authorities have every right to compel any work of this citizen. "

"So you're offering slavery? "

"No, I propose a system in which everyone will have a job. I did not say that these former unemployed people would work for free and that they would become the property of the state. "

He paused as if he had begun to process this idea in earnest. After a few minutes of silent reflection, he said, "Okay, the idea itself is not bad, but we need to think about the implementation. I'll remember your idea."

I nodded slowly and moved on to my main goal, "Well, I think you understand that I didn't come here just to propose a law. I want to find out why this city is so developed compared to the rest of Equestria."

"It's very simple. Princess Celestia signed a law a few years ago that factories can only be built at a certain distance from residential buildings or located outside the city. But Manehatten is unique. According to the documents, only the avenue is considered part of Manehatten, and such places as the industrial zone are located outside the city, according to the documents. "

"Is that really all? "

"Believe me, I was also very surprised when I found out about this nuance. "

"Okay, but hasn't anyone been outraged about this? "

"The documents and the monopoly on the production of many goods such as trains have made Manehatten a unique case that is often overlooked."

"I'm interested in one more thing. Why is the city so empty?"

"You know that people work during the day, right?"

"An eight-hour work shift usually ends around six o'clock in the evening if work starts at nine in the morning."

"An eight-hour work shift? It looks like you lived in a real paradise, my friend, but I'm afraid to disappoint you. In Equestria, there is no limit on the length of the working day, so most ponies, especially in Manehatten, work sixteen hours a day. In small towns, the situation is usually better, but I've never heard of anyone working less than ten hours a day. The overwhelming majority come to restaurants and eateries only in the morning and evening. "

"It's sad, of course, but I still have one last question. Do you know where the Cleansing Sword organization is located? "

"It's somewhere in the kingdom of the Minotaurs, which is far to the west beyond the mediundulating sea. But there are rumors that they have hidden bases somewhere in other countries, including Equestria. I don't know anything else." Said the mayor as if I feel guilty.

"Well, it's better than nothing." I said before turning around and going to the exit.

But I stopped at the end and asked the question, "What is your name Mayor?"

"Bench Mark." The mayor said, waiting for some kind of reaction.

"Now we've met." I said briefly before leaving his office and closing the door behind me.

After leaving the mayor's office, I was about to go further, but I had an idea.

I don't have the best understanding of morality, but I know that most people think drugs are definitely a bad thing and won't even think about legalization. They will turn on the mode of complete denial and will not listen. If this mayor was like an ordinary person, he would not have listened to more than one of my arguments. He would just call me crazy and demand to leave the office. There's something wrong with this mayor.

I cautiously looked at the door to the mayor's office and began to carefully move away from it. Turning the corner, I started hurriedly leaving the City Hall. After leaving the mayor's office, I stopped on the street and started looking at the map trying to think through further actions. I'm not going to swim across the sea because it will take too much time and I'm going to meet the week that I was allocated as a day off. To search all Equestria to find a hidden base will be very long and difficult. With a disappointed sigh, I folded the card and put it back in my pocket. My stomach grumbled at the fact of several days without proper food. I pulled out the map again and started looking for a restaurant on the map. I was attracted to only one institution. A pizzeria called Dragon's.

Usually I prefer to take a piece of meat from the store and cook it quickly at home, but it is unlikely that meat will be so easy to find in the city of herbivores. I can survive the cheese pizza from the diner.

Folding the card again and putting it in my pocket, I wandered into the diner. While walking, I did not leave the feeling as if something was being observed. I turned my head back but saw only a cold wind carrying garbage. Turning my head towards the alley and looking into it, I again found nothing. Cautiously, I continued to walk forward, turning around regularly to find a promising threat. At the moment when I relaxed a little, some steps were heard from above. I instantly raised my head up and stared at the roof of one of the buildings. Finding nothing on the roof, I started walking towards the pizzeria while constantly watching that roof.

When I got to the pizzeria, I looked around the room. A simple, austere design with round lamps on a wooden ceiling, seemingly plastic chairs and a simple wooden counter. A pony was sitting behind the counter with his head on the counter. And also on his head is a cap with the name of the restaurant. While I was approaching the seller's counter, I began to look at the menu for something edible. Only one option caught my attention. Griffin pizza. For some reason, this pizza is the most expensive on the menu. While all pizzas cost ten bits for a large portion, Griffin costs fifteen for an average one. Unfortunately, the menu did not contain the composition of the dish, so I had to ask the cashier.

"What is griffin pizza made of?"

In response, I heard only a quiet, calm breathing. I hit the counter with my palm, thus creating a loud enough sound to wake anyone up. The pony behind the counter abruptly straightened up and began to quickly look around.

Focusing his gaze on me, he calmed down a little and began to say the phrase he had already memorized by heart: "Good afternoon, sir, can I take your order?"

"I want to clarify one detail. What is in the gryphon pizza?" I asked, pointing to the corresponding position in the menu.

Hearing my question, he swallowed nervously and answered with difficulty pronouncing the word meat "Basically different types of meat."

I put fifteen bits on the table silently informing that I agree to the purchase. The cashier swallowed and put the money in the cash register. Having finished with the cash register, he quickly went to the kitchen, probably in order to find the cook.

Or to get away from me.

I shrugged and headed for the chairs. At my own risk, I sat down on a chair hoping that it would not fall apart under my weight. The chair creaked a little but remained intact. Relaxing, I crossed one leg over the other and started watching the kitchen, waiting for them to finish preparing my order. Suddenly, I had the feeling that someone was watching me again. I abruptly turned towards the window and began to inspect any place where I could be watched.

A trash can? There's not too little room to hide. The roof? No angle is not suitable for observation. The alley? No, the angle doesn't fit either. Where can he or she hide?

While I was peering into the corners, I heard something being put on the table in front of me. Looking away, I saw that a closed pizza box was placed in front of me. Taking the box in my left hand and without taking my eyes off the window, I began to leave the room. Out of the corner of my eye I saw that the cashier was looking at me with interest and incomprehension.

After leaving the pizzeria, I pulled the map out of my pocket with difficulty and began to plot a route to the nearest goal. Since walking around the city with a pizza box is not very convenient, I decided to go to the hotel to eat and leave the pizza there. Putting the map in my pocket, I started walking towards the hotel, constantly looking around the corners with caution. Turning my head up, I saw that running around the city took a lot of time. The sun is already beginning to slowly set over the horizon and turn the sky scarlet. Concentrating on the road, I turned into an alley to shorten the way to the hotel. Raising my head a little higher, I saw a window that I had recently broken and even saw shards of glass under the window. Each step in contact with the snow produced a sound similar to a crunch that was already beginning to annoy a little. I took a step out of the alley and immediately felt something cutting through the air approaching me.

I took the first thing that came to my hand at the maximum possible speed and blocked the blow of a huge two-handed sword. I saw a minotaur with an eye patch in front of me, who was trying with all his weight to break through my defense consisting of a thin dagger. Purely for the sake of interest, I did not take any action and just continued to hold the line. I chuckled softly as I imagined the situation from the side. I'm standing with a pizza box in one hand and a dagger in the other. I'm defending myself against a huge Minotaur.

The Minotaur during the collision was able to squeeze out the insult "Fucking sorcerer."

I moved my head to the right with a small smile, "Are you Stupid pig? Is that your name? If so, your name is very suitable."

Instead of answering, something stuck into my left shoulder, forcing me to distract from the opponent in front of me. Turning my head back, I saw a Minotaur in full armor who raised a dagger over his head for a second, this time the deadly blow aimed at me. Apparently, I was very lucky the first time. I took a step to the right and shifted all my weight on my right foot. Gathering my strength, I abruptly raised the dagger forward and upward to throw off the balance of the Minotaur without a helmet. Taking advantage of the freedom of action, I dodged the blow of the armored Minotaur and gained distance. Unfortunately, due to the wrong direction, I ended up in the middle of the alley. When I looked at the armored Minotaur whose arm I had previously broken, I saw that he had cast on the arm. The "best" mercenaries already wanted to continue the attack, but I raised my hand making a stop gesture.

"How about a deal? I'm giving this useless dagger to you, but in return you tell me your names and let me safely put this pizza somewhere. I think it's very profitable and you?"

"Yes, I'll tell you the names without deals. More precisely, not names, but call signs, but you just don't tell anyone. I'm Big Sword, it's Thin Dagger, and Speed Arrow is hiding somewhere on the roof. " Big said, pointing to the people he called.

"Thank you very much," I said, making a parody of a bow.

Looking up a little higher, I saw Thin looking at his partner. Looking closer, I saw that he clenched his fists so tightly that they began to tremble. Big raised an eyebrow and turned to his partner.

"Is something wrong?"

Thin continued to stare at Big, but without seeing a response, he hit the trash can with all his might, in which there were two dents left me. Having made the third smallest dent in the trash, he sighed in a relaxed manner and took a step towards me, simultaneously addressing his partner, "Just don't be an idiot as usual and follow the plan."

Big nodded and took the sword in two hands and also took a step forward. I turned my head from side to side and saw a garbage can and put a pizza box on it. I put the dagger on the box, thus freeing my hands. I got into a fighting stance and, as a mockery, beckoned my enemies with a hand gesture. Big fell for my mockery and ran at me with a sword to the advantage. On the run, he swung his sword right to the left, striking sparks from the wall and knocking down garbage cans. I took a step back, dodging his blow, and in response I kicked him right in the stomach. Despite the fact that the armor absorbed most of the damage, Big still staggered and took a few steps back. Looking behind him, I didn't see his partner.

Probably ran away.

For the sake of interest, I released a tentacle from my hand and made it wrap around my fists like a snake. As a result, I got two brass knuckles that, in theory, will help me break through armor. Or at least reduce the damage received during the offensive. Deciding to check my brass knuckles, I ran straight to Big. He quickly gathered his strength and stood up in an inept defensive posture. He moved his right leg back, pressed the sword to his right shoulder and put his left leg forward almost without bending the knee. When I got close enough, he stabbed me in the heart. I hit the left side of the blade with my hand, which was not sharpened in such a way that the sword lost its trajectory. As a result, Big found himself in a position in which he holds a sword with both hands and is unable to defend himself because he is busy trying to hold the weapon in his hands. Taking advantage of the hole in the opponent's defense, I took a step with my right foot and put all my weight into a blow aimed at the solar plexus.

My brass knuckles on contact with the armor hissed and almost fell apart. But thanks to my efforts, the magic brass knuckles were able to retain their shape and integrity. My hand, without encountering pain and damage, was able to continue to delve into the enemy's armor. As a result, my kick knocked Big off his feet and threw him several yards away. There was a very deep dent in the armor in the form of my fist. He was barely able to get down on one knee using the sword as a support. I relaxed and started walking towards him, preparing to knock him out so that I could interrogate him later. Suddenly, I felt something thrust into my thigh causing me to scream in pain. Lowering my eyes lower, I saw that an arrow had hit me in the thigh and pierced through it. No sooner had I pulled out the arrow than I was immediately attacked by Thin, who got up to me from behind. Using magic brass knuckles, I was able to block the dagger strike and counterattack by striking the opponent's face. He staggered slightly and took a few steps back.

I can't go on like this for long. I won't be able to dress the wound now because Big and Thin won't give me such a respite. Plus Speed Arrow won't let me escape in peace. I have only one option left. A quick offensive capable of defeating the enemy before I get tired.

I took a deep breath to gather my strength and began the offensive. I quickly got close to Thin along the way thinking through a plan. He took his dagger with a reverse grip to stab me in the neck. But I quickly ducked and hit him on the knee with all my strength. The action turned out to be strong enough to bring Thin down on his knee and open up an opportunity for an attack. I began to strike anywhere where I could cause significant damage. On the horns, which were also covered with armor, on the liver, on the solar plexus and of course on the knees. Big got up from his knees and tried to attack me, but my adrenaline-fueled body was able to react instantly. I turned around and gave Big a hard blow aimed right at the jaw. The blow was so strong that several teeth flew out of Big's mouth and bleeding began in the place where the teeth used to be. In addition, I landed a right hook in him horn. A few imperceptible cracks ran along the horn, but it did not fall apart. Big from such a blow fell on his back with a loud sound. There was a sound like an object rushing through the air.

Arrow!

I ducked and the arrow flew safely past. Turning around, I saw a hooded figure standing on the roof and clutching a bow in his hands. Seeing that I was watching, the figure immediately rushed to run. I felt the air slowly heating up. Carefully turning my head to the side, I saw the worst that I could see. The skin of the minotaurs is burning and if they repeat my fate, then the battle with them will be a real test. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Big's eyes. Eyes filled with determination. I made a shameful decision for myself. Retreat. Fortunately, their wounds were strong enough for me to pack my things. I left an arrow in my leg so as not to cause more bleeding. I grabbed my pizza in my left hand, put the dagger between my belt and trousers and started running after the attacker. With each step, the pain only increased, but I decided to start the pursuit anyway. Breaking through the snow, I reached the alley that was next to the building where the archer was. In the alley, I saw a door open wide, which was swinging under the influence of the wind. Looking closer, I saw hoofprints in the snow that most likely belonged to an archer.

I started running as fast as my injured leg would allow me. Moving along the tracks, I soon saw a hooded figure running on two legs in the distance. Surprisingly, even in a wounded state, I was fast enough to successfully continue the chase. When I got close enough, the hooded figure turned around and shot at me. Fortunately, my reaction was fast enough that I was able to dodge the arrow. Realizing that the arrows were ineffective against me, the figure began to turn over garbage cans and push random passers-by in my direction. Lifting my head up, I saw that the moon had already begun to rise into the sky, that is, the working day for many is already over. At some point, she pushed a black pony in my direction with bags on its sides. I grabbed this pony by the straps of the bags and returned it to the sender. Pony and Minotaur collided and both fell to the ground covered with snow.

I stood in front of the fallen Minotaur and, not seeing the horns on her head, decided to improvise. I pulled my arm slightly back and then, like a shot, struck a blow from the side of the neck. Thanks to incredible luck, I was able to touch the carotid artery and knock out the Minotaur. Turning my head to the side, I saw that the pony I threw at the Minotaur began to slowly recover and rub his head with a hoof trying to ease the pain.

"Damn man, it actually hurts. Oh." Said the blue-eyed thestral in a hoarse voice, turning to me and making a surprised face as if he did not expect me here.

Suddenly, a burgundy liquid began to seep through his bag and, together with the liquid, the smell of alcohol filled the space. Very cheap alcohol.

"No, not that!" Flying shouted, quickly throwing off his bag and trying to do something. He started rummaging in his bag trying to find something, but quickly gave up and started doing a really strange thing. He took the bag with one of his wings and lifted it above him in such a way that the alcohol flowed directly into his mouth.

Even Grandpa didn't like alcohol so much. And he was drunk to varying degrees in half of my memories.

"Daniel, why did you do that!? This wine is the only thing I paid for in this city, but now they are destroyed. Do you understand? Destroyed!" Said Flying with an intonation like it's the end of the world.

The only thing you paid for?

"So you stole the rest, right?" I asked, tilting my head to the side.

"I didn't steal. I satisfy my basic needs. First you need to eat food and drink wine. Then you need to find a good mare. And by the end, you can think about money and the future. But now there is no wine!" Flying said, returning to his whining.

It's amazing how the first impression differs from reality. I thought he was a serious, disciplined and responsible soldier, but in the end it turns out that he is just a thief and a drunkard. The question is how he hid it from me for so long.

"How did you hide such a lifestyle from others for so long? You were under my command for about two months and didn't show it. How?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Said Flying as if worked out to automatism phrase.

"You know what I'm talking about. I'm talking about your lifestyle." I said looking at him from above

"I don't understand." Said Flying continuing to bend his line.

"You understand."

"No I don't understand." Said Flying abruptly shaking his head from side to side.

"Okay, you know what? I don't give a fuck, keep doing your thing. I don't have time for this right now." I said, waving my hand and walking closer to the knocked-out archer.

Turning her over on her back, an impressive chest of the third size caught my eye. Subconsciously, my right hand started reaching for my chest and my left hand started reaching for my mouth. In last moment and quickly hit my right hand trying to calm down.

No. The decision of a person who has reached or is reaching perfection should not be influenced by emotions and especially lust. Come on, Daniel, get it together!

"What happened? Did you see an attractive mare?" Said Flying with outright mockery.

"Very funny." I said sarcastically and rolling my eyes.

Starting to examine the cut down Minotaur, I noticed that she had light leather armor under her cloak. On his back hung a bow and two quivers with arrows. Taking the bow in my hands, I saw that it was very massive and had an amazing length of about seven feet. The first quiver contained normal-sized arrows. In the second quiver there were arrows that instead of the tips had something similar to cans of chemicals.

Probably it was one of these arrows that created the smoke screen.

"Do you happen to know where he went?" Flying asked distracting me from the inspection.

"Who?" I asked, turning my head towards Flying.

"This one is like the best. Rising and something further. I don't remember."

"Rising Moon?" I asked, starting to feel the pain of my wounds.

"Yes, he is! You have no idea how tired I am of him today. We met in the city, and he immediately started dragging me around the city. First he made me go to the market, then he made me hang out for half an hour at the mayor's office, after the mayor's office he told me to go to the pizzeria and stare into the corner. I'm fucking tired. "

"Wait, why did you both end up in Manehattan? " I asked how a detective interrogates a witness.

"In short, when I came to my native village to celebrate Hearth's Warming Eve, I was handed a brochure where one beautiful word was written. Is free. I immediately said goodbye to everyone and drove here." Flying said, tapping his hoof on the sidewalk.

Most likely I won't get normal information from him. He's just too dumb for me to cooperate with him without any problems.

"Okay, do you know where Rising is? I need to talk to him." I asked, rubbing the bridge of my nose with two fingers.

"That's the problem. When you threw me, he just disappeared!"

"Can you look for him while I'm thinking?"

"For free? No." Said Flying, shaking his head from side to side.

"I'm crying with a slice of pizza. " I said, opening the pizza box and showing one piece.

"Half a pizza and I agree. " Replied Flying with a challenge in his voice.

"One quarter. " I said taking the Flying challenge.

"Okay, I'll go look for him, but first the payment."

"You'll get by in advance," I said, throwing him one slice of pizza. He jumped into the air like a dog and caught a pizza in his mouth. After catching a piece of pizza, Flying went to an unknown direction in search of Rising Moon.

I stood next to the knocked out Minotaur and began to think what to do with it. It is not known when her partners will recover and begin the pursuit, but it is obvious that this needs to be dealt with quickly. I need to find a place as soon as possible where I can interrogate her without getting caught. The military base is too far away and it will not be possible to go by train with a carcass overweight. The hotel is not even considered as an option. I opened the map to find something useful. The police station caught my attention. They should have an interrogation room. After all, I'm a military type, so I can borrow an interrogation room in theory.

Folding the map and putting it in my pocket, I began to look around in search of Flying. Soon, I saw Flying grabbing Rising by the ear with his mouth and dragging him to me. Only now I noticed that Flying is bigger and more pumped up than other thestrals. He is about four feet taller than Rising and during the load his muscles are very clearly visible. While Rising was being carried to me, he actively protested.

"Let me go! It hurts!" shouted Rising, trying to pull the ear out of Flying's teeth, but to no avail.

When he was finally released right in front of me, he started to get up, looking around along the way, but when he saw me, he fell on his ass and stared at me.

"Why were you following me?" I asked, looking at Rising from high.

"Um I'm like, I'm this. You see, Mr. Sir boss, I wanted to. I wanted to ask you for a job! Yes, that's right! I just didn't know how to tell you about it correctly, Mr. Sir boss!" Rising answered, raising his voice as if this makes his lie more convincing.

He lies and does not blush. Now I'm going to show him what happens to liars.

I had already rolled up my sleeves, but the pain in my wounds suddenly woke up. The wound in the leg from which the arrow was still sticking out began to hurt like hell. A tiny wound in my left shoulder began to spit out blood. The whole body decided to remind me that I constantly work and run around the city. I staggered, almost falling, but I was able to keep my balance and stay conscious.

"Okay, do you want a job? I need to take this Minotaur to the nearest police station. Do it with Flying." I said, deciding to postpone the declassification of the lie for later. When I finished speaking, Rising looked at Flying with a challenge in response to which he grinned suggesting entertainment.

"You assholes will carry her on your backs. Here, with all the desire, there will be no competition." I said, ruining their competitive spirit.

"If that's the case, why should I work now?" Asked Flying with a hint of a new deal.

"You'll get your slice of pizza just work first." I said, looking at the Thestral as a child to be coddled.

"Actually, I've already done a job paid for by pizza. So with you, "sir" two slices of pizza and something else that will make me work." Said Flying with his usual cheekiness.

"I'll let you sleep in my hotel room." I said, wanting to end this conversation as soon as possible.

Fortunately, he fell for it and waved his head and called Rising to work with him. Despite the difference in height and build, they were able to lift the Minotaur in such a way as to carry her in two at once. To do this, quivers of arrows were placed on Rising's back, which were used as a pillow for the Minotaurs legs. While we were walking to the site, I regularly checked the map and told us where to go.

"Sir, what are we going to say if someone asks about it?" Asked Rising while we were walking.

I slightly lowered the card just enough so that I could look him in the eye, "Depending on the degree of assertiveness of the one who asks. Ideally, I'll just say something very complicated and that's the end of the conversation."

"For example?"

""The confidential case of a representative of a law enforcement agency is not subject to discussion in the media and personal conversation. " I answered, switching to the most serious voice.

"Well, I understand. " He said before quietly repeating to himself, "The confidential case of a representative of the law enforcement agency is not subject to discussion" as a mantra.

As a result, by the time the moon was already high in the sky, we reached the police station, the light in which was already turned off. Standing in front of the station, my tired brain could not come up with more than one idea.

I took a deep breath, gathering my strength and asked, "Does anyone have any ideas how to get there?"

"I have an idea."Said the last person I expected an answer from. Flying.

"Okay, I'll take you half of the Minotaur and you implement your idea." I said, approaching Flying. I took the part of the minotaur that Flying was carrying with one hand and adjusted so that Rising could hold his part of the minotaur.

"Wow." Said Rising when he saw me holding half of the Minotaur with one hand.

I rolled my eyes and decided to watch what Flying was trying to do. He pulled out of his bag a few tools that looked like pieces of glass of different shapes tied together. The first one had the shape of a tension wrench. The second was in the form of a pick. And the last third had the form of rake. He took all three tools in one wing and blocking the view of the castle began to work. Before I even had time to count to ten, he had already walked away from the castle with a proud look.

I started carrying the Minotaur along with Rising to the police station. Passing next to Flying, I started talking to him.

"Don't think that I left this topic. I'll make you tell me how you've been hiding such a lifestyle for so long."

"Can we do something fun? For example, instead of boring conversations, we can go to a bar and drink a bunch of interesting things at your expense."

"In that case, I have good news for you. On the thirty-first of December, I allow myself to drink alcohol."

"Oh that's cool! What's the reason?" Said Flying excited by this development of the conversation.

"The reason is none of your business." I said, not even turning to Flying, but speaking in a voice that does not imply the continuation of the dialogue.

Flying took the hint and fell silent. In silence, we started looking for an interrogation room. Turning on the lights in the rooms where we went and moving up the stairs, we finally found an interrogation room. The interrogation room turned out to be a direct copy of the movie. A white room with a window that looks like a wall from the inside. A table in the middle of the room with chairs at different ends. I carefully removed the equipment from the Minotaur and put it on another part of the table. Having finished with the equipment, Rising and I put the Minotaur on a chair and waited for Flying, who went in search of a torture invetar.

"So what do you want to do with her, sir?" Rising asked while sitting on a chair and continuing to call me. Although I don't mind.

"When Flying brings the right equipment and our sleeping beauty wakes up, I will begin the interrogation. Ideally, I want to get the necessary information and leave such wounds on it so that it does not interfere with me in the near future." I replied sitting on the table with one leg crossed over the other. The pizza is right there in case I get hungry. I had already pulled out the arrow and carefully treated my wounds, preventing severe bleeding.

"What if it doesn't go so well?" Rising asked, afraid of my answer.

"Then I'll have to improvise." I said with a shrug.

Suddenly, the door handle turned and the door swung open. Flying came into the room, holding a bundle under his wing. Without a word, he put and unfolded a bundle on the table, which turned out to be a lot of equipment. Starting from knives of different sizes ending with a number of devices for pulling teeth designed for different creatures and a rag along with a bottle of water.

"Damn, cool guys are working here." I said, examining all the equipment that was in front of me. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that Flying looked at me like I was crazy and Rising unsuccessfully tried to make an approving face. In fact, he's terrified.

I turned my head to the Minotaur who is still out.

I'll have to wait.

Broken Doll

"A great political idea is what I call an ideology that presupposes a certain future. A great political idea is most often a radical movement based on something. Most often based on human needs, but there are exceptions.

"Among the most famous great political ideas, I single out three. Liberalism, fascism, and communism. The first one is based on the natural human need for freedom and proclaims human freedom as the highest value. The second is based on social Darwinism, which assumes that society works according to the laws of nature, that is, according to the rules of natural selection and the survival of the fittest. By the way, social Darwinism is considered an anti-scientific theory, but at the time of the creation of fascism it was taken seriously. Fascism regards the state and the nation as the highest value. Communism is based on the banal desire for a just society with the help of collective property.

"The first was distorted beyond recognition, the second was destroyed by its own ambitions, the third could not withstand the pressure of the whole world." I said giving a detailed answer to the Rising question. It all started with Rising asking me about Princess Luna. After that, a very long discussion on the topic of politics.

He listened very attentively, as if he was really trying to grasp every word. Although judging by the tension on his face, it's not easy for him. But he's trying, which is commendable. I was so focused on the conversation that I didn't notice how my head ached from trying to give objective information. Not to say that fascism is nonsense created to try to justify its insignificance was very difficult.

"How you both fucked me up! Can we talk about something interesting?" Flying asked, actively whining and interrupting our conversation.

I sighed, trying to remove the urge to beat Flying and turned to him, "If everything is so bad, then you can just go to the hotel."

"I do not know where the hotel is." Said Flying after a long thought.

"In that case, I can't help you." I said before taking a slice of pizza in my hands and taking a bite out of it.

"You're doing it wrong." Flying said, focusing on me.

"What?" I asked after chewing a piece of pizza.

"The dough should be on the bottom and the cheese on top." Clarified Flying as if trying to recover from the shock.

I took my pizza and began to examine it. The cheese has been frozen for a long time so that it does not drain even though it is upside down. Tasteless, dry dough is on top so as not to come into contact with the tongue and not spoil the taste. I always wait for the pizza to freeze so that it can be eaten properly.

"I always eat like this." I said, taking another bite of pizza.

"Also tell me that you eat food cold." Said Flying as if expecting a no answer.

"I really like cold pizza and food directly from the refrigerator. Unfortunately, the conditions do not always allow me to eat cold food." I said with a shrug.

"And which one of us is weird?" Flying asked as if he was waiting for a definite answer.

"Did I call you weird? I don't recall anything like that." I said, scratching my head with my finger.

"Um, maybe you're not. But I'm still not weird!" Flying shouted as if trying to prove something.

"Calm down, I'm not going to hurt you morally yet." I said, finishing my pizza. After finishing the pizza, I wiped my hands on my trousers.

After this little dialogue, silence reigned in the room. Rising is sitting on a chair and rubbing his temples with his hooves trying to process all the information that I gave him. Flying is trying to come to terms with the idea that someone might like cold food. The Minotaur is sitting on a chair in shackles and is still unconscious. I'm sitting on the table with one foot on the other and trying to stay conscious. After today's running around, this is not the easiest task. The lamp blinks every few minutes and plunges the room into darkness for a couple of seconds. The walls of the room carefully clean to a shine, as if trying to hide what was happening here. Well, this room will have another secret that needs to be hidden.

Suddenly Flying's ear twitched, and he straightened up as if looking for the source. After a short search, he focused on the chains in which the Minotaur was chained and narrowed his eyes at him.

"Is something wrong?" I asked, tilting my head to the side.

"She was moving." Flying said while keeping his gaze on the Minotaur.

I carefully got to my feet, trying not to make a lot of sound and headed towards the Minotaur on the way picking up a device that can be used to pull teeth. In fact, these are just pliers, but with a modified shape to make it easier to pull out a tooth. I crept closer to the Minotaur and cautiously opened her mouth. As a first step, I began to slowly guide the instrument towards the minotaurs' fang. Suddenly, a sigh came from the depths of the throat.

I quickly pulled my hands out of the Minotaur's mouth before she could bite my fingers. She opened her eyes wide and looked at me with hatred as if I had done something terrible. I put the instrument on the table and leaned my hand on the table.

"Well, my sleeping beauty has woken up so I can move on to the fun part. Let's start with a simple one. What's your name?" I asked, turning to the Minotaur and getting right to the point.

"Speed Arrow." She answered as if she had long ago learned what to say.

Like a shot, I immediately shortened the distance and struck the Minotaur right in the jaw. Since I was holding back, she didn't get seriously injured, but she still felt the blow. I grabbed her by the hair on her head so that she was looking right at me.

"I know that these are called signs. Don't try to fool me, you fool! Now I will repeat my question. What's your name?" I asked, continuing to pull the Minotaur by the hair.

She looked at me with a challenge, as if she would not cooperate for anything in the world. In response, I abruptly lowered her head so that her head collided with the table with a loud bang. I noticed that after the first blow, a little blood came out of her nose. I pulled her hair so that she returned to her original position. When I was done with that, I let go of her hair and went to the tooth extraction tool. Taking the instrument in my hands, I decided to have a little chat with the winner of the world lottery.

"You know, you're actually almost my type. Tall, good build, large breast size, not a bright ass. You just need to put on your glasses and read a couple of political books and you'll be my automatic favorite. It's even a bit of a pity that the circumstances have turned out this way." I said before I tried to open the minotaurs' mouth. Unfortunately, she immediately started twitching and biting, not letting me get closer.

"Oh, so you want to fight? Very well then I'll call for backup. -"I turned to the thestrals sitting in the room. "-Why are you sitting there as if you had nothing to do with it? Hold her!"

"No, it's too much for me." Flying said while continuing to sit in his corner.

Rising sat on a chair and looked alternately at me and at Flying. He swallowed a lump in his throat and got up from his chair heading towards me and on the way said "I'll help you Mr. Sir Boss."

"Great, now listen to me. You need to get behind her somehow so that you can keep her jaw open while I work. Can you handle it?" I asked Rising after a short briefing.

"Yes sir!" Said Rising trying to make a confident look. In fact, this is the scariest moment in his life.

I nodded and let him stand behind the minotaur. Standing up from behind, he began to look for a place where he could grab onto. At first, he tried to stand on his hind hooves, but realizing the instability, he returned to the starting position. Then he tried to stretch one hoof to the minotaurs' mouth, but realizing that there was not enough length, he stopped and began trying to come up with something sensible. After a few seconds of reflection, he decided to use his wings. At first, the Minotaur resisted, but thanks to my help, Rising was able to realize his idea. He pressed the left wing to the lower half of the jaw and the right wing to the upper jaw. He nodded, signaling to me that I could get started. I put the tool to the fang and squeezed it so hard that there was a quiet click. I haven't even started pulling out the tooth and it's already cracked. I started pulling with all my might and along with the cries of the minotaur, the tooth began to give in. Suddenly the counterweight disappeared and the tooth was finally pulled out.

I brought the instrument closer to my eyes to get a better look at the trophy. The Minotaurs fang turned out to be an unhealthy yellow color and full of cracks. In addition, along with the tooth, a small nerve was hanging from it. I carefully put the tooth on the table. Putting the instrument on the table, I looked at the Minotaur. She still holds herself quite proud, but her eyes are a little watery. The body is already suffering.

Seeing this, I decided to increase the intensity of the passions. I gestured to Rising that he could rest, to which he breathed a sigh of relief. Looking around the torture arsenal, I saw a very interesting tool. The tool has the shape of an iron, thick stick, which at the end has a branch to the side at an angle of ninety degrees.

The tire iron is what I'm going to call you. Will you help me today? Of course you will help!

I took the tire iron and began to twist it in my hand with excitement. Grabbing the tire iron as it would be convenient for me, I smiled rapaciously at the Minotaur and began to slowly approach her. Having shortened the distance, I took the tire iron far back like a golf club and got ready to hit. Together with the exhalation, I struck a blow on the knee of the Minotaur. The knee on the Minotaurs' leg cracked, and the tire iron rang like a bell. The Minotaur screamed as loudly as her throat would allow, but I didn't even raise an eyebrow at it. The Minotaur began to take quick and short breaths trying to cope with stress.

I didn't let her rest for a long time and stretched out my hand to the biggest knife. I grabbed a large cleaver by the wooden handle and grabbed the Minotaur by one of his hands so that it was located on the table. I raised the cleaver high above my head and delivered a crushing blow. The bones in the fingers of the Minotaur cracked under the force of the blow, blood vessels burst and began to spill blood, the skin died long ago in a deliberately lost battle. My blow completely severed the middle, index and ring fingers from the hand, but the thumb and little finger remained intact. The Minotaur hunched over and began to whimper softly. I put my entire arsenal on the table and squatted down so that I could look into the eyes of the Minotaur.

"Initially, I wanted to just break your arm and be done with it, but you resist so much that it's impossible. How about a deal? You answer my questions and I'll let you go. Maybe I'll even bind up your wounds." I said, looking at the Minotaur with complacency and a tiny drop of pity.

"You're a monster." With difficulty, the Minotaur squeezed out between breaths.

"Is it yes or no? I can't think of you while talking."

"Maybe I've only been working with the guys for a couple of weeks, but I... I wouldn't betray them for anything!" The Minotaur said, giving me a look filled with determination.

I grinned and stood up on two legs again. I took a rag and a water bottle to destroy the Minotaur. I went up to the Minotaur and while I was performing the actions, I spoke.

"In a few weeks you have become attached to certain people and perceive them as relatives, the most important thing. I am convinced that my life is the most important thing in the world, but at the same time I realize that other people deep down think the same." I said before knocking over the chair the Minotaur was sitting on so that I could cover her with a rag in the future.

"Therefore, I believe that in order for my inner desire for justice to be satisfied, I must create an ideal future where everyone can be themselves without facing condemnation. Do you understand? I do good for essentially selfish purposes. I am an arrogant egoist and there are many like me. We are united by one simple thing. Pure and genuine individualism. " I said, putting a rag on the minotaurs' face and getting ready to pour water on it.

"With your thinking that assumes family and friends as a value, you oppress us. By your actions, you show that one group of people deserves all the best and the other does not deserve anything. Let's talk about the circumstances. If I was sitting in a corner right now and mourning the loss of a loved one, you call me a monster or no? That is, it's all about minor details? If so, then all people are equal and they are distinguished from each other only by short-term circumstances. If not, then I have an additional question. How are you better than me? The fact that you put people in joint dependence while I want to establish mutually beneficial relationships where no one depends on anyone? So, being a manipulator is better than being a decent person? " I asked before opening a bottle of water and starting to pour it on the minotaur.

She started to twitch, but my foot on her chest stopped her. She started to gulp air as if she was suffocating. I began to closely monitor the amount of water in the bottle. I began to feel the tension building in the room. Rising is shaking in his chair as if he is about to faint. Flying is still sitting in the corner and looking at all this with condemnation. Wheezing and inhaling become louder and fill the whole room. At any second, there will be one less living being in the room.

The water in the bottle ran out, so I was forced to throw it away. I took a rag and put it on the table. When I finished with the rag, I looked at the face of the Minotaur. Blood smears on her face, she is breathing trying to grab all the available air. I hovered over her and continued the one-sided conversation.

"I'm offering you a choice. Option number one: you tell me the right information and then I'll let you go. Option number two: you continue to resist and then I will keep you here and torture you until your friends come here and die. Option number three: you take the monster's hand and become my property. I'll teach you how to be me. A creature capable of anything. Become perfection. What will you choose? " I asked, holding out my hand to the Minotaur.

"My name is. . . My name is Marelyn. " She said with difficulty between breaths. Her voice went from bold and confident to pathetic and quiet.

"Great, Marelyn, now tell me. Where is your base located?" I said, taking off one of her handcuffs and showing her the map.

Silently, without resisting, she stretched out her hand to the map and pointed to a point. A point in the mountains in the north of Equestria. I clenched my teeth imperceptibly in annoyance.

It's far away and it's very cold there. Besides, there's a chance she's lying to me.

I looked at Marelyn. Blood smeared on the face, there were traces of tears under the eyes, the right knee is crushed, a thin strip of blood flows from the mouth caused by the removal of a tooth. There is literally no emotion in her eyes. No fear, no anger, no sadness. Only humility and indifference.

I don't think she's capable of lying in this state.

I put the map on the table and taking Marelyn's severed finger as a pencil marked the place where the base is located. Far to the north in the mountains. Putting the map in my pocket, I turned to the thestrals in the room and said clapping my hands.

"We finished very well with the most difficult part and can make a big leap forward. Tomorrow. " I said looking at Flying and Rising. Flying closed his eyes trying to calm down and left the room with a sigh. Rising, still shaking, got up from his chair and left the room. I went to the door but decided to take one last look at Marilyn. She is still lying on the floor in chains and looking at the ceiling.

I left the room, slamming the door behind me. There were two thestrals waiting for me in front of her. I nodded silently, making it clear that I could go. I started walking out of the police station and the thestrals were on either side of me. Flying was on the right and kept an impressive distance. Rising was on the left and on the contrary tried to be closer as if I should calm him down like a child. On the way to the exit, we turned off the lights and closed the open doors. As a result, we got to the exit of the police station and opened the door and got out onto the street.

The cold winter air helped me relax a little and let me think fully. I raised my head up and saw a bright moon that was almost over the horizon. Looking at the moon, I started to feel like I was being judged right now. My hands began to shake with tension, my throat was dry, a little sweat was pouring from my forehead, a lump formed in my throat. A nervous breakdown can happen at any moment.

Calm down, it's just collateral damage. Shaking in the hands is nothing more than just cold. Throat is dry because of the lack of water. Sweat is caused by temperature changes. There's a lump in your throat because you don't swallow. Pull yourself together, Daniel! If you want to fall and cry, then hold on to the thirty-first of December.

I clenched my hands into fists and swallowed before speeding up my gait. Rising has accelerated its course enough to match me and keep up. Flying, on the contrary, continues to keep its distance. The wind rose sharply, which made me close my eyes. I put my hand to my eyes to block the wind and felt something strange next to my leg. It's as if something has clung to her and is holding on. When the wind calmed down, I lowered my head down and saw Rising caught on my leg. Noticing my look, he let go of my leg with an awkward smile and retreated a few steps. Having finished with this, I continued to walk further towards the hotel.

Making our way through the snow and periodic winds, we reached the cherished hotel. When I stood in front of the Hotel, Flying for the first time in a long time, he raised my voice.

"You found yourself a nice place." Said Flying whistling.

I looked up and for the first time noticed the design of the hotel. Two large lamps on the sides of the sign create the effect of warmth. As the only safe place in a huge, snow-covered world. An island of tranquility.

"Sometimes you say something useful. One point to Flying." I said before entering the hotel.

Once in the lobby, I immediately pulled out a hundred bits from the bags of money and put them on the table. While I was laying out the money, Flying again intervened in the conversation.

"Of course I understand everything. BUT HOW MUCH MONEY TO PAY FOR A HOTEL ROOM!?" Said Flying after seeing how much money I pay for one night in a hotel.

"This is the first hotel I found. Besides, I'm not going to stay here for a long time, so I'm not sorry to spend so much money." I replied, looking at Flying like a child.

"Maybe if you don't mind the money, you can buy me a drink?" Flying asked, hinting at a drink.

"Everything will be on the thirty-first of December. I won't give you a dime until then. " I said Flying looking at him like a child who asks for a chocolate bar.

He sighed and muttered to himself, "Crazy nerd. "

"I prefer genius. " I said, turning around and heading to my room.

The Thestrals followed me, one on each side. When I got to my room, I put the key in the lock and opened the door. As soon as the door opened, Flying immediately ran into the room and began to inspect it like a dog that was launched into a new house. Rising continued to stand next to me as if waiting for the command. I took off my coat with the last of my strength and hung it on the closet door. Having sorted out my coat, I fell back on the bed and got ready for bed.

Unfortunately, Flying came out of the depths of the room with another batch of whining.

"Where will I sleep?" He asked as if I had to think it through.

I raised my head from under the blanket and answered him, "I'm not in a position to make a decision right now. Come up with something together with Rising. Both of you are of legal age after all. "

I covered myself completely under the blanket, but unfortunately a conversation between two thestrals reached me.

"I won't sleep on the floor. " Said Flying as if it wasn't up for discussion.

"I want to be near the captain. " Said Rising as if embarrassed by it.

"Ugh. " Flying said with disgust.

"What? No! Not the way you thought I'm just scared after today." Rising replied even more confused.

My tired mind was already starting to shut down, so I didn't hear the rest of the dialogue. Before I finally fell asleep, I was able to realize one sad fact.

These idiots will be with me.

The bidding

A disgusting ringing rang throughout the room and began to wake up everyone who was in it in turn. The first to wake up with a quiet, barely audible groan was the only representative of humanity. The second one woke up was Flying, who, having lost the night battle, was forced to sleep on the floor. Rising only wrinkled up in his sleep and hug to the human lying next to him.

I rubbed my eyes with my hand and blinked several times at my surroundings. Flying rises on its hooves and does something similar to charging. The alarm clock that I forgot to turn off is ringing now and does not allow me to sleep peacefully. Suddenly, I felt something clinging to my left arm. Cautiously turning my head to the side, I saw how the still sleeping Rising clung to my hand with two hooves. Seeing this, my brain began to slowly gain momentum trying to find logic here. After a short reflection, my brain was able to form a further plan of action.

He slept in the same bed with me. I don't know who he thinks I am, but I'm not going to be his boyfriend or anything. I need to push him away and go get dressed.

I put my hand to the top of Rising's head and pushed him. Since I was holding back, he just rolled to the edge of the bed and did not suffer serious damage. When I finished with Rising, I threw off the blanket and swung my legs off the bed. When my feet touched the cold floor, I pushed off the bed and stood on two legs. Looking around the room again, I saw Flying start poking the alarm clock trying to turn it off. Of course unsuccessfully.

"You don't know how to turn it off, do you?" I asked, tilting my head to the side.

"I know everything." Flying answered me while continuing to knock on the alarm clock.

I shook my head wearily and went to my coat, which was hanging on the door. I carefully took my coat off the door so that nothing would fall out of it and after making sure that everything was fine, I put on my coat without buttoning the buttons. Having finished with the coat, I turned to Flying who was still trying to turn off the alarm. I quickly got close to Flying and with a deft movement snatched the alarm clock from him. Grabbing the alarm clock, I quickly turned it off and threw it to the place where I had previously slept.

"I could have handled it myself." Flying said while focusing on the alarm clock.

"Of course." I replied sarcastically and slowly rolling my eyes.

"Hey, I'm not stupid!" Flying was indignant, throwing an irritated look at me.

I opened my mouth to answer, but suddenly there was a loud sound in the room, as if something had fallen on the floor. Turning my head to where the sound came from, I saw the Rising fall off the bed and take the blanket with him. Judging by the groan of pain, the fall was able to awaken Rising from a sound and a long sleep. There was a second impact on the floor, this time very close to me. Looking down, I saw that Flying had fallen to the floor and was laughing loudly. He laughs so hard that his eyes water.

"It's not funny." Said Rising, getting up from the floor and looking at Flying with a fair amount of anger.

In response to this, Flying started laughing only harder and louder. I put my hand to my face trying to cope with the company of these idiots. Taking a deep breath and exhaling, I cut into the conversation.

"You two, we don't have time to sort out the relationship. Quickly get up and follow me." I said before turning to the door and pulling the key out of my pocket.

Rising quickly got up and ran up to me like a faithful dog. Flying barely finished laughing and stood next to me with a bored look. After making sure that everything was in order, I inserted the key into the lock and unlocked the door. After leaving the room, I once again closed the door and went towards the stairs. As I descended the stairs, rhythmic footsteps from behind reminded me that I was being escorted. Going down to the lobby, I turned my head to the side to find the calendar. I fixed my gaze on a calendar with a picture of a colorful winter forest. Today is the twenty-ninth of December of the thousandth year.

Military base twenty-four has not been used for seventy-seven years. It is surprising that it has been preserved at least in a dilapidated form.

When I finished looking at the calendar, I quickly walked through the lobby to the exit. Before leaving the hotel, I buttoned up my coat. Yanking open the door, I ignored the howling of the cold wind and took a step out of the hotel. After leaving the hotel, I immediately took the map out of my pocket and started plotting a route. The train station is located in the west of the city, the farmer's market is in the south and the flea market is in the north. If I work alone, it will only take me all day to prepare.

But I have two horses at my disposal that can be made to work.

I took out my bag of gold and started putting in my hands the money I would need. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that both thestrals were looking at my actions with genuine interest. When the money no longer fit in my hand, I pulled out the second bag of money and gestured with the thestral to come closer. The Thestrals took a step forward and I gave Flying a handful of coins and Rising gave a bag of bits.

"Rising, you will go to the farmer's market and buy supplies. Preferably something that we can eat on the road without stopping. Flying you will go to the train station and buy us three tickets to the crystal mountains. Remember your routes and go. We'll meet again at the train station," I said, holding the map in front of the thestrals' eyes and showing them the easiest route to their goals with my finger.

Rising immediately grabbed his bag of gold in his teeth and ran to the designated point. Unfortunately, Flying looked at me with raised eyebrows and wrinkled nose as if he was deeply offended by such an attitude towards himself.

"You'll get a bottle of wine." I said before Flying says anything.

"Three bottles." Flying answered with a challenge looking at me.

"One, no more."

"Maybe two?" Flying asked after his confidence wavered a bit.

"One bottle."

"Okay, okay. If one means one." Said Flying turning around and heading towards the train station.

I looked at Rising, who was running at full speed towards the farmer's market. After a short reflection, I realized that I would not be able to catch up with him with a wounded leg and decided to look for wine somewhere on the way to the flea market. Having memorized the route to the flea market, I began to walk to it at a brisk pace and look around in search of places where alcohol is sold.

POV Rising

The hooves hurt from intense running, the heart is pounding like a drum and the lungs are working to the maximum. The bag is dangling in my teeth and I can barely hold it. The wind hits you in the face and makes you cover your eyes with your wings.

Why do I run if I have wings?

I stopped where I was and, catching my breath, jumped up and flapped my wings. It's incredibly easy to do this without armor! Flapping my wings several times, I gained altitude and taking a bag of bits in my hooves flew towards the farmer's market. Despite the fur, at such a height the cold still chills to the bone. An additional shiver went through my body at the memory of last night.

"It's better not to remember about this." I said softly as I flew towards the farmer's market.

While I was flying, I couldn't help but be surprised by the views of the city. Very tall strange buildings of rectangular shape, huge spaces where there is not a hint of plants and even a large pier where the largest boats of all I have seen float. This place is incredible! I wonder why the captain came here?

Looking down, I saw a lot of counters behind which there were ponies that looked incredibly small from such a height. I began to slowly increase the time between flapping wings to lower the altitude. As a result, after a couple of minutes I landed on the ground, took a bag of bits in one wing and started looking around for goods. Suddenly, seeing me, all the ponies in the market began to actively offer their goods and shout very loudly. All this combined to create a terrible cacophony of sounds that put a lot of pressure on the nerves.

What would the captain do now? He would definitely give some good advice right now. But I have to follow the captain's orders!

With newly acquired confidence, I confidently began to walk along the counter in search of the right foods. Thinking about what you can eat quickly on the road, I immediately came up with an idea. Fruit.

I eagerly looked around the entire farmer's market in search of suitable fruits. On one counter were bright red apples, polished to such an extent that they reflected sunlight. On the second counter were strange, creeping yellow plants with seemingly sharp leaves on top. I turned away from the strange plant in the hope that it would not touch me and continued to inspect the market. On the third counter there was a slightly less strange green plant that looked like a distorted apple with an elongated top. On the fourth counter, I finally saw at least something familiar. A large, perfectly round, bright green watermelon.

You can eat it on the road. Maybe. Plus they are quite satisfying. Yes, I think the captain will like it.

I walked up to the watermelon counter and started a conversation with a stallion who was standing wearily in front of the counter.

"Hello sir, how much is a watermelon?" I asked in my usual manner.

"Ten bits apiece." The stallion replied with fatigue, as if he had not been able to sleep for a long time.

"I'm two." I said, pulling twenty bits out of the bag.

"Take it." The stallion said wearily nodding towards the watermelons after counting the money.

"Thank you." I said softly before taking two watermelons with my wings.

After a little thought, I began to distribute the load. The wings were held watermelons, and the bag of money was in my teeth. Straining my neck, wings and hooves to keep everything stable, I began to walk slowly towards the train station. Fortunately, I listened attentively to the captain and remembered the way to the train station. Approximately.

I hope the captain will be pleased.

POV Flying

"It was necessary to say what kind of wine." I muttered to myself as I walked towards the train station and tried to keep the money clamped in the wing.

The snow crunches irritatingly underfoot, the wind periodically increases and there is no one on the street. I'm starting to think that the free trip here was a mistake. These tall glass buildings put a lot of pressure on the nerves. There is not a single tree or bush anywhere. It's just wrong. Trains are also creepy and weird. What kind of jerk thought that making a huge metal coffin on wheels would be a good idea? If I were an inventor, I would come up with something normal.

"I have a bag," I muttered, remembering my bag, which was conveniently located on my back. Stopping on the spot, I used the wing to open the bag and put money in it. Closing the bag, I continued to walk at a calm pace towards the train station.

Can I spend money on something for yourself?

I looked around the street to make sure that this weirdo wasn't following me. Even without seeing anyone around, I still gave up on this idea. Who knows what this weirdo will do if he finds out that I spent his money? It's better to just stay close to him, drink alcohol when the time comes and disperse. Yes, this is the best option.

Making a barely noticeable nod, I continued to walk to the train station. As I approached the train station, I heard the most hated sounds of all. Train sounds. Swallowing, I continued to walk to the train station trying to cope with the terrible sound. I even had to put my ears to my head to cope with this terrible sound. Looking around, I saw how some kid fell asleep right on the counter and put his head on the counter. I laughed a little when I saw this, but after a couple of minutes I gathered my strength and went to the cashier.

"I need three tickets to the Crystal Mountains," I said, tapping my hoof on the table loud enough to wake the cashier.

"No, I'm not sleeping!" The cashier shouted, quickly straightening up and looking around with panic in his eyes. When he saw me, he relaxed and propped his head on his hoof as if waiting for my order.

"Three tickets to the crystal Mountains." I said, starting to lose patience.

He turned wearily to some kind of sign that was inside and squinted his eyes began to examine it. After looking at it for a long time, he turned back to me and said, "Sixty bits for one ticket."

"Robbery in broad daylight." I muttered discontentedly before pulling money out of my bag and starting to give money for three tickets. After a few minutes during which I was forced to endure the terrible sounds of trains. Before giving me the tickets, the cashier counted the money and after finishing the calculation looked at me like an idiot.

"There are only one hundred and sixty bits. Where are twenty more?" The cashier asked in a tired voice.

"Yes, I know. I was just checking you." I lied before laying out the remaining money. After the second count, the cashier nodded and handed me three tickets. I grabbed the tickets with my wing and started looking for a bench to sit on.

When I saw the bench, I moved away from the counter and started running towards it. On the way, I opened the bag and stuffed the remaining money and three tickets into it. When I got to the bench, I threw off my bags, sat on it and covered my ears with my wings so as not to suffer from the sound of trains. Taking a comfortable position, I began to look around in search of the others.

POV Daniel

"Okay, here's your money." I said, handing the money to the Minotaur who was selling various items of clothing. I was interested in an old, large sports bag with a lot of patches. During long negotiations, I was able to reduce the price by five bits.

When I gave the necessary money, the Minotaur counted them and finished counting nodded, giving permission to take the bag. Before taking the bag, I took a closer look at its features. The bag has a total of three straps. Two small straps are combined into one for carrying, and one long strap allows you to carry the bag on your shoulder. I picked up the bag and put it on my shoulder to leave both hands free. After making sure that the bag would not fall, I put a bottle of red wine in it that I bought on the way and continued walking through the flea market in search of my next goal. Knife.

Ideally, I need to make a quick dash to my destination and return to Manhattan in time for an interview. To overcome such a long distance in such a short time, I will need equipment. A knife to cut something in case of something and a rope as climbing equipment. Not the best set, but better than nothing.

While I was thinking, I caught sight of a counter with knives of various sizes and even several axes. It wasn't a pony, a changeling, or even a minotaur standing behind the counter. A dragon stands behind the counter and hides one hand under the table. This particular individual has a dark green color and dark, protective glasses shifted to the forehead.

Looks like that lizard from the library. It's not a big deal.

Gathering my strength, I went to the counter where the dragon was standing and started looking for something suitable. Unfortunately, the dragon decided to be a "polite seller".

"Is there anything in particular you're interested in, sir?" The dragon asked in a polite and helpful manner.

"I need a strong stainless steel knife. Beauty is not important, I need a workhorse. " I explained briefly while continuing to inspect the assortment.

"You won't believe how nice it is when a client knows what he needs. Fortunately for you, I carefully sort my goods. I lay out all the stainless steel knives on the left. " The dragon said, maintaining a polite tone and pointing to the right part of the counter. Different perspective.

I shifted my gaze to where the dragon showed me and began to focus on each particular knife. The first knife had a short blade with colorful engraving. No, it's too pretentious. The second knife had a beautiful handle and even had a pommel in the form of an eagle. No, for exactly the same reason. Finally, the third knife turned out to be the most unsightly and ordinary. A medium-length blade without engravings, a strict handle made of dark wood and a guard made of unknown black metal similar to the armor of thestrals. I took the knife in my hands and turned it in my hands wanting to study it more carefully.

"How much does it cost?" I asked the dragon after I decided on the purchase.

"One hundred bits." The dragon replied with the same politeness and courtesy as always.

The price of the hotel minus the price of the knife. One hundred minus one hundred. A knife costs the same as a hotel room. Expensive.

"Take your money." I said with annoyance, handing over the money.

"Take your knife." He said without even counting the money.

"It's kind of irrational. You haven't even counted the money, and besides, anyone can take a knife and run away. " I noted after analyzing the situation.

"Actually there is one thing against thieves." Said the dragon, slightly raising his hand from under the table. In his hand was clutched a device similar to a bow equipped with a mechanism for cocking and lowering the bowstring. The thick arrow is firmly positioned on the mechanism and is ready to fall on the enemy at any moment.

It's a crossbow. The maximum initial speed of the bolt has a speed of about one hundred meters per second. If he had attacked me, I wouldn't even have realized what killed me. Don't show fear of him.

"Cool. But I have to go." I said, giving the dragon a thumbs up before turning around.

Turning around, I started walking at a brisk pace to get as far away from the dragon as possible. During the attack in the opposite direction, I regularly looked back at the dragon. After making a few turns around the market and making sure that everything was in order, I started looking for the third thing on my list. Rope. I didn't even have time to start looking as I already saw several stalls with ropes.

Without thinking, I went to the nearest counter where I didn't see anyone. Turning my head from side to side, I saw a sign with the text. One rope is worth eight bits. Please don't steal!

Sounds like a steal.

I turned around and started looking at the creatures around me to see if I could steal the rope. When I saw that several sellers were following me at once, I realized that this idea was doomed to failure. With a disappointed sigh, I put seven bits on the table and took one rope as a law-abiding citizen. I opened the bag and put the newly received rope in it. Having finished with this, I did not want to linger and ran to the train station.

On the way to the train station, I looked very carefully at my feet so as not to slip. Seeing a small piece of ice peeking out from under the snow, I made a risky decision and jumped over it. Fortunately, I landed in ordinary snow and did not meet a long road of ice. Recovering quickly, I continued my run to the train station. While running, I pulled the map out of my pocket to make sure the route was correct. At the last moment I realized that right now I need to turn sharply to the right. Reacting, I grabbed the lamppost with my free hand and continued my race.

When the train station was in sight, I put the map in my bag and began to slow down gradually. Once at the train station itself, I started looking around for my team of idiots. Soon, I noticed them sitting on a bench and doing a very strange thing. Rising sits and taps watermelons like drums in an active manner. Flying is sitting next to him and singing something. As I approached, I began to sort out what Flying sings.

"I’ve been sleeping in a cardboard box,
Spending every dollar at the liquor shop,
And even though I know I haven’t got a lot.
Oh, it's you. Did you bring the wine? " Said Flying abruptly stopping singing.

Something familiar. I've definitely heard that somewhere. No, nothing comes to mind.

I pulled the wine out of the bag and handed it to Flying. When he saw the bottle, he was happy at first, but quickly changed and made a disappointed face.

"You know I love white wine."

"When will our train arrive?" I asked, deciding to change the subject and approaching the bench.

"In the next hour." Said Flying with slight indignation.

"Keep singing." I said with a tired sigh, sitting down on the bench.

"What? " Asked Rising as if he didn't expect this.

"By the way, Rising, did you only buy two watermelons?" I asked in the hope that he had hidden something else.

"Only two watermelons." Muttered Rising as if mentally preparing for a serious punishment.

"Okay, I'll think of something about food, but for now I'll return to the last topic. We'll have to wait so keep singing. It will be fun." I explained sitting relaxed on the bench.

"What are you going to do? Just sit and listen? Not on my shift you either join a performance or pay street performers." Said Flying with feigned anger.

I sighed knowing that it was impossible to have a normal dialogue with Flying and straightened up with my hand on the bench. "I'll be the second drum. Rising plays on watermelons, I play on the bench."

Flying nodded in satisfaction and continued to sing. After a few minutes, I was able to catch the rhythm and start playing. Soon the time began to fly by unnoticed, and I completely focused on maintaining the rhythm.

Operation &

The wheels of the train are pounding in a rhythmic and calm manner. A cold, wintry wind howls outside the train wanting to overcome the heat. The bag is quietly and imperceptibly located under the shelf on which I am lying. My eyes are closed, my leg is hanging off the seat and still hurts after being wounded, my hands spontaneously folded on my chest and my head remained lying on the hard seat. Tranquility, satisfaction, silence, ten

"Mr. Sir Boss?" Rising asked, drawing my attention.

Tension.

"What?" I answered the question with a question after I slowly opened my eyes.

"We're going to some base, right?"

"Yes." I answered shortly, hoping that this conversation would be over.

"I don't doubt you in any way, Mr. Sir Boss, but why are we doing this?"

With an exasperated sigh, I moved from a recumbent position to a sitting position and put the card on the folding table. Unfortunately, part of the large Equestria map, which was supplemented with a tourist map of Manehattan, could not fit on the table and began to hang to the floor. I didn't attach much importance to this and decided to do more important things. After looking around the room and seeing only Flying holding his bottle tightly and Rising who was watching me closely, I began to explain the situation.

"When you all went home, I stayed at the military base and spent Christmas there. The next day, I was attacked by a squad of three mercenaries with the aim of killing me. The first attack was defeated by me despite the hangover. After the attack, I decided that I had to eliminate the threat as soon as possible before it was too late. Then, after a series of inept investigations conducted by me personally, I found out that the mercenaries from Cleansing Sword were engaged in this. I'm sure that someone ordered these mercenaries, so I plan to break into their database and look for documents. This is my situation in short. " I explained, pointing out which places I was in. Starting from a military base and ending with a further destination. Mercenary base.

"What does it mean to break into their database? Do you really have a plan? " Rising asked, trying to digest the information received.

"I don't have a plan. Speaking in fact, the situation is disgusting. There is no intelligence, two-thirds of the personnel have no weapons, the fighting takes place in the mountains and in the cold." I said, stating the fact. Seeing that none of the thestrals understood anything, I decided to say it in simpler language.

"I do not know anything about the base, and even more so about how many people are in it. I do not know how to use you because you are trained as I am to fight without weapons. Plus the cold mountains themselves are in a dangerous environment." I said in simpler words in response to which there was a sigh of understanding in the carriage. But immediately after realizing the situation, Rising had a new question.

"But we can't just attack without a plan. We can't, can we?" Rising asked, addressing me and expecting some kind of reaction.

"I repeat. I have no information and you have no weapons. The best solution is to leave you at the train station and act alone. " I said, eliciting an instant reaction.

"Leave us so you can escape? No, I won't let you. You promised a drink at the end of December and I'm going to get it. " Flying said while continuing to hold his bottle.

I didn't promise anything to anyone.

"Yes! I mean, not exactly for the same reason, but I'm going to stay with you anyway. Whether you want it or not." Said Rising charged with confidence from Flying.

Motive number one: To use alcohol-based substances. Motive number two: Not detected. The logical method of confrontation: Ineffective. The use of communist rhetoric: Unavailable due to the opponent's low intelligence. Counteraction method: None.

My brain told me to fuck off, so I had to admit defeat. "If you idiots die, it's only your fault."

After my remark, the conversation exhausted itself. All questions are closed, the winner is determined, opinions are expressed. I was about to lie back on the shelf, but my stomach rumbled, hinting that I hadn't eaten anything. I ignored it and lay down on the shelf to rest or at best sleep. But of course Rising couldn't help but pay attention to this.

"Mr. Sir Boss, why are you starving?" Rising asked with sincere incomprehension.

"Because you bought watermelons. The product has a sweet taste. There's no way I'm going to eat sweet food. That's why I eat green apples and green bananas." I answered by turning on my side and looking Rising in the eyes.

"I won't even ask." Flying muttered softly.

"You're not going to starve, are you?" asked Rising, hoping for a negative answer.

"Of course not."

"Hooray." Rising said softly after calming down.

"I'll just eat those I kill during the assault." I finished by evoking various emotions in Rising. From indignation and misunderstanding to a little relief.

Such illogical conversations take a lot of mental strength. I need to shift my attention to others. And I have an idea.

"Listen Rising, I noticed that you are interested in me. Is that so?" I asked while I was moving back to a sitting position.

"Well, like something like that." Rising replied evasively.

"I'm offering you a simple and stupid game. I will let you ask me questions that I will answer, but after the answer, I will ask you questions.." I explained, causing Rising great enthusiasm.

"It's not even a game." Flying muttered while continuing to hold his wine bottle.

"By the way Flying why don't you drink your wine?" I asked, drawing attention to this fact.

"I'm waiting." Flying answered briefly.

"Wine gets better with age. Is that what you mean? "

"You can call it that, nerd. " Flying replied, barely holding back his laughter.

"Rising start. " I ordered while holding the bridge of my nose with two fingers.

"How did you become captain of the Guard? " Asked Rising after much deliberation.

"They saw the potential in me and offered me a place in the armed forces. Before taking office, I was to train hard for several months. you satisfied with this answer," I said with a bored look.

"Yes, quite." Rising said with a little disappointment in his voice.

"Okay, so I can make my move. How did you get into the army?" I asked, emphasizing the word "you".

"Um, can I have another question please?" Asked Rising starting to experience stress.

"Do you have something to hide?" I asked, starting to put pressure on the thestral. So far, only morally.

"No, I have nothing to hide! It's just, um, I kind of don't want to talk about it." Said Rising trying to justify himself.

Trying to bring him to the surface will be hard. It's not worth that much effort.

"Okay, I'll ask another question. What should be considered normal and should be allowed?" I said, thus making a concession. Judging by the fact that Rising has relaxed, he is very grateful for such generosity.

"Probably everything that makes someone happy." Rising said uncertainly after a long thought.

"Well, I accept this answer. Your move. " Said nodding contentedly.

"What do you dislike about others? " I asked Rising as if it really mattered to him.

"Annoyance, superstition, manipulativeness and modesty. " I said without thinking.

"I see. Your move. " Said Rising copying my phrase.

"Why were you in Manhattan and chasing me? " I asked, making Rising nervous again and even a little ashamed.

Seeing this, I sighed wearily and said, "Forget it. I refuse my question."

Rising had already opened his mouth to say something, but Flying cut into the conversation. "Have you had sex?"

"Are you really interested in this?" I asked, looking at Flying like an idiot.

"This is the only interesting question." Flying replied, looking at me with maximum seriousness.

"No, it wasn't." I said, getting ready for how this idiot would react to this.

At first he tried not to laugh. After a couple of seconds, his eyes began to water and his mouth miraculously remained closed. The next second, the dam broke and he began to laugh loudly, almost hysterically. I put my hand on the folding table and thus propped my head. Flying is still laughing and is not going to stop anytime soon. Seeing and realizing this fact to the full, I sighed in disappointment and directed my gaze out the window. A second later, I heard a copy of my sigh from Rising.

Outside the window, among the howling wind, flying snow and hopeless darkness, a small light appeared. Looking closely at it, I realized that this light is a railway station. While the laughter continues in the carriage, the railway station is getting closer and closer. Soon you will have to leave the warm room and go into the terrifying, bone-chilling cold. Most likely, this light of the terminal station will be the only memory of warmth for many hours.

Don't escalate an already bad situation. Just survive there. Survive at any cost.

The train began to slow down, informing that the last moments of warmth remained. Flying managed to calm down but still laughs softly every time he looks at me. I took my equipment bag in advance and hung it over my shoulder. When the train finally stopped, I took a breath to gather my strength and signaled with a thestral that it was time to move out. After making sure that everyone was ready, I took the first step out of the train.

Immediately after getting off the train, I felt under the local weather. Huge drifts of snow ankle-high. A strong wind that continuously hits in the face. And as a dessert, a terrible cold penetrates the body to the bones. Neither a coat, nor a T-shirt, nor gloves, nor even trousers are able to protect from the cold of this caliber.

"It's terribly cold here." Flying complained.

"Please tell me you were joking. Do you really have a plan?" Rising asked hopefully.

"Okay, listen to my plan. I called this plan the most ingenious name of all. "&". The essence of the plan is very simple. Survive in the cold & survive the battle if it happens & get to the enemy base. All the plan is made, we can go." I said before turning abruptly, scattering the snow to the sides and starting to walk to the approximate location of the base.

The Thestrals quickly gathered their strength and began to follow me across the snow-covered field. On the way, despite the desire to leave my hands in my pockets, I pulled out a map and began to constantly check it. The wind actively tried to pull the card out of my hands, but I grabbed it tightly. The cold only got stronger and more merciless as I walked away from the station. From the cold, I involuntarily began to chatter my teeth and breathe intermittently. Turning around, I saw that the railway station was no longer visible and visibility had become almost zero. Fortunately, the two Thestrals continued to follow me. Looking at them, I saw that they endure this cold not without difficulty, but everything is exactly easier than me. And the snow is getting higher and higher with every meter.

"Sir?" Rising asked quietly, getting a little closer to me.

"What?" I asked, struggling to cope with the terrifying cold.

"How are we going to climb the mountain?" Rising asked, trying to shout over the wind.

"Why do you ask?" I answered the question with a question.

"Because she's right in front of us." Said Rising pointing his hoof forward.

I turned around and saw huge mountain ranges in front of me. The higher I raise my gaze, the scarier it becomes to realize the fact that it will have to be climbed. After looking at the map, I began to look for solace in it. No consolation. To get to the mercenary base, you will have to bypass one of the mountains. After examining a number of mountains on the map, I was able to see a convenient path to the base passing between two mountains. If you believe the map, of course.

"Well, we won't have to climb the mountain. We'll get around it. Full speed ahead." I said, pointing my hand forward. After my words, I heard a sigh of relief that miraculously managed to break through the wind.

I continued walking through the snow with the hope that the adventure would end soon. The snow has already become knee-high and is getting higher and higher. Inch by inch. When we went out on the trail between the mountains, the wind faded into the background. The mountains with their titanic backs blocked most of the wind and allowed us to look at the surrounding views with open eyes. Even the snow level dropped a little, as if it was telling about the right path. Looking ahead, I saw my goal. Concrete structure with a long canopy and a single steel door. Seeing this, I gathered my strength and began to run to the mercenary base.

When I got to the door, I immediately realized that it was locked and it would not be possible to break it by a rough method. Turning my head back, I saw that the two accompanying Thestrals were able to get to me. Even their fur couldn't fully protect them from the cold. Focusing on the door lock, I immediately figured out how to open it.

"Flying, crack this lock," I ordered, pointing my finger at the lock.

"You're lucky I got fucked up by this frost." Said Flying in his hoarse voice while taking out a burglar's kit from his bag. Judging by his quiet grumbling, it will take a long time.

I took a few steps away from Flying to let it run smoothly. Rising sat down next to the door to catch his breath. After taking a few steps, I began to look around in order to occupy myself with something. The wind has already ceased to be a problem because it is not able to bypass the mountains. Snow has settled on the rocks and its small lumps regularly fall down. If something serious starts here, an avalanche will become inevitable. My stomach rumbled and reminded me that I hadn't eaten anything today.

They must attack. At any moment.

Suddenly, there was a sound like dozens of mechanisms that were simultaneously relaxed after a long strain. I saw the sky filled up with dozens of crossbow bolts that were aimed at one target. On me. I quickly made a rune that created a shield around my body and prepared to dodge the hail despite my injured leg. I took a step to the left and turned the body to the side, thus dodging a small batch of crossbow bolts. Then I jumped back, forcing the bolts to line up in a long track. I hit my back on a rock and an incalculable number of bolts are still flying at me. I took my bag off my belt and put it in front of me as a barrier. The bolts began to stick into the bag, but not one could get through. Unfortunately, some bolts were able to hit me thus knocking out my magic shield. But at least I'm alive.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that Flying began to actively crack the lock and Rising looks at everything that is happening with a mixture of shock and fear. I threw a bag in their direction so that it would not interfere with me. The bag, riddled with many bolts, landed safely next to the thestrals. I started looking around to find those who shot, but I didn't find anyone. It's like the bolts came out of nowhere. In the distance, I saw a familiar couple running out from around the corner. A Minotaur with a dagger and a Minotaur with a two-handed sword. Big and Thin. Fish and meat. This time Big is wearing his helmet and moving like he's really ready to kill me. He used to move lazily and without motivation.

Big shouldn't have recovered so quickly. After the test of will, I had to recover for several days. Something happened.

While the crossbows were being reloaded, the two minotaurs were able to get closer and immediately began circling around without words. This time they seem to understand each other perfectly and are able to act as a team. Big took a step forward and the next moment I realized that a lump of snow blocked my view. With a sharp wave of my head, I threw the snow off my face and saw that Big had already swung his sword. He came at me with incredible speed and force from which I could barely turn away. I found myself on the side of Big, who struck with crushing force where I had previously been. He immediately got his bearings and turned around and brought down a second blow on me, this time from the side. Through the piles of snow thrown into the air, a deadly blade reflecting sunlight appeared. I took a step back, thus allowing the blade to pass by to go into a counterattack. I abruptly took a small run-up and jumped into the minotaur first on the torso and then climbed onto his back.

I wrapped my left arm around the opponent's neck and fixed it on the bicep of my right arm. With a titanic effort, I was able to bend the metal and start to really strangle the enemy. With his free hand, Big hit me right in the face causing my nose to bleed but couldn't knock me out of the saddle. Abruptly, I felt something thrust into my back, forcing me to relax my grip for a second. Big threw me off his back and turned around and kicked me in the side. The blow threw me many yards away and made me roll on the rocks with my back.

The impact on the rock stopped my flight and made me groan in pain. Before I had time to recover, a second volley of arrows had already fallen on me. I got up on two legs with great difficulty and clenched my teeth to endure the pain. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that the door to the mercenary base was already opened and Flying was nowhere to be found. At the same time, Rising is still standing next to the door and was paralyzed with fear. I took a deep breath and prepared to dodge.

I grabbed the very first crossbow bolt and using it as a dagger began to beat off the rest of the bolts. Moving as fast as possible, I barely had time to knock each bolt aside. The bolt could not withstand such a load and soon broke down, but was able to neutralize almost all threats. I grabbed the last two bolts and clamped them between my middle and ring finger. I turned my attention back to the two minotaurs who were preparing for another attack.

They can't attack while crossbow bolts are flying.

Big took a step forward and I instantly reacted and ducked to dodge a lump of snow. In response, I lifted several crossbow bolts into the air with the help of magic tentacles and sent them into the air with a palm strike. I quickly turned around and got close to his partner. Thin tried to stab me with a dagger, but I blocked it with a bolt clamped between my fingers and hit him in the neck in response. The blow was strong enough to pierce the armor and leave a bolt in it. Thin took the dagger with a reverse grip and tried to stab me in the neck. I ducked and grabbed the bolt that was sticking out of the enemy's armor with my hand. The bolt worked as a lever and was able to break the straps under the armor that connected the helmet to the rest of the armor. The helmet flew off the armor and I struck at the open head. The Minotaur was disoriented for a second, so I was able to grab him and offer the stolen dagger to his neck.

I turned around to force Big to capitulate, but I saw a very uncomfortable picture in front of me. Big repeated my hostage-taking technique, except that he took Rising hostage and put a two-handed sword to his neck, which he holds surprisingly well with one hand. Crossbowmen don't shoot, the wind howls over the mountains, we stand and look at each other.

"Are you sure that completing one task is worth it?" I asked, trying to play on the connection between the partners.

"This is no longer a task. This is personal." Big said with an unusually pronounced hatred for him.

"A woman?" I asked, hoping that my assumption was wrong.

"I wanted to ask her out after the assignment. But now she's constantly shaking and barely talks. I'm going to take revenge." Big said, bringing the sword even closer to Rising's neck.

I wonder what exactly finished her off morally. My conversations or the torture itself?

"So you think you're going to kill a random horse now and then we'll be even?" I asked, trying to understand his logic or lack thereof.

He hovered a little, as if it was inconvenient for him to talk about it from this angle. I looked at him and quickly made a conclusion.

Yes, everything is exactly as I thought. Absolutely illogical thinking.

"I suggest you use your head and let go of a random horse." I said, hoping to end it all without collateral damage.

"No way." Big said, pressing the blade against the hostage's neck so hard that he let out a thin stream of blood.

"Hurry up and get it over with. Complete the task!" Shouted his partner who was in my grip.

So I'll have to act.

Instantly, without warning, I plunged a long dagger into the head of my hostage. The dagger went through the chin, the brain and came out on the other side of the skull. I quickly pulled the magic tentacles out of my hands and grabbed the opponent's sword with them. With a sharp jerk of my hand back, I was able to pull the sword out of the Minotaur's hands and even shake him. Rising turned out to be smart enough to break out of Big's grip and run away from a decent distance. Big, as if morally crushed, fell on one knee and began to say something to him.

I shouted to Rising before the Minotaur had time to come to his senses.

"But. . ." " Rising tried to object, but I interrupted him.

"The order is not discussed!"

He looked at me as if he was really worried, but after a second of reflection, he nodded and ran into the open door of the mercenary base. I tried to run up to Big to finish him off, but another crossbow volley fell on me. I took the corpse of the Minotaur and started holding it above me as a shield. To dodge all the bolts, I had to rotate and constantly change the position of the corpse. Suddenly, among the dense wall of crossbow bolts, Big appeared, running straight at me with a furious growl. I didn't have time to dodge, and he rammed me with his head, sending me into the nearest rock. I hit my back on a rock, but I only managed to see Big, who managed to come up at point-blank range. Despite the lack of weapons, he began to beat me, striking me all over his body. Barely remaining conscious, I was able to repel his hand and counterattack with a punch to the face. The free second was enough for me to deliver several blows that forced the opponent to take a few steps back.

I gathered all my strength and tried to get into a fighting stance, but abruptly started coughing with a disgusting wheeze. Looking at the snow below me, I saw a puddle of blood that I had created with my cough. The crossbowmen have already managed to recharge and send another volley of bolts. I tried my best to dodge, but I could only take a couple of steps. A barrage of a dozen crossbow bolts pierced into various parts of the body. I tried to look up at the approaching enemy, but it turned out with reservations. My ears started ringing, my eyes started to fog up and my body just refuses to move. The armored Minotaur pulled his arm far back and brought down a crushing blow on me. The impact slammed me into the rock and pushed the bolts even deeper into my body. When I opened my eyes, Big appeared in front of me, who picked up his two-handed sword and was going to finish me off. I managed to pull out the first thing I could find in my pocket. The sword went through the alpha core and pierced my chest, piercing through it. Suddenly a terrible tremor passed through the mountains.

Huge piles of snow and rocks fell on me. I didn't have the strength to resist and was forced to watch the impending avalanche mixed with a landslide. Big had already pulled his sword out of me and was running after the thestrals. In the next second I realized that I was still alive, but at the same time I was covered with snow and stones. One particularly large boulder was located right on my back and miraculously did not break it. After so much damage and blood loss, my eyes began to slowly close.

Must continue. It's just a test on the way to perfection. I have to keep going!

I started clinging to the ground with all my might and trying to get out from under the rubble. But no matter how hard I tried to get out, all attempts were in vain. Trying to get up using your hands is useless because of the titanic weight of the boulder. The weight was too strong.

Suddenly, something changed. The cold disappeared, the weight ceased to be felt and the wind seemed to become just a pleasant breeze. Suddenly, as something both real and impossible, a figure in camouflage came out. Grandfather seemed to be returning from hunting, whistling a cheerful melody and carrying a rifle on his back. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed and, as if alive again, came up to me.

"On the edge of danger, right?" Grandpa said with a sneer when he got close enough.

"On the edge of everything. Science, philosophy, danger, and so on." I corrected it while I felt a literal emptiness inside.

"Decided to shave like a real man, huh?" My grandfather asked, putting his hand on my almost bald head and sitting down next to me.

"Long hair is inconvenient." I stated the fact.

"That's exactly why I'm not afraid of baldness." Grandfather said before he fell silent.

It's a hallucination. Need

"You know I can hear everything, right?" Grandpa asked in response to which I raised an eyebrow.

"In fact, now you see your soul that has taken on the image of a being that you are ready to listen to. You're a smart boy and you know that your real grandfather has been buried six feet underground for almost six years."

"What do you need?" I asked, trying not to pay attention to the fact that I don't feel emotions.

"You can't experience emotions without a soul, do you understand? Right now I'm standing in front of you and trying to make you think."

"Wait, wait, why did I feel emotions last time? And why didn't you reveal all the cards at once?"

"Because last time I wanted to make everything as realistic as possible so that you would think. Last time I didn't reveal all the cards because I hoped that you would understand what it cost you and would no longer put yourself in such danger. I know that only your grandfather is able to change your mind. Other people can only create doubt, which you will immediately dismiss. But you still haven't realized that your instinct for self-preservation has completely burned out."

"What did you say?"

"You didn't think that this fire on your skin was free, did you? In order for something to burn, you need fuel. The first time you burned your instinct of self-preservation. Seriously, did you really think that starting this investigation without any help was a safe thing to do? No! You started this investigation because the mercenary attacks annoyed you, not because you wanted safety. "

"What now? " I asked after I had processed the information.

"Unfortunately, you or, more correctly, your brain with all your will does not allow me to just quietly leave the body, so you have to make a choice. Your answer will determine what exactly you will lose. Or you can choose not to make a choice at all and die. Believe me, even though I am a soul, I do not know why I need to ask you questions and why I become stronger after these questions. It's just nature. Anyway, here's my question. Do you really think that individualism to such an extent as yours is good? You are not a normal, almost crazy sadist who is not able to live peacefully in society. Do you want to reform?"

"I am not normal only as long as there are people who adhere to morality at the top of society. If someone else stood at the top of society, then I would be normal in all respects. I am a free person who does, thinks and loves what I want! I am a beacon of perfection!"

The soul that took the image of my late grandfather sighed in disappointment and linked her index finger with her thumb in such a way as to create a semblance of tension. Before hitting me hard on the forehead, the soul said, "Just so you know. This time your brakes will burn out."

After a click on my forehead, I again felt the hellish cold, a Titanic weight on my back and the wind howling over the mountains. The wounds began to heal with a hiss, but something strange began to happen in the chest area. The alpha sphere, which was pierced through and rested next to me, seemed to have found a new owner. The skin, along with the muscles and vessels from the area of the wound on the chest, began to stretch to the sphere by themselves. They joined together into something like a hand and grabbed the alpha sphere. With one sharp movement, they inserted the sphere into the hole in the chest. After the sphere connected with me, I felt something indescribable. It was as if a new perception of reality had opened up to me. It's as if the whole world is filled with infinitely thin invisible lines that are constantly moving and bending. Even now, while my skin is just starting to burn, these lines are increasingly moving away from me.

I put my hands on the ground and with a sharp movement threw off the boulder. I quickly jumped out, but this action was met with a sharp response from a new sensation. Because of my movement, the mysterious lines began to move faster, as if they were parting in front of me. But due to the fact that I feel even the slightest of their hesitation, such a movement has become incredibly painful. It's like it's overloading my brain with so much information. Suddenly, I heard another volley of crossbow bolts being fired at me. At the same time, the invisible lines did not react to the bolts. I grabbed the nearest crossbow bolts that were stuck in the ground and threw them so as to repel the rest. The bolts collided with each other and began to spin in the air until they fell to the ground.

Having dealt with the bolts, I looked at where they came from. I saw only drifts of snow and rocks, but the lines drew clear silhouettes. It was as if there was a line of soldiers on the mountain who were reloading their weapons. I took the first step towards the invisible soldiers, but the lines began to move actively, which caused me to lose my balance and almost fell.

These lines overload my consciousness. But what if I reduce the load on perception? Like close your eyes?

I closed my eyes and took another step towards the invisible soldiers. This time, instead of complete disorientation, I just experienced a moderate headache. Satisfied that I could find a solution to the problem, I cracked my knuckles and jumped up to the invisible soldiers.

I will destroy them all.

In one leap, I got to the hill where the soldiers were located, or rather a little to the right of them. Guided by the lines, I punched one of the soldiers right in the head. My fist punched through the metal helmet and collided with the skull. I felt the entire front part of the skull shattered without experiencing such power. Taking another step forward, I grabbed two of my opponents and with a sharp movement pushed their heads off the ground. I felt the lines curving around the rest of my goals. It was as if they had just realized that they were being attacked. With a sharp kick to the chest of one of the soldiers, I threw him into two comrades. There are five still alive. Guided by the lines, I was able to release two magic arrows that successfully managed to kill a total of four opponents. I ran up to the last opponent and faster than he had time to do anything, I hit him on the head with such force that it disconnected from the body.

Next to those who died, the lines straightened, and the silhouettes disappeared. Judging by the invisible lines, there is no one alive in the next few yards except for a few creatures underground.

But as always there is a problem. Without sight, I can't even find the entrance to the mercenary base, let alone enter it. But if I open my eyes, my perception will be overloaded. I need to figure out how to reduce the load on perception in another way. Oh, I have an idea!

I opened my eyes and began to approach one of the fallen soldiers very slowly. Very slow movement allowed me not to lose my balance and get to the fallen dragon in armor. I slowly took two crossbow bolts from him and removed the tips from them. Although the snow cooled my skin, an unnatural blue fire was still breaking through from under my hands, just in smaller quantities. I took the tips and with an effort was able to crumple them to something similar in shape to earplugs. I put improvised earplugs in my ears and, as an experiment, took a sharp step forward. Again, complete disorientation was replaced by a moderate headache.

I turned around and saw the entrance to the mercenary base from a great height and jumped up to it. Landing right in front of the entrance, I threw large masses of snow into the air and started running deep into the mercenary base. At the base, I was first met by a staircase down and then a long thin corridor on the ceiling of which lamps were hung every few yards. Continuing along the corridor, I saw such a familiar figure of a minotaur in armor with a two-handed sword walking along it. He turned around and stared in shock at the figure running towards him. He muttered something, but I couldn't see anything because of the improvised earplugs.

Big swung his sword at me, but I grabbed the blade with two fingers in such a way as not to touch the pointed part. I pressed down on the sword and one crack after another began to run through it. The blade of the sword broke into many pieces and left Big without a weapon. I focused my weight on my left leg and delivered a crushing blow to my left side. Big's armor buckled under the impact and he himself flew into the wall. Before he could recover, I kicked him in the chest. Big broke through the wall with his body and ended up in some other room.

I jumped over the hole in the wall and looked around the new room. There are many boxes with various inscriptions in the room. "Provisions", "Weapons", "Armor", "Medicines" and so on. Paying attention to Big again, I saw that he was trying to get to his feet. Quickly closing the distance, I hit his chin with my knee and put him on his knees again. I grabbed his helmet and jerked it off his opponent's head. Having deprived Big's face of any protection, I struck another blow right in the face. By some miracle, he was able to survive this blow and get off with a simple impression in the wall.

Just now I felt something strange in the lines around Big. If all lines have a clear silhouette, then Big has a larger body and is uneven in many places. As if there is more in some parts of the body than in others. Suddenly, my brain making its way through the headache made a guess.

Magic. Someone helped him with the help of magic to get back on his feet faster and go into battle.

Big desperately got to his feet to continue the fight. I was instantly right in front of him and put all my strength into one crushing blow. First of all, it was fragmented. In the second place, the skull was broken. Finally breaking through my head, my hand came across something soft, but it was quickly destroyed. I pulled my hand back and saw that in place of the Minotaur's head there was only a hole made by my hand. Naturally, the minotaur did not survive after such damage and fell to the floor. No deathbed speeches, no second chances, and even more so no mercy. I'm sure he would have done the same to me.

Now I have to find my idiots.

I stepped over the hole in the wall and started walking towards the two silhouettes that loomed due to the distortion of the threads. Taking step by step and trying to restrain the increasing headache, I began to move through the mercenary base. Turn by turn, corner by corner, an endless road of bright satellites. At the end of one of the corridors, I saw a door slightly ajar, and behind it I felt silhouettes of familiar thestrals looming out of invisible lines. I kicked the door off its hinges with a sharp kick and entered the room. I saw Flying sitting against the wall and drinking his bottle of wine. Rising huddled in a corner thinking that it was a danger, but when he saw me he relaxed a little. Rising muttered something, but because of his improvised earplugs, I didn't hear anything. I waved him to stop and pulled out the improvised earplugs.

"What did you say?" I asked, pulling the earplugs out of my ears.

"This." Rising squeezed out of himself, pointing his hoof at me.

I tilted my head to the side and looked at me. The entire lower half of the coat and trousers is stained with some kind of green liquid and the upper half up to the chest is stained with blood only in some places remaining clean. In addition to the image, pieces of meat and bone fragments stuck to the hands. I wiped my hands on the nearest wall and tried to shake the liquid off my clothes. Unfortunately, the liquid has already dried on the clothes and has become inseparable.

"I'm in a playful mood right now, so I'll ask. How do I look? " I asked, spreading my hands to the sides.

"If you imagine that it's paint, it's not so bad. " Rising said as if he was surprised by this fact himself.

"Better than your old sullen look anyway. " Supplemented Flying by stopping drinking for a second.

"Weren't you going to wait?" I asked, paying attention to the fact that he was drinking wine that he wanted to keep longer.

"I already have." Flying answered briefly.

"Waited?"

"Yes."

"Okay, why are you staying here?" I asked, deciding to get busy.

"I saw this thing and thought it was a very important thing. This is for me and my success. " Said Flying pointing his head at the map on the wall before starting to drink wine again.

"Actually, we found her at the same time. " Rising said as if correcting his comrade.

"It doesn't matter. Let me see. " I said, pushing aside the Thestrals and coming closer to the map.

A massive Equestria map with new borders hung on the wall. The southwestern part of Equestria was signed as the Poison Rose. Manehattan and several adjacent territories were signed as Scarlet Legion. Large areas in the north and east including the mountains were signed as Cleansing Sword. The rest of Equestria was signed with the proud name League of National Revival. There was also a thick gray stripe with a question mark on the map between the league and other territories. In addition, some interesting information was indicated on the map. For example, many mines in the south that are not even included in the territory of the Poison Rose were signed as being owned. On the territory of Scarlet Legion, it was indicated that the port should always be open for League of National Revival. In addition, there was a massive safe under the map.

"Closed?" I asked without even going to the safe.

"Closed. " Confirmed Flying.

"Can you open it? "

"I've already tried it. It's the first time I've ever seen such a thing, like there's not even a keyhole here. How should I open it? " Flying asked as if he really wanted to hear the answer.

I bent down to the safe and looked at it. The safe has a strict black color and a mechanical digital lock. After taking a closer look at the safe and remembering that I am anyone but a burglar, I began to think.

Shoot?

With special care, I began to create a tiny arrow rune smaller than a tennis ball. The arrow flew out of the rune, but immediately after colliding with the safe, it ricocheted. I dodged a stray arrow and put Rising, which was in the risk zone, on the ground with me. The arrow made a hole in the wall at the place where Rising's head used to be. He looked first at me, then at the hole in the hole and swallowed nervously.

Okay, that was a bad idea. Plan b. Try to knock down the door.

I got up from the floor and went back to the brazen safe. This time I started hitting the safe on the part close to the hinges. The first blow made a decent-sized dent in the safe and caused serious pain. The second blow forced my fist to collide with some kind of second layer that turned out to be impenetrable. The third blow caused even more pain in his knuckles. The fourth blow. The fifth blow. The sixth blow. The seventh blow. The eighth blow.

"Calm down, nerd!" shouted Flying grabbing me by one of my hands with two hooves. This scream worked like a brake and I was able to stop. Exhaling, I lowered my arms and got to my feet. I looked at my right hand. After eight blows, the knuckles began to bleed and the unnatural blue fire became even bigger.

"What's wrong with your hoof, Mr. Sir Boss?" Rising asked with excitement in his voice.

"First of all, it is correct to say the hand. Secondly, this is a very long story from which you need to know only one thing. When the adrenaline finally wears off for me, it will become infernally painful, and I don't want that. Therefore, we need to take action. " I said, heading out of the room.

"What exactly needs to be done? " He asked Rising as if he was ready for anything.

"The two of you will carry the safe and this card. I'll carry provisions and medicines. " I said, taking a step out of the room. But the disorientation that made me lean against the wall reminded me of a nuance.

"The plan is changing a bit. You go ahead and tell me when you find a hole in the wall. " I said before closing my eyes and focusing on the lines.

The lines took the form of two thestrals, and guided by these forms, I began to follow them. Due to the behavior of these lines, I cannot determine whether the thestrals carry a safe or not. It remains only to trust them. In general, in general, now I can only feel myself and them, which means that I am now comparable to a disabled person. In order to function normally, I need to turn off one of the senses or sight or hearing.

"You mean this hole?" Flying asked, turning his head somewhere to the side.

I opened my eyes and cautiously took a couple of steps forward to check the hole. Looking into the hole and seeing the familiar boxes, I nodded and shouldered two boxes. One with provisions, the other with medicines. Putting the boxes on my shoulder, I closed my eyes again and gestured with my head with the thestral that it was time to go. They continued walking around the base until they started climbing the stairs. I very carefully, taking small and slow steps, began to climb the stairs.

I felt the cold hit me right in the face and at the same time I felt the burning sensation on my hands become a little less painful. I heard someone open the bag and pull something rustling out of it. I felt like a smaller silhouette that most likely belonged to Rising took a few steps forward and became the leader of the group. I sighed, focused on not falling and began to hope that Rising would not lose us in this snowy wasteland.

Brilliant little thoughts

"Why are we here? " Asked Rising while we were sitting at the bar. After buying a new alarm clock at a flea market, we stayed in the room and slept until midnight. Waking up at midnight, I went in search of a bar and found this place. Unfortunately, the Thestrals didn't leave me alone.

"You? I have no idea. I'm taking Overclocking. " I said before taking a sip from a mug of beer that the bartender provided me. The beer tasted just ordinary. I don't want to spit it out, but it's impossible to call it something tasty. Although I've tried beer three times in my whole life. Perhaps less.

"What are you doing?" Rising asked again without understanding my answer. Despite the fact that I was ready to buy everything the thestrals asked for, he didn't order anything. But Flying readily agreed and ordered white wine. He had already drunk two bottles and started on the third.

"I'm taking Overclocking. I need time to get drunk and start hunting." I said, not caring if anyone understood me and taking another sip from a mug of beer.

"Hunting?" Rising asked, not understanding anything and starting to annoy me with his questions.

"Today is the thirty-first of December. On this day, my grandfather and I were hunting in the forest. We called it the last hunt. I believe that hunting is not just about running through the forest and killing animals. This is the process when the first one strengthens its dominance over all the others. Of course I'll be the first. " I said reluctantly answering his questions and finishing my beer.

"I get it. " Said Rising, catching my annoyance and stopping asking questions. I'm sure he's lying.

"Hey, bartender! Pour me some red wine. " I said, tapping the mug on the table to attract attention.

"Are you and your company going to pay, drunk? Your company already owes the institution fifty bits." The bartender asked with pronounced irritation and dissatisfaction. The bartender is a unicorn in a white shirt with a bow tie. He has green eyes, yellow fur and a brown mane. The mane looks as if its owner tried to style his hair without having anything at hand. Although it turned out well.

"I already told you. I'll pay for everything when I'm done drinking." I said for the third time repeating the same phrase.

"I shouldn't be doing this." The bartender muttered softly to himself while looking for a bottle of red wine. He grabbed a bottle of wine with his magic grip and put it next to me after opening it with a corkscrew. He already realized that I was going to drink the bottle completely. I grabbed a bottle of red wine with my left hand and started pouring the drink into the mug.

"That's how it would be right away, nerd!" Said Flying before hiccuping from intoxication.

"Calm down. I'm not a drunk, unlike you." I said before taking a sip from a huge mug filled with wine. Taking big gulps, I could barely resist spitting it out. Swallowing hard, I realized that I would have to drink at least what was poured into the mug. Why did I think I would like red wine? Or any wine at all?

I sighed and, taking a break, began to look around the bar. In front of me were various cabinets, paintings and vases, among which various drinks were randomly placed. It's like someone just yesterday decided to turn their house into a bar. A single light bulb hung above me, without lampshades. In the rest of the bar, the light bulbs had gray lampshade. After looking around the bar, I noticed that it is probably the most crowded place I have seen in this city. Every second table was occupied by at least one pony, which in general created the effect of population. Seeing that most of the ponies in the bar have tassels on their ears and a specific shape of wings, I made a simple conclusion.

Thestrals.

I took a breath to gather my strength and made another volley of several sips of red wine. With difficulty, I swallowed the disgusting liquid and looked into the mug to check the amount of wine left. There's not much left. Literally a couple of sips.

"R-Rising, our drunk mentioned that he came to the city for free. D-Do you know something about this?" I asked, already starting to talk a little.

"It was called somehow difficult. Something like a program re something there. All interested thestrals have the right to travel to the nearest major city for free. In my case, it's Manhattan." Rising replied with the awkwardness caused by my condition.

"Understood, taken note." I said, returning to the mug with the disgusting drink. I took a deep breath and gulped down the rest of the drink. For a second it seemed to me that I would not be able to keep the liquid inside, but fortunately I managed. After putting the already empty mug on the table, I turned around to look at the wall clock. Judging by them, I'm stuck in this bar and taking overclocking for fifteen minutes.

Long. It's time to move on to decisive action.

"Bartender, pour me the strongest you have. So high-grade that the plastic world melted and I became perfection." I said, having completely stopped caring about being understood.

"You're already delirious, drunk." The bartender said before he started actively looking for something. Soon he found a glass and a small, low jar of green liquid. He just put a tiny glass in front of me and filled it with green liquid.

"What is it?" I asked, looking at the slightly spicy-smelling green liquid.

"The most powerful thing here is. Chilled absinthe in its pure form, that is, it is not diluted with anything. I want to warn you in advance. If you, a drunkard, die after that, then I am not responsible." The bartender said before turning away.

I don't feel apprehensive about it.

I grabbed a tiny glass and stared at it for a while. I took a breath and with a sharp movement tipped all the absinthe into my mouth. It tasted disgustingly bitter, but it was quickly eclipsed by a hellish burning sensation in the throat. With the second blow, I saw that my vision began to blur a little. With the third blow, I felt like my body wanted to throw absinthe out of my body with all its might. I covered my mouth with my left hand to stop possible vomiting and with all my might began to try to restrain vomiting. After a few thrusts, I miraculously managed to contain everything inside and leaned my right hand on the table. After the blows from the absinthe, I could only breathe evenly in an attempt to calm down. Consciousness is clouded.

POV Rising Moon

The captain looked terrible. He always kept in his back straight and proud and his eyes wide open. But now he is bent over and barely keeps his eyes open, which is why large bags under his eyes appear. He made a disgusting sound several times, as if he was going to vomit, but somehow, incredibly, he was able to restrain himself. I looked sympathetically at the captain for a few seconds and then looked angrily at the bartender.

"What are you doing!?" I said, both worried for the captain and angry to the bartender.

"Calm down. He asked for the strongest and I fulfilled the order. It's not my fault that he's so susceptible to alcohol. " The bartender replied in a calm voice.

I gritted my teeth and tried to think of some kind of answer. What would the captain say if he were in my place?

"R-Rising, pay the bill." The captain said with titanic difficulty pronouncing each letter and holding out a bag of gold coins with a shaking hand. I took a breath to protest, but the captain immediately looked at me with incredible aggression. I swallowed and took the bag with my wings, after which the captain abruptly lowered his hand as if he could no longer hold it outstretched.

"How much do we owe?" I asked, turning to the bartender and trying to cope with the aggressive look of the captain.

"Eighty bits if he stops drinking right now." Said the bartender, waving his head towards the still-drinking Flying.

"Stop!" I shouted to Flying.

"Hmm?" Asked Flying stopping drinking wine and raising an eyebrow.

"We're leaving. Stop drinking wine." I said, trying to be a leader as a captain. If he trusted me to pay the bill, then he trusts me, right?

"Nah, I think I'll stay. " Answered Flying away before continuing to drink wine.

As if the captain had heard my mental call for help, he raised himself on his elbows and straightened up, with a sharp movement took away a bottle of white wine from Flying. He got up from the bar stool and on shaky legs began to leave the bar on the way pouring the selected wine into himself.

"Hey!" Flying said indignantly before jumping off the chair and running after the captain.

"That'll be eighty-five bits." The bartender said, not surprised by what he saw.

"Yes, of course." I said after an awkward silence. I opened the bag of gold coins and quickly began to put them on the table. Having laid out the required amount, I quickly jumped off the chair and went after the captain. I quickly rushed through the bar trying to ignore the looks of other people. I got close to a wooden double door that did not touch the floor, which is why the wind calmly opened and closed it. I used the second wing to push the door open and went outside to find the captain.

I looked at the snow and saw how the captain's footprints were interrupted by hoofprints, as if someone was chasing him. Raising my eyes higher, I saw Flying in the distance trying to take the bottle away from the captain by climbing on the body like a mountain. Using the height difference, the captain raised his hand with wine high, thus giving nothing Flying. Due to the fact that my wing was occupied by a bag of money, I had to cover the distance on foot. When I ran most of the way, the captain's and Flying's speech became audible.

"Give it back! There's still some left." Said Flying while trying to climb on the captain and pick up a bottle of white wine.

"I pay, so I have the right to use." The captain replied with an unusual simplicity and pettiness for him. The captain, despite the lack of balance, was able to push Flying aside and proudly raised the bottle over his head. As if in mockery, he slowly turned the bottle over and drank all its contents.

"Nerd, it doesn't go through any gates anymore." Said Flying protesting.

"Nerd? You can't even imagine what brilliant little thoughts and little world wars I have! I have a whole twenty-four hours to implement all this! I went to do hara-kiri and you stay the same." The captain said utter nonsense before turning around and going to an unknown direction. Flying after a couple of seconds of sitting in the snow got up and started chasing the captain. Without stopping, I continued to run on the captain's trail. Soon I caught up with Flying and together we began to chase the captain, who moved surprisingly quickly on shaky legs.

"We have to catch him." I said to Flying when I caught up with him.

"Yes. He must answer for what he has done." Said Flying hinting at revenge. I opened my mouth to protest Flying, but a sudden realization stopped me.

If I don't tell him anything, he'll think I'm on his side. It's brilliant!

I swallowed the words coming up and just kept running after the captain along with Flying. Fortunately, he walks in a straight line and does not go out of sight. Oh, he turned the corner. We started running as fast as our hooves would allow and were able to get to the alley the captain turned into. At the same time, we turned sharply into an alley, which is why we collided and fell against the wall of some house.

I shook my head from side to side to clear the snow from my head and come to my senses. I saw how the captain caught in the balcony of some building and began to pull himself up with incredible ease. Flying had already recovered and continued to pursue the captain, but found himself at a dead end. The captain has almost climbed onto the balcony and is out of reach. Wait, he has wings and unlike mine, they are not busy with anything.

"Flying, wings!" I shouted while trying to get up on my hooves.

Flying didn't do anything and just stayed to watch the captain. The captain finally climbed onto the balcony and began climbing up the stairs to the roof. I finally managed to get up and ran up to Flying who was standing like an idol.

"Why were you standing!?" I asked, experiencing a spectrum of negative emotions. Starting from anger at Flying and ending excitement for the captain.

"I kind of. Well this. You know. . ." Flying began to mumble, abruptly losing his self-confidence.

"Just keep the money." I said, cutting off Flying and handing him a bag of coins. He timidly grabbed a bag of money with his wing, thanks to which I was able to free both of my own wings. I jumped up and flapped my wings in such a frostbite in the air. After a few flaps of my wings, I jumped onto the balcony. The balcony creaked under my weight, but after making sure that everything was fine, I started running up the stairs to catch up with the captain. After each step, the stairs made a thundering sound, but I gave priority to chasing the captain. When I was already beginning to suffocate from physical exertion, I heard the captain's voice.

"People, you're a dick on a platter!" Said the captain standing on the edge of the roof and staggering.

"You bourgeois class are rare bitches. You sit on your means of production, you play on your status and you, bitch get huge money every day at the expense of other labor. And if only everything was limited to that! You still arrange all sorts of nonsense with your threads. Starting from democracy and ending with something worse. Every fucking day a new culture or subculture or microcult is created, which people join and fuck my brains with all possible images. My brains! " Said the captain pointing his finger at the outwardly rich apartment building.

"And you, two, do not try to deny it, the petty bourgeoisie, also known as the middle class. You with your medium-high incomes, small businesses and other rubbish are no better! While the big bourgeoisie is fucking the working class and the working class is sitting with clenched teeth, you are not doing shit! You only talk about how everything in this world is bad, but at the same time, in fact, you are rolling like cheese in butter. In bad butter, but still butter! You create an island of communism for yourself and still go to the fucking elections from year to year to vote for the damn animals! " The captain continued to speak, this time focusing on the outwardly average apartment building.

"What do you think you are such saints if you are at the bottom of the pyramid? Nothing like that! You sit with clenched teeth and whine that you need a new liberator. Well done, great job! Some of you have stooped to glorify DEMOCRACY. This is absurd, this is nonsense, this is a circus tent. Why the hell, instead of demanding all the power for yourself and organizing mass strikes, do you agree to COMPROMISES? Compromise is nonsense for those who are afraid to take what they need and for those who are too stupid to plan well. Let's go forward to certain death! To the world revolution! " The captain said abruptly waving his hand forward in the direction of a very poor and shaky-looking house. This movement knocked him off balance and made him stagger.

"I'm catching!" I shouted as I shortened the remaining yards to the captain. He staggered back and forth standing on one leg and using his hands to balance. When I got to the captain, I stood up on my hind hooves, grabbed him by the waist with my front hooves and fell back. I closed my eyes and clenched my teeth, waiting for the captain to fall on me.

But nothing happened. I slowly opened my eyes and saw the night sky with the moon raised high. I rolled over on my stomach and got up on four legs to find the captain. He couldn't have fallen, could he? Fortunately, when I got up on my hooves, I saw the captain walking a little less unsteadily and with his right hand he gives me the thumbs up.

Is he praising me?

The moment I came to my senses, the captain had already gone somewhere. I abruptly ran up to the ladder, but seeing its length and the fact that the captain had already descended to the ground, I had to act. I jumped off the roof and spread my wings to achieve a slow hover. I did it with a little difficulty and I calmly landed on the ground. Looking at where the captain was passing, I saw Flying, which almost turned the corner. Starting to feel pain in my hooves, I started running again to catch up with the captain.

Turning to where Flying was, I was able to see the captain again, but something has changed. A surprisingly fast, shaky gait was replaced by a hopping gait. For each such small jump, the captain overcomes the distance that I cover on foot in a dozen steps. By some miracle, he had not completely disappeared from sight yet and I was able to continue the pursuit. Out of the corner of my eye I looked at Flying trying to figure out why it wasn't flying. So that I don't try to come up with all this sounds stupid.

I saw a bright sign that reads "Only with us! Live music every night!". The captain abruptly turned into an institution with a sign hanging over it and entered it. Learning from my mistakes, I slowed down so as not to run into Flying. He ran past me and entered the same establishment as the captain. I shook the snow off my head and trotted into the establishment.

I went down the stairs and saw a spacious room in front of me. There were a lot of lights on the ceiling, but most of them were turned off. All the tables were occupied by ponies and even other creatures who looked at one point with a mixture of disappointment and boredom. I looked where the others were looking and saw unique musicians. A duo of a centaur with a guitar and a Minotaur with drums performed on a well-lit stage. The music was really good. A loud, roaring but at the same time calm guitar, together with the rhythmic pounding of the drums, created a pleasant mix. But there was one critical problem. A centaur with a guitar, tried to sing into the microphone and play music at the same time. In the end, the music turned out great, but the singing was terrible. Emotionless, quiet, and generally judging by the constant stammering, the guitarist did not bother to memorize the text.

"Where's the nerd?" Flying asked loudly, suddenly appearing nearby.

"Don't scare me like that!" I said, jumping up from the suddenness.

"Is that the answer?" asked Flying sincerely, tilting his head to the side.

"Attention! An unrealistically important announcement! " The familiar voice of the captain said into the microphone. I turned my head in his direction and saw that he began to stagger again and even more than before. In addition, he unbuttoned his coat, exposing his chest and stomach. I noticed that on the captain's neck hung some kind of medallion made of black stone and something green and spherical seemed to glow from under the skin. No, I must have imagined it. At this time, the centaur looks at the captain in shock and does not understand anything.

"In short, can you imagine what happened? The vocalist was lost and "barely suppressed laughter" was forgotten! But I have returned from oblivion and am ready to give a sick concert. Thank you, proletarian, for the safety net, but I will take on the task on myself. It's going to be a cool, sick concert right now! Start a hurdy-gurdy, proletarian. " The captain said, communicating with the centaur as if they had known each other for a long time. After finishing his speech, the captain took the microphone off the stand and turned to the stage. After the shock passed, the centaur and the Minotaur slowly began to play another song.

It all started with a long drum roll after which the centaur began to play a calm, slightly sad song and the Minotaur beats the drum rhythmically. The captain seemed to feel the composition at all levels. He grabbed the microphone by the wire and began to rotate it at the same time performing something similar to a very strange dance. The head swung perfectly synchronously with the sounds of the drums and the rest of the body synchronized with the guitar. The captain was moving sideways and skipping along the front of the stage as if he wanted everyone to see him. Along with the guitar roar, the captain bent back strongly while leaving his legs in place. When the guitar roar ended and there was a second of guitar lull, the captain stopped in a position where his back was perpendicular to the floor. When the guitar returned, the captain returned to his former position with a sharp movement like a risen from the dead and continued to walk around the stage. There was something about this scene of perfect synchronization of the music and the captain . . . fascinating.

In the endless wilderness of space
Endless freedom of sorties
There is a black and white place
The plastic world is called this huge collection of fairy tales

I really didn't expect this. I could never have imagined that the captain is so. . . terrible singer. His voice didn't sound pleasant for a second. He was constantly almost tearing up his voice and just my ears hurt from his voice. But there was something else. There was pure sincerity and soul in his singing. It's as if he puts all his strength into this song, into every word, every letter.

The captain quickly adapted to the musicians. He was able to pick up such a rhythm that the end of each line ended with a drum beat. The captain stopped singing again and returned to his strange dance. By this point, the audience in the hall began to experience a huge range of emotions. In any case, they were no longer bored. The captain again began to bend in the opposite direction along with the roar of the guitar and straightened up and continued to sing into the microphone.

Everything is IS IS
The Plastic World
In an infinitely conditional herd
In an outdated, rotten word
In the pierced through the bird!

The captain has reached a new level of expression. On the last line, he sang so loudly and hysterically that he almost broke his voice. Hearing the last line, a shiver went through everyone's body in the hall. Maybe someone was scared, but I was in awe. The captain did not hesitate for a second while he sang despite his terrible singing voice. The captain returned to his dance and waited for something. At some point, the song moved on to the final part, in which the tempo significantly accelerated. The captain felt it and started singing the final part.

Plastic has aged, tarnished, gone limp and turned into oil
It's time for sick, stupid, funny and turned into soil
It's time to return to your intergalactic wilderness
It's time to return the endless freedom of sorties and cheap LOSSESS!

Along with a long and loud guitar riff, the captain pulled the last word until all the music died down. I remained looking at the captain with genuine admiration and surprise. How can you sing so badly and so well at the same time? Out of the corner of my eye, looking around the audience in the hall, I saw that they were experiencing a mixture of shock and surprise. In a good or bad way? I don't know.

"So that's it, proletarian. Let's do the next song." The captain said energetically raising the microphone and addressing the centaur with the guitar.

"It was like the last song." The centaur said with awkwardly in his voice. He is still trying to understand this situation.

"Well, if that's the case, I'm off." Said the captain, putting the microphone on the stand and jumping off the stage. Landing on two legs, he quickly began to walk to the exit under the accompanying glances of everyone in the room. Together with the distant slam of the door, Flying came to his senses and started chasing the captain again. I blinked a few times, shook my head from side to side to come to my senses and started running after Flying.

I found myself on a cold street again and started looking for the captain. Next to me was Flying, who was also looking around, but unlike me, he was also listening intently. Suddenly he chuckled softly to himself and slowly walked somewhere in the direction of the alley.

"Where are you going?" I asked, bowing my head in a sign of misunderstanding.

"I hear him." Said Flying with a malicious smile while walking to some distant alley.

I cautiously started following Flying but kept my distance. After taking a couple dozen steps, I began to hear terrible sounds. It seems that someone is coughing up all the insides. The terrible sound was repeated several times, then turned into spitting and by the time I got to the alley it had already subsided. In the alleys, I saw the captain kneeling next to an open trash can.

"What happened? Just retribution?" Flying asked mockingly.

"Fuck you, toy soldier." The captain said slowly between breaths while wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

"Okay, okay, don't get all worked up." Flying said without hiding his smile and gloating.

"By the way, Flying where's the bag of money?" I asked, turning to him.

"I have the bag." The captain said, pulling a bag out of his coat pocket and showing it to me.

"How are you?" I asked, but I was interrupted by a voice from behind.

"Hey, man." A male, tense voice said from behind.

I turned back and saw the musicians who were performing on stage. I took a second to look at them more closely. The centaur with the guitar was blond with long hair just below the shoulders and square sunglasses with white frames. Behind him stood a minotaur with red, tangled hair much shorter length, a black almost square little hat on his head and round glasses with a red frame. How can they see anything through these glasses?

"Dude, you kind of really helped us out, you know?" The centaur said with a hint of gratitude.

"No need to thank me. Your situation was saved, and I was able to realize my little thought. This is a fair exchange. " Said the captain getting up from his knees. It looks like the alcohol hasn't worn off yet.

"Dude, it's all cool and all business, but I'm kind of here on a mega cool case, do you know? It's like we don't have a soloist at all, you know? " The centaur said with a hint.

"I'll tell you more. We don't have any band names. . . no aliases. . . no lyrics." The drummer added, shifting from foot to foot and making long pauses between phrases.

"Do you need both a soloist and an ever-blooming creative flower at once?" The captain asked, continuing to carry utter nonsense.

Or do these words make sense?

"Well, like yes. Agree, this is a good offer, you know. Let's make history together, you know?" Said centaur constantly says the same words. For him, it's like a manner of speech.

"I'm not in a position to negotiate right now. Coming to the hotel tomorrow at two o'clock in the afternoon and then we will discuss everything." The captain said, returning to his standard behavior for a second.

"Okay, man." Said the centaur smiling before turning around. He pushed his friend with his hand, giving him the signal to go.

The captain turned around and started walking quickly in the opposite direction from the musicians. This time I was able to follow him calmly and not waste my energy on catching up. I opened my mouth to say something, but the captain shushed me sharply, hinting that I should be silent. By the time we were almost out of the alley, a question from a centaur was heard in the distance.

"Wait, which hotel and where?" He asked, after which the captain began to run away with a muffled laugh.

Not again.

I sighed and, despite the hellish pain in my hooves, started running after the captain. Every step is difficult, but I keep running. I can only console myself with the fact that serving in the Guard has made me more resilient. But I'm still a long way from being a captain. While I was running after the captain, I noticed out of the corner of my eye that Flying continued to chase the captain. What for?

"Why do you keep running?" I asked between breaths.

"The nerd got his, but I still want to see what he does." Said Flying as if it was just an attraction.

I didn't say anything to that and focused on running. This time the captain was staggering even more so he could not develop normal speed. After each step, the captain staggered, balanced with his hands and took the next step. It's amazing that he can walk at all and even so fast in such a state.

After running an impressive distance, the captain slowed down and moved to a step. I was sweating all over and with difficulty continued to follow the captain, simultaneously trying to catch my breath. Flying in turn doesn't seem to be a bit tired. While the captain was walking, he looked around in search of something.

"Mr. Sir Boss, where are we going?" I asked without restraining my curiosity.

"We? Don't know. I'm looking for a bar somewhere. I have another day of brilliant little thoughts and little world wars ahead of me, and alcohol is already wearing off. It looks like my metabolism is too fast." The captain said without paying much attention to me.

I didn't find the words to answer, so I just nodded and continued to follow the captain. He continued to look around in search of the bar and stagger, but it seemed that every step he took was a little steadier than the last one. The captain looked to the right and continued walking as if there was nothing there. But there was a wooden sign with an uncomplicated inscription "bar".

"Mr. Sir Boss, there." I said, pointing with my hoof at the sign.

"What's there?" The captain asked in a dissatisfied voice.

"I'm sorry. Ahem, I wanted to say that there is a bar there." I said correcting myself.

The captain looked where I was pointing and narrowed his eyes. It seemed that he was thinking about something but with great difficulty. He breathed in a sign of understanding and went where I pointed. Passing by me, he put his hand on my head and stroked me like a dog. I heard Flying laughing softly, but I didn't pay attention to it. The captain, after a little praise in my direction, went where I was pointing. I shook my head from side to side to concentrate and followed the captain, despite the pain in my hooves. The captain's gait has already managed to recover to a perfectly smooth and seemingly planned walk. The captain, guided by touch, was able to find the door to the bar and I followed him.

We found ourselves in a very strange bar. Every table, chair, and lamp was different. For example, there were two chairs around one of the wooden tables. One is wooden and the other is metal. This approach was observed throughout, as if the furniture was randomly purchased. The captain did not pay attention to this and quickly got to the bartender. She was a Thestral with dull lilac hair and gray fur. Looking closer at her, I noticed a strange detail. Her fur was thicker than mine or anyone else's. I've heard that Thestrals have more fur in the north, maybe she's from the north? The captain sat down on the only bar stool with a square seat. The rest were round of varying degrees of quality.

"Bartender, I need alcohol. Powerful so that I could barely stand on his feet." The captain said, seemingly oblivious to the fact that there was a girl in front of him.

"Um, of course." The girl behind the counter replied awkwardly before turning to the bar shelf. It seems that she is working for the first time.

The captain sits nervously and taps his fingers on the table while waiting for the order. With his other hand, he holds his head as if it is splitting. I wanted to come and sit next to the captain, but Flying was abruptly ahead of me, taking the seat closest to the captain. For a second I thought he stuck his tongue out at me. I clumsily, briefly repeated the gesture and sat down to the right of Flying.

"White wine on the table!" Said Flying with a smile. Probably because he won't have to pay.

"Yeah." The girl said with barely concealed stress. Yes, she's definitely working for the first time.

Flying's ear twitched and he turned to the captain. I raised an eyebrow and tried to look at the captain from behind Flying. I could only see that the captain was breathing with his mouth open and looking very irritated at the girl who could not find the right products. It's like he's holding something back, but it's ready to break out.

The girl turned around sharply holding two glasses in one wing and two bottles in the second. She quickly but elegantly placed two glasses on the table. One glass had a very thin stem and a wide bowl. The second glass, in turn, was small in height and about square. The girl using her wings slowly and carefully filled each glass. Flying immediately grabbed his glass and started drinking. The captain slowly took the glass and began to drink in large gulps. After the first sip, he started coughing and banging his fist on his chest.

"What is it?" The captain asked, clearing his throat.

"Beer made according to a family recipe. Stronger than any whiskey." The girl said with bragging and pride in her voice.

"Oh." The captain said wearily, taking a few breaths. Gathering his strength, he gulped down the entire contents of the glass and started coughing again. He put the glass down on the table with a bang and began tapping the glass with his index finger, hinting that an additive was needed. The girl had already started to navigate in the new environment and quickly poured the captain a beer.

"You know, you are my first clients." The girl said, addressing all of us with a desire to just chat. Maybe.

"The petty bourgeoisie." The captain said before drinking another glass and coughed. Oh no, not again.

"Who?" the girl asked sweetly, tilting her head to the side.

Captain, she doesn't understand you. Just like me.

"Forget it. I don't have the right weight on my back to explain." The captain said, backing up and putting the glass on the table to be refilled.

"Oh, I get it! You're a poet, aren't you?" The girl asked good-naturedly. How could this be considered poetry?

"Rather a small ultra-radical who loves his swamp more than a common city." The captain replied, slowly returning to the utter nonsense.

On one of the lockers, there was a notebook that the girl took with one wing and grabbed a pencil with the other. Having prepared herself, she politely asked the captain, "I myself like to write poetry in my free time. Do you mind if I write down your phrases? I think they can be a source of inspiration."

"Hit and don't regret it." The captain replied tapping his finger on the glass, hinting that it was still not filled. Was it a yes or no?

"So what kind of heaviness on back were you talking about?" The girl asked, taking it as yes, having previously put the right bottle next to the captain so that he poured everything for himself.

"This is another incomprehensible, funny and sick metaphor." The captain said before drinking the third glass in one gulp and coughed again. Why is he doing this? Isn't it easier just not to drink?

"Can we play a game? I try unravel the metaphor and you give me hints. How do you like the idea?" The girl said it as if she was really looking for meaning in the captain's words.

It's just drunken nonsense that doesn't make sense, right? Right?

"Good. The first clue. The metaphor about heaviness on the back sounds completely like this: Unbearable lightness or tolerable heaviness? Note that this is exactly the question. Tell me when you need another hint." The captain said as if he was sure that nothing would work out for the girl.

"Unbearable lightness, unbearable lightness, tolerable heaviness, tolerable heaviness. It's something about the types of people, right? " The girl asked, holding a pencil in her mouth.

The captain nodded affirmatively and poured himself another beer. He raised his glass and drank. He no longer coughs, but still winces after every glass. I noticed a clock that hung high on the wall. It's four o'clock in the morning. I sighed realizing the terrible fact.

It's going to be a very long day.

"Unbearable lightness is wealth that has nowhere to go and heaviness on the contrary?" The girl asked as if she was sure that she had answered correctly.

"No. It's about world views." Said the captain, pouring the remaining beer into a glass. The girl frowned, thinking harder.

"Unbearable lightness is pessimism and tolerable heaviness is optimism. Is it that simple? " The girl asked again, being sure that she had answered correctly.

"No. I suggest you surrender. " Said the captain before drinking his beer.

The girl puts a pencil in her mouth and stood with a thoughtful look. After a few minutes of reflection, she sighed ruefully, "I give up. What does that mean?"

"I came up with this a few minutes ago. Unbearable lightness is to live like an ordinary person and obey the laws of the majority. I understand that it's lightness, but it seems unbearable to me. In a certain sense, I envy people who can live like this. Tolerable heaviness is to live like me, in constant mental and physical conflict with the outside world. Its heaviness, but it's tolerable for me. " The captain said while gesturing for another beer.

No, it can't be. He's probably joking.

"An interesting thought." The girl said, writing something down in her notebook and giving the captain another bottle of beer.

"Brilliant little thoughts and little world wars." The captain replied before opening the bottle and starting to drink carefully right from the throat. After each sip, he stopped for a couple of seconds and took a few breaths.

"World wars? How can something worldly be small?" The girl asked, preparing a notebook to write down further.

"Small is often called something insignificant. If two billion people live on the planet, for example, then the death of a hundred million is insignificant. The world wars are so small and far away. They need to be repeated regularly and examined with a magnifying glass to remember. " The captain said, having already completely stopped caring about the intelligibility of his words.

"It's very. . . an interesting way of looking at things." The girl said, trying not to offend the captain and again writing something down in her notebook.

"Interesting, funny, sick. Call it whatever you want." The captain said before taking another cautious sip of beer.

"Funny, sick. Is it about the attitude of the majority towards the weirdos? " The girl asked once again being sure of her rightness.

"Bull's-eye. " The captain said before taking a last, big sip from a bottle of beer. The captain began to squint his eyes hard and blink slowly, which made his bags under his eyes visible.

How does she do it?

The girl smiled and wrote it down at a fast pace. Suddenly, her eyes widened with realization, and she put the notebook on the table. After that, she stretched her wing forward in greeting. "I completely forgot to introduce myself. My name is Home Fermentation. Nice to meet you"

The captain looked at the wing for a few seconds and thought. As a result, he slowly stretched out his hand, shook the wing and reluctantly introduced himself "Daniel Ctumer."

After a brief acquaintance, the captain sat on the spot for a while and covered his mouth with his hand. Nothing happened and after a couple of seconds the captain abruptly stood up, which made him stagger. He leaned on the table so as not to fall. Slowly straightening up, the captain pulled out a bag of money and hit Flying on the back telling him to stop drinking. Flying's eyes widened sharply, and he turned to the captain while hissing in pain.

"I understand everything, but did you have to hit so hard!?" Flying asked angrily.

"Must I? No. Nice? Quite." Said the captain before turning to Home Fermentation.

"How much?" The captain asked briefly, ready to pay the required amount.

Home took another notebook and started writing things down in it. After writing something down and after a few seconds of tapping the pencil on the notebook, she replied with a regretful smile. "Two bottles of the strongest beer is eighty bits. One bottle of wine is twenty bits. A total of one hundred. "

"Oh. " Said the captain reluctantly laying out the required amount. Home continued to smile regretfully as if consolingly saying "I can't do less than the price."

While the captain was laying out the money, I got up from my chair so as not to run after the captain. The hooves still hurt, but it has already become a little easier. Just a little bit. The captain finished putting the money on the table and carefully turned around so as not to fall. Turning towards the exit, the captain began to walk unsteadily to the exit of the bar. But Home Fermentation hailed the captain.

"Wait , Daniel." Said she softly.

"What do you need?" the captain asked, turning his head towards Home and barely keeping himself on his feet.

"I just want you to know. The bar is open from eight o'clock in the evening until ten in the morning. " Said Home as if she was offering to come in again.

"Maybe someday I'll come in. I won't promise anything." The captain said before turning around and heading for the exit.

While he was walking, I noticed his gait. His gait has reached some new level of shakiness. Literally, after each step, the captain begins to lose his balance, fall forward and is forced to connect the whole body to stabilize.

Why, why do you need to drink alcohol? And in such quantities?

I looked at Flying who drank a lot of white wine. He doesn't stagger, doesn't talk nonsense, and generally feels great. He walks smoothly and calmly. And he says. However, as usual. Nothing changes.

What is the difference between them?

No matter how I looked at these two, nothing came to my mind. There is nothing that could explain why the captain reacts so strongly to alcohol. Maybe it's the dosage? The captain, after all, drank a lot today and judging by the description of something heavy for the body. Yes, it sounds logical.

The captain continued to walk along the street with a very shaky gait and turned around. He's looking for something again. After what seemed like a hundred years of searching, a bright building appeared on the horizon, on which there were many bright signs as if enticing moths. One of the signs said "casino". The captain began to walk unsteadily towards the casino while I was walking and looking at the sky. The moon has already begun to set below the horizon and the sun has slowly begun to rise up. Today I was able to understand one thing about the captain's behavior.

He always has a "brilliant little thought".

The captain together with me and Flying got to the casino. I saw two earth ponies in dark, formal suits standing in front of the casino entrance. The captain shakily tried to ignore them and go into the casino, but the guards defiantly stood in front of him. A decent amount of gold coins fell out of the captain's pocket and landed in front of the guards.

"Highly respected citizens, you dropped it." The captain said with a mixture of mockery and pretense while pointing his hand at the gold coins.

The guards seemed to recognize this version and parted to collect "their" money. The captain took a shaky step forward and opened the door to the casino. Flying, unlike me, did not pay much attention to this. But while I was walking, I carefully looked at the guards. Aren't they supposed to be, like, guards? The captain obviously did not fit into the rules of the casino in any way, but a certain amount of money forced the guards to do their duty. It feels like that. . .wrong.

I shook my head from side to side and followed the captain into the casino. So I was greeted by an incredibly luxurious-looking room. There were four gold chandeliers hanging on the ceiling. The ceiling was decorated with various, incredibly detailed drawings. To the right of the entrance there was a cash register behind which there was a girl with a friendly smile. There were a lot of ponies walking around the room, but the vast majority were sitting on chairs made of dark wood. In the casino I counted more than a dozen tables, each of which had a lot of ponies. The captain, it seemed, did not look at the casino for a second and boldly but shakily began to walk to the cash register. The girl didn't seem to react to the captain's condition in any way and started talking.

"Hello, sir. Do you want to get chips? " The girl behind the cash register asked kindly and politely.

"Yes." The captain could hardly pronounce as he took out one of the bags of money. In the bag, judging by the appearance, there is still decent money left, but not as much as before. He put it on the table, the girl seemed to calculate the entire amount in an instant and gave out a few chips. Two black, four blue and two white. The captain did not check anything and took his chips. He abruptly turned away from the cash register and turned towards the hall. His eyes moved quickly, almost imperceptibly, in search of something unknown to me. Suddenly, he fixed his gaze on something specific and started walking towards one of the tables.

After a few steps, I was able to determine where the captain went. He went to the table on which it was written "Dealer must draw to 16 and stand on all 17s". It would be great if I understood this fully. The captain seemed to know perfectly well what to do and sat down at this table. There were about half a dozen ponies nearby who did not react to the new player. Opposite the captain sat a unicorn who was currently examining everyone present and shuffling cards from different decks. The rest of the players began to put chips in special fields that were highlighted on the table with a white outline. The captain made a bet of two white chips. For some reason, the other players chuckled softly when they saw this.

What's so funny about that?

The unicorn in front of the captain began to deal out two cards to everyone and finished with it, gave himself two cards, but one of them was turned over. The captain got two cards, each of which had a deuce written on it. That's good, right? To the right of everyone, sat a girl who, in her soft, elegant voice, asked for another card. Then the man who was sitting to the left of the girl said in a stern voice that he did not need additional cards. It was the captain's turn.

"Give me the cards." The captain said confidently sitting in a chair, spreading his legs apart and beckoning to him with his hand. The unicorn on the opposite side of the table gave the captain a card. The captain got a map with the letter A written on it.

"Don't be greedy." The captain said, continuing to beckon with his hand. The unicorn issued a second card. The second card showed a drawing of a knight and in the corner was written the letter J. The captain sighed in disappointment and leaned back in his chair. The unicorn used the horn to attract the chips that the captain had placed. What happened?

"Mr. Sir Boss?" I asked uncertainly after a few seconds of gathering my strength.

"What do you need?" the captain asked in an angry, almost irritated voice. Usually the captain was just impressive, but now he's. . . scary.

I swallowed, trying to recover from such a reaction of the captain, but I could only squeeze out a short phrase "Nothing, absolutely nothing."

The captain abruptly turned back to the table, and I quietly sighed to calm down. Flying was standing to the left of the captain and didn't seem to be paying attention to the situation. I cautiously looked at the captain again, as if even looking at him could cause something terrible. The captain has already made a new bet and received a new set of cards. The captain puts all his four blue chips and got two nines. He has only two black chips left. The girl again asked for another card and after receiving it, she laughed sweetly. I looked at her cards out of the corner of my eye. She had a seven, an eight, and one knight. She lost and reacts so calmly? The man to her left did not demand a card. It was the captain's turn again.

"That's enough." The captain said with annoyance. Not too strong yet, but still audible.

The captain remained sitting and waiting for developments. After the remaining players made decisions about the cards, the unicorn opened his second card to everyone. As a result, he got a ten and a nine. The unicorn calmly took their chips from the captain and several other players. The captain put his hand to his forehead and looked at the unicorn with a murderous look.

It's just a game, isn't it? Why worry so much?

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw that Flying took a step away from the captain and with a wave of his head hinted to do the same to me. I shook my head negatively and stayed where I was. The captain placed one black chip. He had one more in reserve. There's nothing else. The unicorn began to deal the cards to the players and the captain got two fives. Both the girl and the man sitting to the right of the captain refused new cards. The captain's turn came again.

"Double! " The captain loudly declared, adding another black chip to his bet. There is no more stock left. The unicorn gave the captain another card. It depicted the letter A. The captain nervously tapped his fingers on the table while waiting for something. I still don't understand the rules. Flying still wants to keep its distance. In the end, the unicorn showed the second card. He has a seven and a five. The unicorn gave himself the next card. An eight was added to the previous cards. The unicorn took the chips from some players, but returned the chips to the captain in double size. As a result, the captain now has four black chips.

"Who where and I went." Said the captain abruptly taking his chips and got up from his seat. I followed the captain who, instead of going to the exit, began to walk slowly to another table. On another table there was a strange wheel on which there were numbers sequentially repainted in red and black colors. The numbers were separated by low golden partitions. But the green field with the number zero was knocked out of the rules, which was the only one of this color and was separated from other numbers by a low silver-plated partition.

The captain walked very slowly and seemed to stumble. But the shakiness couldn't get stronger just like that, right? Suddenly, the captain staggered violently and fell to one knee literally before reaching a couple of steps to the roulette table. The captain tilted his head to the side for a second as if studying something and then got back to his feet. He continued walking towards the table in the same manner as before. When he got to the roulette table, the captain sat down on a chair, leaned back as much as possible on the ebony back and began waiting for the ball to fall on the right number. The ball fell on a black field with the number twenty-six. Several players sighed in disappointment when the unicorn started taking their chips. After taking the chips from the unsuccessful players, the unicorn examined all those present and made a barely noticeable nod. The players began to quickly bet their chips. The captain took all his four chips and put them on zero.

Is he playing for all the money!?

I looked at the captain with a cocktail of various emotions. He smiles at the other players. But his smile is not happy. She looks like that. . . animal-like, probably? In any case, the unicorn took a ball with his magic and threw it into roulette. The roulette began to spin and the ball rolled on it. The ball knocks loudly on the numbers as it slows down. The roulette began to slow down its rotation and almost stopped. The ball began to slow down and almost landed on the red number twelve. The captain took a sharp breath. Suddenly, something indescribable happened. The air seemed to heat up for a moment and hit the ball. The ball moved forward and fell exactly on zero. I looked at the captain who continued to keep his beastly smile. He moves his eyebrows and sweats as if trying to contain unbearable pain. Taking a closer look at the ball, I saw that a number of barely noticeable cracks had passed through it.

What happened? Does the captain have anything to do with this? How did the cracks appear?

The unicorn took the captain's black chips and after a little digging under the table gave him twenty-eight purple chips. The captain grabbed them with both hands and carefully got up from his seat. He started walking very slowly and cautiously towards the cash register. Every step seemed to cause him unbearable pain. Having barely reached the cash register, the captain puts all twenty-eight chips. The girl at the cash register blinked in surprise for a few seconds, but still took these chips. After a few minutes of digging under the table, the girl gave the captain a huge bag full of gold coins. The captain slung the bag over his shoulder and began to walk unsteadily to the exit. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that Flying was looking at the captain in shock. At least we don't disagree with it.

The captain pushed the door open with difficulty and went outside. I followed him as close as I could to support him in case of another fall. The flying one still keeps a distance of a few steps. The captain carefully, slowly reached the nearest alley and then fell next to one of the walls. He was sweating all over and trying to catch his breath. In addition to this, he clutches his head with his hands and moans softly in pain.

"Mr. Sir Boss?" I asked with excitement in my voice.

"What do you need?" the captain asked in response between breaths. There was anger in his voice, but it wasn't directed at me.

"What happened there?" I asked continuing this series of questions and counter-questions.

"In short? I wanted to win at the casino and hoped that a crowd of security guards would come up to me. Well, you know, the casino always wins and stuff like that. Unfortunately, nothing happened and I was left with a bag of money." The captain said after catching his breath a little and patting a huge bag of gold coins with his hand.

Why would the captain get into a fight? Why is he not happy with the win? What happened to roulette at the casino? Why is the captain such a captain?

I took a breath to ask all these questions, but nothing happened. Thoughts are blurred even before they have fully formed. The captain's gaze only presses harder. There are disturbances. What if it's a secret? What if the captain gets angry from such questions? What if?

"Okay, I still have time left." The captain said, slowly getting to his feet and grabbing a huge bag of money.

"For what?" I asked, mentally praying that the captain would give an understandable answer.

"The passive phase of brilliant little thoughts is over. The active phase of the little world wars is beginning." Said the captain with a terrible smile baring all his teeth. I mentally cringed when I saw it, but I didn't show it. After these words, the captain began to walk out of the alley, still staggering. Before following the captain, I looked wearily at the sky. The moon has already disappeared and the sun has begun to illuminate everything around.

It's going to be an awfully long day.

And little world wars

The captain with a huge bag of gold coins was walking unsteadily down the street in a direction unknown to me. Flying kept a decent distance from the captain as if something terrible could happen. On the contrary, I tried to keep as close as possible to the captain. He turned his head back and forth again in search of something. As the past has shown, this will not lead to good. But I have to at least prepare for the captain's ideas.

"Mr. Sir Boss, where are we going?" I asked cautiously after a few seconds of gathering my strength.

"Three short stairs. Three steps on each ladder. Each step is funnier than the last one. The slave will not dare to take a single step on these steps. I will walk on every ladder and every step."Said the captain, which only created more questions that I didn't dare ask. The captain continued to walk in an unknown direction, regularly turning from side to side. Suddenly, he saw something and began to walk unsteadily towards it. I turned my head to where the captain went and saw the monument. The monument consisted of three statues, each of which belonged to a different type of pony. Pegasus, unicorn and earth pony.

The captain put the bag next to the monument, walked up to it and read aloud the sign "The monument is dedicated to Smart Cookie, Clover the Clever and Private Pansy who united the pony tribes with their friendship."

"Where is Pale Page?" I asked, looking at the monument.

"Who?" the captain and Flying asked at the same time. How can they not know that?

"I remember this fairy tale. Four ponies from different tribes became friends and eventually united all ponies in Equestria. Earth pony, unicorn, Pegasus and thestral. Smart Cookie, Clover the Clever, Private Pansy and Pale Page. But the latter is not here. " I said, still trying to realize that the captain and Flying don't know this. Especially Flying.

"I see. The good old rewriting of history. Given the reintegration program, most likely this monument will be redone. Do you understand what this means? " The captain asked, placing his hand on the head of one of the statues.

"What? " I asked cautiously but focused more on my thoughts. How could they just forget about the existence of one of the four?

"We will help the government like good slaves!" The captain shouted before knocking one of the statues on the head with his knee. The head fell off with a bang and went several yards into the air before landing in a bush. Then the captain grabbed the head of another statue with his hands and began to squeeze. After a few cracks, the stone shattered and shattered into pieces. There is only one unicorn statue left. The captain grabbed the horn of the unicorn statue with his hand and began to pull up. The stone began to crack again and gave the captain the horn. The captain bent down to the right as if he wanted to look into the eyes of the statue and with a sharp movement stuck the horn into the eye of the statue. As a result, the once beautiful monument looked half destroyed.

"I wish I had a sledgehammer. I'll have to make do with this." Disappointedly said the captain jumping to the ground and shaking himself off. Having finished with this, he shouldered the bag of money on his shoulder and started walking somewhere again. Surprisingly, Flying immediately followed him while I thought for a few seconds looking at the wreckage of the monument.

Maybe it's fair? They forgot about the Pale Page and paid for it. Maybe the captain really did something right and maybe even noble? Maybe he always does something right, but I don't notice?

Suddenly, the captain stopped abruptly and with his hand told us to stop. After a few seconds, the captain smiled and began tapping his knuckles on the wall as he walked into the alley. A rhythmic dull sound is heard along the lifeless quiet street. The captain turned the corner and we went with him. I saw a group of three Earth ponies standing over a Pegasus girl. They heard the captain's tapping and turned to him with annoyance.

"What do you need a two-legged cow?" The pony who was standing in the middle asked rudely. He smelled terribly strongly of cigarettes. Even at a distance of a few yards, the smell is felt. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw that Flying is particularly unpleasant to this smell.

The captain continued to tap his knuckles on the wall as if he wanted to annoy a bunch of Earth ponies. And it worked.

"What are you waiting for, cow? Are you calling your shepherd?" The central earth pony asked with fury and mockery.

"What are you waiting for, Dani? We'll be done in three seconds now." Said Flying taking a decisive step forward. I can't believe he's really willing to help a stranger in the form of a Pegasus girl. Although judging by the captain's face, he believes that Flying has its own far from noble motives. Seeing the opportunity to impress the captain, I also took a step forward, informing him that I was ready to help in the fight. The captain looked at the two of us in turn and then looked at the three Earth ponies with a smile.

"Well, we have an equal number. I think in order to turn such a "serious" threat into flight, some kind of divine intervention is needed. " The captain said, putting his right hand under his coat and showing us the countdown to his left. He bends one finger every second. Four fingers left. Three fingers left. Two fingers left. One.

"Allah is above us, the earth is below us, knives are in our pockets and flying towards you!" The captain rattled quickly before pulling out a knife and throwing it into the front hoof of one of the Earth ponies. Fortunately or unfortunately, the captain missed due to intoxication and the knife landed on the ground. Judging by their facial expressions, they are unhappy that they were attacked.

"It seems that in order for the phrase to work, I have to be a Muslim. Which I am not. Although this in itself was a bad idea in every sense." The captain said with all seriousness analyzing his failure. Looking closer, I saw that he was barely holding back his laughter. What's funny here? Who or what is Allah and a Muslim?

Pull yourself together, I have another problem.

My brain gave me the right advice, which I immediately followed. I narrowed my eyes, subconsciously spread my wings and focused on the Earth ponies that could attack at any moment. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed how the captain, despite his condition, put the bag on the ground and stood in a fighting stance. Flying seemed like he was just going to rush at the first one he came across and crush him with a mass. I know from personal experience that Flying is terribly strong and heavy. Wait a minute. The captain is experienced, Flying is just strong and I am?

I've been practicing with a sword. I don't have a sword under my wing, nor do I have the skills to fight without weapons. The captain's knife lies at the hooves of the Earth ponies. I'm dead.

I swallowed nervously, trying not to panic and keep a confident look. The Earth ponies stood up and began to make a strange movement with their hooves, as if they were accelerating on the spot. Sweat pours down the forehead and spoils the wool. The Earth ponies took off as if they were going to ram. They're coming fast and they don't seem like they're going to stop. Yes, they are definitely going to ram.

What to do, what to do, what to do? I don't really want to go ramming either. I also need a head like the rest of my body. Maybe um. . .

There was no time to think. One of the Earth ponies was already two hooves away from me. I need to do something. I flapped my wings so as to launch myself forward and stretched my right hoof forward. Either I was lucky or I subconsciously did something in any case, I was able to hit the earth pony somewhere in the neck. In addition to this, I didn't have time to slow down, which is why I collided with him and fell somewhere. After the collision, I felt a terrible headache and warmth near my nose.

"Rising, are you with us or are you going to rest here? The captain asked, squatting down in front of me and snapping his fingers at my face, which was able to bring me out of my stupor.

"Yes, yes, I'm with you!" I said, coming to my senses abruptly and jumping on all four hooves.

"Great. I was already afraid that you wouldn't look at the most fun part. We, Well, objectively speaking, I went through the first step on each ladder and it's time for the second step." Said the captain, returning to the phrase incomprehensible to me. Looking back and suffering a headache, I saw that Flying had disappeared somewhere.

"Where's Flying?" I asked out of pure curiosity and with a little hope in my voice. Maybe he's gone?

"I sent him to the liquor store for alcohol. The alcohol is mine. Flying will be back soon." Said the captain destroying my hope

"By the way, your nose is bleeding. It's not fatal, but you're more useful to me alive and well." Said the captain before getting up and leaning back against the wall. There was a big bag of money next to his leg. I slowly ran my hoof over my nose and saw my own blood. The captain focused his attention on one of the exits from the alley.

"How long did I sleep?" I asked with apprehension in my voice.

"Two minutes maximum." The captain said, slowly tapping his foot on one of the Earth ponies that were lying on the ground, which made him groan in pain. In response, the captain only laughed softly and continued to wait for Flying. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that the captain's knife was still lying on the ground. I slowly walked up to him and lifted the knife from the ground with my wing.

"Mr. Sir Boss?" I asked, taking the captain's knife with my wing.

"What do you need?" The captain asked without turning his head to me and continuing to slowly tap his foot on the earth pony.

"Your knife. " I said, handing the captain his weapon.

The captain turned his head to me and took a closer look. After a few seconds of reflection, the captain took the knife, nodded and said "Well done, Rising."

I couldn't hide my smile from the praise, but I still answered the captain with a nod. The captain turned back to the exit of the alley in anticipation of Flying. I stood to the left of the captain to watch too. As we wait, I feel the blood flowing out of my nose cooling in the cold air and freezing right on the fur.

Disgusting.

"Rising." The captain said, turning his head to me.

"Yes? "I asked cautiously.

"Follow my instructions. Tilt your head forward and lower it a little. Don't swallow blood and breathe through your mouth. If anything, spit blood on the ground. I'll do the rest. " Said the captain, ceasing to watch the exit from the alley and coming a little closer to me. I obeyed and tried to ignore the fact that the blood began to drip more heavily from my nose. Then the captain made an unexpected and strange thing. He grabbed me with his very cold hand just above my nostrils.

"What are you doing?" I asked nervously.

"I stop bleeding from your the nose. Don't be afraid, I have experience." The captain said confidently, continuing to hold my nose.

"What kind of experience?" I asked cautiously, but wanting to hear more details.

"I was hit for the first time at the age of three. The first time I had a full-fledged one-on-one fight was at the age of seven. The first time I fought with a group was at the age of fourteen. I'm twenty now. Draw conclusions." The captain replied. This is a lot of vague information.

After a while, the dripping of blood stopped and the captain let me go. Flying came around the corner holding under the wings three bottles of which were written gin and one bottle of white wine. The captain took everything from him except the wine. Having finished with this, the captain opened the first bottle of the mysterious gin and took a cautious sip.

"How does it taste?" I asked, succumbing to curiosity. Mentally, I scolded myself for this and tensed up, waiting for the captain's reaction.

"Cold as the cosmic wilderness. I like it." The captain said, turning on semi-normal speech.

Phew, it's gone. I guess I'm too nervous and worried.

The captain took another sip and started walking again. With each step, his gait became more unsteady. I followed the captain while Flying slowly walked behind and sipped his wine. As we walked, I started to think.

Okay, pull yourself together, Rising. The captain is just a little special and won't get mad at a simple question. Just do it.

"Mr. Sir Boss, where are we going?" I asked after a few seconds of gathering my strength.

"To the police station." The captain said before taking another sip from the bottle.

I asked, despite the fear of angering the captain.

"It will be convenient to walk up three steps of all the stairs at once," the captain replied, taking another sip from the bottle. It's amazing that he's still standing.

"Don't you need to look at the map?" I asked, deciding to digress a little from the topic so as not to annoy the captain for sure.

"I have a photo of uh. It's, you know, a photo of no no. It was called something else. Like a photo, but much longer. In short, I have a good memory. I remember everything. " Said the captain unsuccessfully trying to remember the word. To begin with, I would like to know at least what a photo is.

After that answer, I didn't dare to continue asking. I continued to follow the captain in silence while he poured more alcohol into himself. When he ran out of the bottle, he threw it into the wall with a sharp movement, which made me jump in surprise and take a step back. The captain ignored this and pulled out a second bottle of gin from his coat pocket. He quickly opened it and took another sip before continuing to walk.

"Scared?" Laughing, Flying asked, looking at how I jumped and backed away.

"Me? No, I'm fearless!" I replied, trying to look confident. Judging by Flying's raucous laugh, he found it even more amusing. I tried to close my eyes to this and continued to follow the captain, but an unpleasant aftertaste remained.

After what seemed like an eternity, when my hooves seemed to have worn off from constant walking, we finally reached our destination. The sun has already managed to reach and get out of zenith. It's very difficult to keep my eyes open, but I'm holding on. Looking for the police station, I involuntarily have terrible memories pop up in my head. These tortures. Through the closed glass doors to the station, it was visible that various ponies were walking back and forth.

The captain narrowed his eyes and began to examine the site as much as he could. Then he turned around in search of something. Having finished with this, he motioned us to stop and walked alone towards the police station. Having reached the station, the captain quickly turned somewhere to the side. And so I and Flying were left alone to wait for the captain. This is clearly not the option I would like.

"What do you think about Dani?" Flying suddenly asked after stopping drinking his wine.

"Where do such questions come from?" I asked, interested and hoping to get away from the topic.

"Hey, I'm just trying to start a conversation. Standing in the middle of the street is boring, you know." Flying said with a hint of slight resentment in his voice.

I sighed, gathering my strength and turning away from Flying, "At first I just wanted to earn the captain's favor, but after a while I began to really admire him. It's hard to explain, but the way the captain holds himself, commands, speaks and acts with subordinates and in itself there is onto something inspiring about it. . . probably? I do not know how to describe it normally. "

"Don't you care, for example, about everything that he has done in front of me?" He asked Flying as if he wanted me to change my mind.

"The captain definitely has a reason. The girl that Captain "nervous swallowing" tortured was a mercenary. Another mercenary attacked him. Now he's just drunk and hasn't caused any real damage. Believe me, I've seen worse people." I replied, trying to hide my uncertainty.

"Have you seen worse people? Well, tell me." Said Flying showing strong assertiveness.

I started looking for something with my eyes to change the topic of conversation. I don't want to say it. I don't want to remember it for a second. Forget it, erase it from your memory. When I was completely desperate, I saw the captain running from the police station and pouring a drink into himself. Running past us, he shouted and continued to run, "Right now there will be a joke!"

I exhaled and mentally thanked the captain for saving me from an uncomfortable conversation. I gathered my last strength and overcoming the pain in my hooves began to run after the captain. Fortunately, he was not running too fast and greatly simplified the chase process for us. By the time the hooves had already begun to shake with tension, the captain stopped at the wall and grabbed his head with his hand. I fell to the ground and started taking quick breaths trying to rest. Endurance is at zero, and as a finishing I want to sleep. Flying was standing nearby and looked slightly tired. Slightly. Just a little bit.

"Where's the joke you promised so much? " Asked Flying as if it was really important right now.

"Right now," the captain said, stretching out every word and sound to stall for time. When Flying opened his mouth to continue talking, a loud explosion sounded in the distance. I pressed my ears to my head from such a loud sound and squeezed my eyes shut. After a few seconds, I found the strength to open my eyes and look in the direction of the explosion. There was a strange, unnatural two-tone smoke in the air. In some areas it is black and in others it is blue. Looking at this smoke, I can't get rid of the feeling that this is wrong. This shouldn't exist. I turned away wanting not to see this smoke and saw Flying looking accusingly at the captain.

"Don't look at me like that. The explosion damaged only the building. No one was physically injured. I ran away to divert suspicion." The captain said, responding to Flying's disapproving look.

Flying seemed to have had enough of this explanation and he stopped looking so judgmental. I was still tense from the explosion, but the captain's words calmed me down a little. There was silence between us for a few seconds. The captain threw away the second bottle somewhere and took the third one out of his pocket. Flying stands and watches the captain as if he might throw out something unexpected and dangerous. I try, but I can't take my eyes off the unnatural smoke in the air. Everything in my body screams that it's wrong, that it shouldn't exist, that I need to run away from it, but I still couldn't take my eyes off it.

"Okay, there are three steps left. Let's go." Said the captain, removing his hand from his head and starting to walk slowly in an unknown direction to me.

Flying, after a little thought, followed him, and I tried to make the body move for a few more seconds. In the end, I was able to get up on shaking hooves and start walking slowly after the captain. Fortunately, he was slow enough that I could follow him without getting drunk. Looking ahead, I saw that strange, huge statue that I saw when I arrived in the city by train. This is a green statue of a mare with a mantle and crown that holds a sign in the left hoof and a raised torch in the right. Judging by the way the captain goes to her, he intends to do something. Something I can't stop. Although the captain always has a reason and he will never harm the innocent, so everything is fine. Right?

Breaking through the thin snow by the standards of the mountains in which we were, a slight wind and tangled streets, we reached the embankment. So there was something like a fence that separated people from the water so that no one fell. To our left was a staircase that descended to several bridges next to which ships were standing. One of them was wooden and four-storeyed with four pipes from which absolutely normal steam and smoke came out. The captain started walking towards him confidently, which made me nervous. I don't like where this is going.

"What are you going to do, Mr. Sir Boss? Please answer clearly." I asked using all my willpower to overcome stress and fear.

The captain was surprised by my move and stopped for a second. After a couple of seconds of absolute silence, the captain raised his hand, pointed at the statue and began to say, "Do you see this statue? This statue is a real symbol of fake freedom. This ugliness prevents you from enjoying the landscape. This is an eyesore that prevents you from thinking and perceiving the world truly freely. Every person who takes pictures and admires this ugliness, in my understanding, humiliates a person's right to freedom. This statue and everyone who is standing next to it now must be destroyed."

No, that's not right. The captain probably just drank too much. I can't let the captain make such a mistake. If he does this, he feels bad and maybe he will even be fired. I have to help.

"Maybe you shouldn't destroy it?" I asked uncertainly, not knowing where to start. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that Flying just hung on the captain's wording.

"Humpback grave will correct. I like that expression." Said the captain taking another sip from the third bottle.

"Maybe it's not so bad? Maybe, maybe they'll even agree with you! " I said, shouting out the first thought that popped up in my tired and sleepy head.

"What. Did you. Say? " The captain asked, bending down and looking down at me. I swallowed nervously but tried to line up under the captain's gaze. I can't let the captain make such a terrible mistake.

"If they can be impressed and riveted by some kind of statue, then you will definitely succeed! You are with a singer, ruler, hunter and many other titles. Who will guide them to the right path if not you?" I said, trying to maximize my admiration for the captain and convince him.

The captain looked into my eyes for a long time, thinking deeply. After what seemed like an eternity, the captain sighed and began to speak in a softer and less strict voice. If I think about it, this is the first time when there is no aggression or mockery in the captain's voice, "Do you really think so, Rising?"

"Of course!" I said it sincerely.

The captain took a deep breath and said, before starting to walk towards the land, "Rising, thank you. Remind me to reward you properly tomorrow. You can't put thanks on bread. Refusal is not accepted."

Outwardly I didn't show it, but mentally I rejoiced. It was a victory. I saved the captain and received praise. Even as a bonus, I got the opportunity to receive a reward from the captain. Hurray!

"I was already afraid that I would have to act." Flying whispered in my ear.

"Scared?" Asked joking about Flying.

"Me? No, I'm fearless!" Flying replied, parodying my voice. I chuckled softly along with Flying. Maybe he's not that bad.

"Are you with me or will you spend the night on the street?" The captain asked, returning to a strict, commanding and tough voice. The soft voice was a temporary action. Together with Flying, we simultaneously ran up answering the question without using words. The captain nodded and started walking in the opposite direction from the ship, finishing the last bottle of his drink on the way. When he was done with it, he threw the bottle at the nearest wall again. The abrupt action and the subsequent sound could no longer frighten me.

The captain began to walk through the streets and very rarely turned into alleys. As we walked, we met familiar places. First, the alley from which the earth ponies have already escaped, but my puddle of blood remains. A little creepy and unpleasant. Then, in the distance, a casino appeared from which the captain took out a bag of money. Isn't it hard for him to carry it on himself for half a day? After that, we walked past the bar where there was a girl who was able to understand the captain's strange phrases. Then, as a reminder of both bad and good singing, we walked past a club with live music. Then past the roof from which the captain almost fell. Looking at her, an unresolved question awoke in me. Why didn't Flying take off then? It's kind of embedded in his name. I shook my head from side to side and continued to follow the captain. At the end of our road of memories, we passed the first bar.

In the end, we got to the hotel. I can barely stand on my feet and I'm terribly sleepy. The sun has almost disappeared below the horizon and the moon has begun to rise. The captain pushed open the door and entered the hotel with us on his tail. The stallion who was sitting at the reception desk choked on his coffee after seeing a huge bag of money from the captain. The captain did not pay much attention to this and put the bag on the ground to pay off. He untied the knot on the bag and slowly began to put the required amount on the table. A few coins fell out of the captain's hands and rolled on the floor, but he did not pay attention to it. Unlike Flying, which took a few coins with its wing. As a result, having finished paying off, the captain tied a knot on the bag, put it on his shoulder and started walking up the stairs to his room. I struggled up the stairs trying not to fall asleep every time I blink. As a result, we got to the cherished door.

The captain pulled the keys out of his pocket and, with a shaking hand, inserted them into the lock not at the first attempt. Then he turned the key to the side and opened the room with the coveted double bed. I quickly went into the room and with the last of my strength got to the bed. Forgetting about all the rules of decency, I sprawled on the bed and fell asleep almost instantly. Before falling into a sweet sleep, my tired brain could only create one thought.

It's finally over.

Crybaby

"In the endless wilderness of space." A disgusting voice sings in my head. As if the voice of a disgusting singer torn from an ancient cassette accompanied by intelligent musicians screams and spins in my head causing great suffering. It's like every move this idiot makes hits me in different parts of the brain. My eyes are closed and I have neither the strength nor the desire to open them. The body, or at least its position in space, is not felt at all. Slowly, like a half-dead engine, my brain started to start.

First, the last memories surfaced. It all started when I was in a bar and took Overclocking. Then the bartender served me absinthe. I drank it. . . and that's it. Some blurry flashes, feelings and nothing else. The clearest thing I remembered was one phrase. Brilliant thoughts and world wars. Who said this, what meaning did the author put in and when? Nothing. Empty. Just the fact of the phrase's existence.

Like the second turn of a key, my brain once again tried to start up. There was an exhaust of random, mixed and twisted thoughts, after which the brain stalled again. Individual phrases without information from the sender and quickly crumbling meaningless sounds. Random thoughts cut off in half. And the unceasing voice of a disgusting singer who continues to beat me on the brain from the inside. He is the only one who makes complete words and sentences here.

For the third time, my brain made another exhaust of random thoughts and was able to continue rattling. My brain started up and began to analyze gradually. At first I started to feel a terrible thirst in my throat. Then I felt the invisible lines moving and taking on the image of creatures. A dog on the main street, one pony within a few yards, and two voids. It feels like the lines in the two areas have parted to the sides and gone out of my perception. These holes without lines are moving somewhere. It's a mismatch, and it's annoying.. Then I felt a shiver all over my body as if it was shaking from the cold. As soon as I thought about the cold, I began to feel it and instinctively began to chatter my teeth. I felt that I was sitting and leaning my back against something solid. When the pain from all these factors became unbearable, my brain began to form one thought after another.

Did you celebrate well, crybaby? I hope so, because it's time to get back to work. Three hundred and sixty-three and ideally three hundred and sixty-five days of tireless work. Now, crybaby, open your eyes and go save the world. Without the perfection that you and only you want and can become, we will not see freedom.

I slowly, cautiously opened my eyes and saw darkness. I was in some room where there was humidity and slow dripping of water. Slowly turning my head to the left, I saw a closed door from under which the light shone through. I tried to get up, but the trembling along with complete disorientation brought me back to my place. My brain, already wound up to the current maximum, began to throw ideas.

Do you remember the rooms in the hotel, crybaby? The only place in your hotel where water can drip is the bathroom. Get up, wash up and go out. Us are waiting for blind eyes that have not seen perfection and degraded minds that do not recognize you as such. Wait, you're not perfection, crybaby! You're just almost. If you don't pull yourself together, you will remain an unnecessary Mr. almost. Make do with the minimum possible time to get back on the right track.

I started to get up slowly, carefully, holding on to the wall and using my shaking hands to balance myself. I was able to hold myself only on slightly bent legs, as if I could not be a normal upright. My vision was able to adapt to the darkness and I was able to make out the mirror and the outline of the shell. Slowly, I began to hobble towards her, straining everything I had to stand on my feet. In the end, I got to the sink and turned the faucet to the side. Without hesitation, I took to the water in my hands and splashed it in my face. Only then did I realize that the tap was running infernally hot water.

Idiot! You yourself know that you can't trust anyone. Everyone is jealous of you, wants something from you or wants to eliminate you. Even this crane can't be trusted. Turn the other way and wash normally. WE. LOSE. TIME.

I hissed from the hot water but did not scream. I turned the faucet handle the other way and carefully brought my finger to the water. I felt a strong cold and after making sure that the temperature was stable, I splashed water on my face again. After repeating the process several times, I leaned over to the tap and started drinking, wanting to overcome thirst. I swallowed the water without hesitation and began to slowly hobble to the exit from the dark bathroom. On the way, I turned to the wall to get additional support. Walking slowly along the wall, I reached the door from under which the light was coming through and turned the handle.

I was blinded by a bright light that made me close my eyes with my hands. I, guided by touch, began to look for a rope switch. Finding something, I abruptly pulled down and the light turned off. When I relaxed and took my hands away from my face, I saw that the lamp was sagging heavily, as if it would fall at any moment. I carefully walked forward, not wanting to be under a falling lamp. I made it to the main room where the light filtered through the curtains in sufficient quantities to see but not enough to blind me. I saw how Rising was lying on the bed and threw the blanket on the floor. Judging by his closed eyes, he is sleeping and is not going to wake up any time soon.

Check the drawers and the safe. Now it is above all.

I turned my head to the corner of the room and breathed a sigh of relief. Two drawers, a safe and a bag are still in place and in the same form in which I left them. They were supplemented by a huge bag lying on its side and from which several gold coins fall out. I don't have any memories of what happened last night and this. I could say that this is alarming, but in fact I am more concerned about a headache, trembling all over my body and two voids where there are no lines.

Well done, crybaby, you're starting to think. Grit your teeth, clench your hands into a fist and deal with these voids.

I put my hands in my pockets to check my gear. A knife, a phone with a broken screen, keys, a piece of paper, a card with a smaller card, a card from a mercenary shelter and bags of money that have lost weight from constant spending. I pulled my hands out of my pockets and shifted my hand to a thin dagger that was clamped between my belt and trousers. I took my hand off the dagger and noticed my bare, uncovered chest. Where's my red T-shirt!? Did I work on it for so long that it just disappeared!?

Calm down, T-shirt probably burned down when you were fighting in the mountains. Unquestionably bad, but at least you have a coat left. But you still screwed up.

I sighed and quickly began to fasten the buttons on my coat. Because of the shaking in my hands, it was very difficult for me to button my coat. In the middle of the process, I was stopped by a knock on the door. The knock is very persistent, strong and furious, as if the one who knocks is ready to knock the door off its hinges. In principle, I can also do this, and if he doesn't finish hammering at the door, then I will knock it off its hinges myself.

"Knock yourself on the head." I said as I walked to the door and buttoned my coat. Without thinking, I put my hand on the door handle and surprisingly was able to open it. Yes, it looks like I forgot to close the door to the room. In front of me I saw two familiar ponies with barely concealed rage on their faces. A good conversationalist and a terrible ruler. Laurel and Hardy. Silent Bob and Jay. White and black. Celestia and Luna.

The situation is undeniably dubious. If anything, take Rising and throw it at them like a projectile. Having confused them, use the knife for a sick purpose. It's just a plan in case diplomacy fails.

Celestia opened her mouth to start talking, but she was abruptly interrupted by Luna, from which the rage was oozing, "Why did you do this?"

"First of all, you told me yourself that you need to say hello first. Secondly. . ." I started to say, but Luna interrupted me again.

"Don't get off topic. WHY DID YOU DO THAT?" asked Luna, emphasizing every word.

"Don't interrupt and don't yell. It makes my head hurt even more. Secondly, I don't remember what happened yesterday." I said, taking a few steps back so that annoying interlocutors could enter the room. Fortunately, they took the hint and entered the room, closing the door behind them. A second's respite and the look of Celestia was able to calm the moon a little. Quite a bit.

"First of all, I have to ask. Who is this?" Celestia asked, pointing with her hoof at the sleeping Rising.

"This? One of my soldiers." I replied, trying to ignore the headache.

"And what is he doing here? " Asked Celestia, continuing to ask questions.

"Wait, I need to prepare everything I need. " I said walking up to the safe and taking the documents that were in it. It will be inconvenient to explain everything without props. For some unknown reason, when the princesses are nearby, the invisible lines diverge so far that I can't feel them.

"It all started the day after Christmas. When I woke up, I was attacked by mercenaries. Despite the hangover, I was able to repel their attack and take the first tip. Seeing this, I went to Manhattan. " I said, showing Celestia a thin dagger with an inscription telling about the place of production.

"So you met with a deadly danger and decided to play detective. Do I understand correctly? " Celestia asked, clearly not happy with my decision.

"Believe me, I hate detective stories and was not happy with such a prospect. Why didn't I ask for help? I wouldn't have been able to pay. And please don't tell me about kindness and the like. I know that free cheese is only in a mousetrap." I said saying obvious and unquestionable things.

"We'll discuss it later." Go on now. Celestia said, putting off a series of questions for later.

"When I arrived in Manhattan, I found a workshop where this dagger was made. Unfortunately, I was not allowed to look at the necessary documents, so I had to climb through the window into the workshop under the cover of night. There I found the right document, but in order to avoid problems and suspicions, I decided to copy the information from the document to the sheet. " I said, pulling out of my coat pocket a folded piece of paper on which I had previously copied the information from the document in the workshop. Celestia took the sheet and began to read it to herself along with Luna.

"This is interesting information, but how does it relate to the assassination attempt on you?" Celestia asked while Luna was silent and thinking.

"I just needed to find out the name of the organization to which the mercenaries belong. I'm not interested in the rest." I replied, wanting to end the conversation as soon as possible.

"Go on. Celestia said with a deep sigh.

"Then I met with the mayor of the city wanting to satisfy my personal interests and get some information. As a result, I found out that it would not work to break into the headquarters of the mercenary organization directly because of the remoteness, but there is a hidden base in Equestria. Then the mercenaries attacked me for the second time. At the cost of some wounds, I was able to capture and interrogate one of the mercenaries. During the interrogation, it turned out that the mercenary base is located in the north of Equestria in the mountains. By the way, then in the city I met and took two of my soldiers as assistants. Flying Night and Rising Moon. Rising is right here in front of you at the moment. Where Flying disappeared I have no idea." I said out of the corner of my eye looking at the still sleeping Rising. Maybe it's time to wake him up?

"What do you mean by interrogation?" Celestia asked with caution.

"I knew you were stupid, but not that stupid. I did the things that first came to my mind. He broke his knee, tore out his fang, punched him in the jaw, hit his head on the table, cut off three fingers and tortured him with water. " I replied, listing everything I had done.

"Just tell me what happened next. " Asked Celestia, clearly stunned by so much violence. Luna, on the contrary, does not seem surprised by this.

"I went to the mercenary base together with Flying and Rising. There I ran into two mercenaries who were hunting me and a group of crossbowmen. Every single one of them was killed. I found this map and interesting documents in the mercenary base." I said, handing Celestia a map, a lot of letters and a signed document. Celestia, along with Luna, looked at everything I provided for a long time. I saw their eyes slowly widen as they familiarized themselves with the material. After reading this ton of waste paper, silence reigned in the room for a few seconds.

"You have worked well this week. Despite the fact that you had to rest. " Said Celestia.

"But that doesn't change what you did," Luna said, returning to this topic.

"I don't remember what I did yesterday. " I replied, casting an irritated glance at Luna.

"Was he with you yesterday? " Luna asked, pointing with her hoof at the still sleeping Rising.

"Wake up!" I said, coming closer to Rising and shouting right in his ear.

"What? Where?" asked Rising slowly waking up. Probably I still had to teach the soldiers to wake up quickly. Yes, I definitely missed an important thing and was too soft.

In any case, you need to find out from him what he knows.

"Rise, Rising. Great things are waiting for you. A report on what I did yesterday for the "highly respected" ladies." I said, waving my head in the direction of the princesses. Rising blinked several times and saw the princesses in front of me. He opened his mouth in a silent scream.

"Calm down. Just forget about the existence of the authority of others." I said while I covered his mouth with my hand.

"Easy to say." Rising hesitantly squeezed out.

This is no good.

"Think logically. You're going to talk about what I did yesterday. If I did something serious, then you will definitely remember it. If it makes you feel better, then I am ready to act as a guarantor of the absence of condemnation in your direction.

"Tell you what you did yesterday, right? " Asked Rising after a long silence.

"Yes."

Rising took a few breaths in and out to gather his strength and began to briefly tell: "Yesterday you were in a bar and, as you put it, took Overclocking. Then the bartender gave you absinthe to drink, and you became very ill. In this bad state, you started wandering around the city. First you climbed on the building and started shouting incomprehensible things. Then you went to a club where you sang a song. I liked it by the way. Then you went to a bar where you talked to the barmaid. You have a nice conversation and you said that you might come back again. At the end of the first half of the day, you went to the casino where you first lost and then won."

"Wait, you mean you won at the casino? You can't win in a casino." I said, raising an eyebrow and doubting the quality of Rising as a source.

"But somehow you did it." Answered Rising himself without having any guesses. Or not wanting to share them.

"Okay, go ahead. I said with a sigh.

"Then you destroyed the monument to the ponies who united the pony tribes. After that, you stood up for the girl in the alley who was attacked by three Earth ponies. I and Flying helped you. Then you did something to the police station that caused a strange explosion. According to you, not one pony was injured. After blowing up the police station, you went to the big pony statue wanting to destroy it. I talked you out of it and you went to the hotel. I fell asleep and then I don't know what happened."

Partial demolition of the police station. Just think for a second. You did it while drunk. What if that's not what speaks of your superiority, crybaby? But you can't do without criticism. This is undoubtedly a spectacular action, but I would prefer something bigger and more destructive. Maybe the whole Canterlot? In addition, if no one died during the destruction, then people will forget about it in an hour or two at most.

"Now guess, Daniel Ctumer, what exactly you did wrong. " Luna said, calling me by my full name.

"If you expect repentance, there will be none. I really don't understand why I should feel guilty. " I answered, knowing perfectly well what exactly Luna didn't like.

"Then I need to tell you one important thing. Do you remember telling me that you combined your dark and ordinary magic, which is absolutely forbidden to do? As a result, the resulting mixture can remain in the air like ordinary magic and cause harm almost like dark magic. In other words, the area where that explosion was is now life-threatening. " Luna said with undisguised condemnation.

"How life-threatening is it?" I asked, still not feeling guilty. Or anyone's at all.

"If someone stays in that area for a long time, they can get serious damage to internal organs. Especially the lungs." Luna said, continuing to press me unsuccessfully.

"It doesn't sound like anything scary." I answered with a shrug.

"YOU have paralyzed the work of the police station." Luna said, continuing to push me harder and harder. It's getting boring.

"I have a thousand and one reasons why I don't care. Starting from the obvious that I didn't know about the consequences and ending with the fact that they couldn't notice the danger. Let's stop at the last point. If law enforcement agencies are not able to protect even themselves from an attack, then how can we talk about protecting civilians? No response required. Since the activities of the police station are paralyzed, then all its employees are obliged to engage in mass and comprehensive development. By the time the station starts working again, its workers must embark on the path of perfection. To suppress emotions in yourself, to set one goal that is above all and go to it at any cost. In my understanding, the goal of a real guardian of law and order should be the destruction of any crime." I said hoping that this tirade would make Luna shut up.

"We will go now with my sister and discuss what to do with you." Luna said, barely restraining her rage and turning towards the door. Obviously, she is annoyed by her own wrongness.

Great job, Crybaby. Another one has fallen to the dust. This year promises to be better, more even than last year. Although it seemed that the ceiling of happiness had been reached. It would be nice to look at what is happening on Earth right now. Hopefully, I'll be back before the fun begins.

Celestia and Luna left the room along with all the evidence I provided and slammed the door shut. I heard them stand up in the hallway and start talking so softly that I couldn't hear anything. Rising exhaled after unconsciously holding his breath. Or consciously I do not know. In any case, after exhaling, he stands and seems to gather his strength. A couple of times he opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came up. He looked around the room for a topic of conversation. In the end, he found a topic.

"Where's Flying?" Asked Rising after inspecting the room.

"I have no idea." I answered, returning silence to the room. Rising focused his attention on me and after the inspection made a startled sigh.

"What happened?" I asked, raising an eyebrow and waiting for the two princesses to return.

"Y-Your h-hand." Rising replied by raising a shaking hoof and pointing at my right hand. I focused my attention on my right hand. The palm is normal, the thumb is also, the index finger is similar, the middle one is normal as always, the ring finger is normal, the little finger is black and charred at the end. Everything is as usual. No, wait.

I looked at my little finger. The whole part of the little finger where the nail was charred as if it had been in a terrible fire. The skin was charred and turned black. Although most of the little finger remained intact, it is still annoying. Most likely, I won't feel anything with the tip of my little finger anymore.

Objectively speaking, the loss is not big.

"Rising, do you have any ideas?" I asked, knowing that this definitely did not happen until yesterday.

"I have an idea." Rising answered uncertainly. It seems that he believes in this idea less and less every second.

"Tell me." I said, trying to ignore the little finger.

"When you were playing at the casino, there was something strange. You inhaled sharply and for a moment I felt some kind of warmth in the air. Then I noticed that several cracks appeared on the roulette ball. Maybe it's all somehow interconnected?" Asked Rising being unsure of his theory himself.

"If this is all the information, then I do not know. There are too few details and I don't have a single memory of what I did at the casino." I replied, trying to forget about the existence of a burnt little finger.

The door opened and the two princesses returned to the room. Judging by the expression on Luna's face, she is dissatisfied with the final decision. On the other hand, Celestia seems confident that she has made the perfect decision.

"We have made a decision, but before it is announced, I want to ask you, Daniel. Do you remember the city you attacked?" Celestia asked as if she wanted a specific answer. No, go to hell, I won't say what you want.

Quickly, a philosophical approach to the stage!

"A very strange statement. The attack is most often used as part of the conduct of hostilities between countries, which I, as an adherent of a wide range of left-wing views, do not approve of. Or do I approve? Our reality is so complex and confusing that it is so difficult to hold one opinion, especially considering that people can judge you differently depending on their own views. For example, you are a kind social Democrat and as a result, from the side of the Socialists you are just a moderate nationalist capitalist and from the side of the real nationalists you are a damn communist. How difficult. . ."I wanted to continue my speech on a distant topic, but Celestia interrupted me.

"This town is called Ponyville and there is an interesting situation. The Guards defended the city, but unfortunately did not get a well-deserved rest due to the general workload of the Solar Guard. There's just no one to replace them. But the newly recreated Lunar Guard is free and its soldiers already have basic training." Celestia said, stopping so that I could finish her thought myself.

No, I'm out of your plan.

"So what?" I asked, deliberately raising an eyebrow. It turned out so-so considering that the last time I attended a drama club was at the age of fourteen. Although it's even good that I gave up the path of an actor. It was originally a stupid dream.

"You already know the answer. Celestia replied, still wanting me to finish the thought. Well, it's time to go into the breach.

"Celestia, I fundamentally don't want to do what you want. I am already forced to follow your orders, which does not give me much pleasure. At any convenient opportunity, I would prefer to resist. I know you want me to finish your thought. I won't do it. "

Celestia took a deep breath and exhaled slowly before saying, "You and the Lunar Guard soldiers will be filling in for the Solar Guard garrison in Ponyville. Indefinitely."

She clearly has a real purpose. If not several. It's better to keep this in mind.

"Is that all?" I asked, wanting to end this conversation.

"By and large, yes." replied Celestia.

"Rising, do you remember telling me about the girl in the bar? Showing the way, I'm going to pay her a visit." I said, turning to Rising and catching everyone in the room by surprise.

"Uh, of course." said Rising uncertainly, who was able to scrape together the strength to say at least something. Judging by the voice and facial expression, Rising finds this action strange.

"Lead on." I said, pointing to the door. Rising was dumb again for a few seconds trying to process the situation. As a result, he was able to get out of his stupor and go to the exit. I took a gym bag and put a huge bag of gold coins in it. The bag took up almost the entire bag, but it still fit and allowed the bag to be closed. After making sure that the bag was closed, I followed Rising, who did not have time to go far. When we had already reached the stairs to go down, I heard both princesses begin their movement.

I hope they remembered their duties and went to work. I need to get over my headache and go to fucking Ponyville without them. I still hate the names that ponies come up with.

After descending the stairs and finding myself in the lobby, I went to the reception desk and silently put the keys on the table. The girl at the reception desk said something, but I didn't hear anything clearly. She could hardly have said anything useful. Ignoring the girl, I continued to follow Rising and hope that the princesses will fall behind.

Even though they seem willing to follow me. Or pursue. I don't know.

Rising left the hotel and started looking around trying to remember the route. I closed my eyes from the bright light and breathed fresh air. This helps to distract for a second from the parched throat, the sun hitting the eyes and the headache, although not completely. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw that both princesses also stopped nearby, which caused my irritation. They're not going to get behind me.

"Why are you standing here? Don't you have responsibilities that need to be poorly performed?" I asked, turning to Celestia. Because of the contract with Luna, according to which she does not climb into my dreams in return for my respectful attitude, I cannot insult her. I have to get out of it.

"After what you've done, I'd rather keep you in sight. I can afford to pay a little attention to the sullen captain." Celestia answered while Luna was silent.

In my pain-ridden head, some kind of answer could not form, so I had to accept it. But we cannot leave this completely unanswered. I exhaled slowly, clearly letting her know that I was annoyed by her presence. Very, very bad, I would even say a final failure. I was saved from the final failure by Rising, who was able to remember the road and start moving in the right direction. I quickly started following him wanting to forget my past action. What was I even thinking about when I was doing this? To sigh discontentedly like a child is so stupid, so stupid.

Just calm down, crybaby, it was just a misfire. Another misfire. YOU're better than the others anyway. They will make similar misfires until the end of their days and you will achieve perfection and you will not make any more mistakes. The main thing is to keep going to the goal. Take it step by step.

I calmed down a bit and just continued to follow the Rising slowly getting used to the sunlight. After a few minutes, I was able to take my hands off my face and start looking at the world around me normally. Looking at the street and not meeting a kneeling headache, I realized one thing. There is a plus in finding princesses next to me. Due to the fact that next to them the invisible lines move so far apart that I can't feel them, I can perceive reality normally without experiencing an overload of perception. This is a plus, no doubt, but I would still prefer to get rid of them as soon as possible.

"By the way, what happened to your clothes?" Celestia asked as if this was the perfect moment to talk. Do I have to say that this is not the case?

"Got dirty during the sweep of the mercenary base. Translating into your language, I killed a dozen people and got dirty in their blood." I said after looking at my clothes for a second. From my perspective, the upper part of the pants starting from the knees were painted green and the lower part of the coat up to the chest was painted red. Surprisingly, at first glance it is not clear that this is blood.

"And it suits you to walk like this?" Celestia asked with a voice conveying disgust that I keep walking around like this.

"I don't care." I said with a shrug. Why should I care about my appearance?

"You do understand that this information will be revealed, then the ponies will start to be afraid of you? Appearance are very important, do you understand?" Celestia continued to ask questions as if she wanted to achieve something. What exactly? I have no idea, and it doesn't bother me.

"Do I understand this? Yes. Am I afraid of public outrage? Not really." I answered without turning to Celestia and hoping to end this pointless conversation.

I was listening to Celestia takes a breath to say, so I quickly interrupted her, "If you are so dependent on communicating with me, then let's talk about interesting topics. For example, let's talk about what we will do with those whom my evidence points to. "

"About half of the signatures on the list are unknown to me. However, the other half belongs to influential nobles, some of whom I did not expect to see. I'm still thinking about what to do with them. " Celestia said, accepting my rules of the game and telling useful information with bitterness in her voice.

"I don't see any ground for reflection here. Gather the troops, plan an operation and at the most unexpected moment kill all the guilty. Their funds will be nationalized and directed to the construction of new factories. Nothing complicated. " I said, continuing to follow the still silent Rising.

"It's out of the question." said Celestia in a firm and stern voice.

"It's actually not a bad idea." Luna added, going against her sister's opinion. I felt a tension between the two horses behind me.

"I have a headache without you. Don't even think about starting a pointless argument in my presence." I said in a tone not suggesting refusal.

"Or what?" Both princesses asked at the same time, as if provoking me. I stopped for now, not looking at the princesses, but already creating tension. Rising stopped in place and looked at me as if he wanted everything to be resolved peacefully.

Do you remember the fight with Luna? You lost badly back then. Maybe you've become stronger, crybaby, but there's no guarantee that you're stronger than Luna. Besides, her sister is here. It is better to avoid a direct physical collision. But a brief and verbal one is quite possible. Anyway, just in case, prepare for a physical confrontation. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.

I abruptly turned towards the princesses, shortened the distance and put my hands on the lower part of their cheeks. I felt that the princesses were surprised but not shocked by my rapid movement. With my fingers, I felt the right area where I could feel their calm pulse.

"I know you have a hidden purpose. All these miracles of yours, generosity and willingness to talk on my terms. All this is dust in the eyes and nothing more. I submit to you following the contracts, which in fact rests on the honesty of all parties involved. Most people consider omission to be a lie. Very few people will want to cooperate with such deceitful people like you. About as few people have seen my really dark side, but believe me, no one could get it out of their heads. But you seem to be asking for your lies. The question remains. Are you ready for the consequences of a total hunt that "chuckle" can happen at any second? " I said it softly enough that only the two princesses could hear me. Throughout the monologue, I stuck in a passive aggressive voice. With my fingers, I felt that not significantly, quite a bit, but the pulse of the princesses increased. I took my hands away, turned away and gestured to Rising that I was ready to follow him.

Far from the best that could be said. Too loaded, long and confusing. Just in case, get ready for their answer. In the sense of a physical response.

While I was following Rising, which resumed its movement, I began to prepare for the actions of the princesses. I began to carefully, slowly pull the magic tentacle out of my right palm so that it twirled around my hand but remained invisible to others. I wrapped the tentacle around my shoulder and tied it in a simple knot. This required a very strong concentration, but it turned out to be possible. As a result, the tentacle began to function as a spring ready to release its power at any second. To unclench this spring, it is enough for me to release an uncomplicated knot that will quickly launch my hand forward to strike. These are the best things I can do now considering all the limitations.

I strained my vision as much as possible and turned my head so that I could see the princesses out of the corner of my eye so that in case of an aggressive move by the princesses, I could quickly respond. I noticed a tremor in Rising's knees at every step caused by the stress of this conflict. Unfortunately for myself, I heard that the princesses decided to continue following me, but so far they have not taken any action. It seems that they are developing a plan to attack me.

Or, along with the hangover, you got paranoid. In any case, it's better to relax a little. If they are going to attack, it will convince them of your unpreparedness. If they're not going to do it, then you won't look so aggressive.

I lowered my shoulders a little, just a little, and turned away from the princesses. I was still confident that the princesses would make some kind of move, despite the fact that every second this probability became less likely. Undoubtedly, the tension in the air remained, but not as strong as before. In such an atmosphere, I continued on my way to the bar where Rising led me. As a result, we got to an unremarkable place next to which hung a barely noticeable sign with the inscription bar.

"Right here." Rising said, pointing with his hoof at the entrance to an unremarkable establishment. There was stress in his voice because of the tension between me and the princesses.

Why strain and worry if you are not a participant in the conflict? There's no need.

I entered a room where every table, chair and lamp was different. I could have focused on this, but the headache and efforts aimed at maintaining the spring required me to focus on the main task. Drink some water and maybe find out about what I did yesterday from a different point of view. Keeping this task in mind, I began to look around the room in search of someone similar to the bartender. But I didn't find anyone. I went to the table hoping to find something on it to call the bartender, but that wasn't there either. I slowly and carefully loosened the knot of the magic tentacle, which caused my hand to hit the table sharply and loudly. The spring from the magic tentacle still exists, but it has weakened a little.

"Wait a bit! A woman's voice shouted from the pantry. I sat down on a bar stool to relax a little and gather my strength. In my condition, linking a few words into a sentence is already a test, and I also need to hold the spring during the conversation. If I just let her go, I'll just hit the air.

And this, in turn, may raise some questions.

"What do you want? A." The thestral girl stopped, opening her mouth and seeing who was in the room. She had gray fur and lilac hair. Her fur looked much thicker than the other ponies. No, it probably just seems to me.

"Yes, I was definitely here yesterday. I need a glass of water." I said out loud, giving myself an account. She continued to stand with her mouth open, concentrating on the princesses. Luna saw the admiration in this, probably, and continued to stand as if bathed in the rays of glory. Celestia stood tensely, as if trying to find the right words. Rising looked at me as if I had to do something.

You know what? I'll do something.

"Meet this is Celestia and Luna. You don't have to worry about their situation. While I'm around, the concept of good, evil and authority does not exist. Say and preferably do whatever you want. Under my supervision, no one will judge. " I said, pointing with my hand first at Celestia and then at Luna before putting my hand on the table.

"Is this one of your 'genius thoughts'? "" She asked as if she was using some kind of a secret phrase. It seemed my speech was able to relax her a little.

Brilliant thoughts and world wars. The only phrase I remember after I drank the damn absinthe.

"I don't remember what happened yesterday. So you know better than me what that means. I actually came here just to get a different perspective on what I was doing yesterday." I said, immediately revealing all the cards. How could I hide the fact that I don't remember last night? No way.

"I understand. Well, I can't tell you much. Yesterday you came here accompanied by two thestrals. You were already drunk but decided to have a drink here. I give you a strong beer according to a family recipe and we have a dialogue. You said various phrases and I wrote them down in order to extract inspiration from them in the future. " The thestral girl said with a tiny bit of resentment and annoyance.

Well, I don't care what she needs these phrases for. But it would be nice to know what exactly I said while I was drunk.

"Show me what you wrote. I'm interested to know what I said while drunk." I said trying to behave peacefully. With the stress caused by a headache, it's very difficult.

"Look. If you can make out the handwriting." She said with her head pointing to an inconspicuous notebook lying on one of the cupboards with drinks. I got up from my seat and stretched out towards the notebook. I loosened the knot on the magic tentacle a little again, which caused my hand to lunge towards the notebook. My burnt little finger hit the locker, but I didn't feel any pain. It looks like the nerve endings are burned out too.

I grabbed her notebook and went back to my seat. Opening the notebook and quickly flipping to the last page where the text was present, I began to read to myself. It was very difficult because the handwriting was small and had a very strong slope.

Unbearable lightness, and tolerable heaviness. Unbearable ease is to live like an ordinary person and obey the laws of the majority. It looks easy, but for some it is unbearable (for whom?). Tolerable heaviness is to live like a lion. Fight with all possible methods against the current world. It's very hard, but some consider it the only method of existence. (Who thinks so?)

World wars. If two billion people live on earth (and this is not the case), then the death of two hundred million is insignificant. In other words, the value of life is determined by the total number of lives. This is a very strange and even a little creepy way of looking at things.

I put the notebook back in its place. I'm a little impressed with what I did while I was drunk. I usually took a small dose and did not lose my composure completely. Getting drunk to such an extent is a first for me. And looking at these phrases, a thought is born in my head.

These thoughts turned out to be reasonable and true as always, but at the same time an ordinary barmaid was able to realize and analyze them. In other words, when drunk, you, a crybaby, are much more effective. Maybe for a more effective activity you need to drink more and more often? Three times a year and a little bit is too little. Maybe you need to get drunk every Friday as well as last night?

I shook my head from side to side. This is a bad, disgusting and meaningless thought. It's better to forget about it. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that a glass and a carafe of water were placed next to me. My eyes widened when I saw a remedy for thirst, and I quickly grabbed a decanter to quickly pour everything into a glass. After filling the glass to the brim and spilling some water, I put the decanter on the table and grabbed the glass with my left hand. I quickly poured all the water into myself and put the glass on the table with a loud bang. I noticed everyone in the room staring at me.

"What happened?" I asked, raising an eyebrow and filling the glass with water a little more calmly.

"There you are!" A man's voice shouted from behind. I turned back and saw a duo of centaur and Minotaur. The centaur was blond with long hair and square sunglasses with white frames. How could he have noticed me? A little behind him stood a minotaur with red matted hair, a square cap on his head and round glasses with a red frame. Seeing them, a stupid thought suddenly formed in my head.

The greatest duet of all time and peoples "Bespectacleds".

"Who are you talking about now?" I asked, turning around. The only customers here are me and my annoying campaign. Although Rising has become tolerable and even useful.

"About you, you devil, you know!" He said with fury in his voice, taking an aggressive step forward.

"Rising, who is it?" I asked, turning to him. If they get into a fight, I will definitely win, but I would like to know the reason for the conflict.

"These are the musicians with whom you performed on stage yesterday. They didn't sing well and you took it upon yourself. You promised to meet them at the hotel at two o'clock in the afternoon." Said Rising with a huge stress in his voice. It seems one more conflict, and he will faint. Although I'm probably exaggerating.

I started looking for a watch in the bar. After a few turns of my head to the sides, I found the watch and looked at it. Nine in the morning. I turned to the intruders and said, "It's nine o'clock in the morning. The meeting won't be for another five hours."

"Do you think I'm really stupid, dude? You didn't say which hotel and where, you know. I've been running all over town with my bro to find you, do you know? " Said the centaur in an enraged voice. His manner of speaking with repetitive words is annoying.

"Congratulations you found me! Better than any princess in another castle. Now what will you do? " I asked, drinking water from a glass that I had filled a little.

"I don't know, damn it. I'll make you apologize for such inappropriate, damn, behavior and drag you into the band as a soloist. " The centaur replied, starting to repeat another word. The genius of repeating the same words.

"So, as I understood, yesterday I deceived you. Or didn't think it through. In any case, taking into account the testimony, factors and guidelines, I plead guilty. I apologize for the unjustified lie. " I said, trying to keep the balance between monotony and excessive experimentation. On the one hand, I want to say it without emotion at all, but then he just won't accept it as an apology. On the other hand, I can try to go into expression and get maximum emotions, but then it will look like a performance. As a result, I got a crooked balance. Through each word, the level of expressiveness was slightly varied and my body language as such was absent.

Why am I straining for them? Judging by the Rising story, they are just losers whom I rescued yesterday. I always knew that I was a bad singer, but even if I was able to save them yesterday, they are even worse.

"Damn, dude, really respect for understanding. Now let's go make history with us, do you know?" He said, closing the distance and raising his hand as if he wanted to shake hands. My mouth opened to refuse, but suddenly my brain began to build a chain of individual ideas that give an incredible result.

It was right in front of my eyes the whole time. Undoubtedly, it is necessary to get out of this planet, but there is something that I so refused to notice. This whole planet is a field of experiments. A place where you can try out all the ideas in practice. First perfection, then absolute freedom. But in between there will be the most dangerous stage. The destruction of global ideas that by their nature suppress dissent. How can this be done? To govern the country. What does it take to become the ruler of a country? Strength and support of the population. The force is an army in which I occupy a high place. The support of the population is obtained in the course of propaganda art. In music. These musicians are my blessing and my reward for my long labors. They are the keys that open the way to governing the country and from there to absolute freedom at hand. The chain is exposed. The achievement of perfection with the parallel expansion of influence, the seizure of power and the road to absolute freedom. Having finished with this, you can start looking for a way out of this planet.

I smiled with all my teeth and grabbed the centaur's hand for a handshake. Grabbing his hand tightly, I said, watching the princesses out of the corner of my eye: "Unfortunately, I'm being taken to a small town called Ponyville for work, but I have an idea. I recently hit the jackpot and have good funds. By giving it to you, I'll pay for a trip to the town and some house to rent. How's the idea?"

"Damn, dude of course! It's really cool, thanks. Well, did they drive to the train station?" He asked in a happy voice and made some kind of gesture. I couldn't see what he did because I was concentrating on the princesses. Celestia skillfully hid all her emotions about this, but Luna turned out to be different. She looked at me with a look that conveyed incredible rage, anger and disappointment. Apparently she doesn't like the idea that the captain of the guard is also a member of a musical group. Not that her opinion is taken into account.

"Yes, of course go, I'll catch up. I have to pay the bill, you know?" I said, opening my bag, which contained a huge bag of money. The centaur nodded and pushing his silent friend slowly walked out of the bar. I looked at the thestral girl who was following the musicians with a startled look. When she saw that I was boring her with my eyes, she was distracted from the musicians.

"That'll be five bits." She said after looking at how much water I drank. Once the almost full decanter was half empty. I silently pulled out the required amount and put it on the table and was about to go after the musicians, but I was stopped by Luna's voice filled with anger.

"Do you understand what you're doing? Are you sure you're sane?" Luna asked, trembling with rage.

"Yes, I am engaged in creating. Don't worry, I'm not going to shirk my job. I've worked, the soldiers are resting, and I'm going to study music." I said it honestly. That's part of my plan. There is a part that I didn't mention. When I find someone sensible as a junior commander, I will throw all the work for him and I will do the promotion of the group and self-development in my spare moments. Perfection has not been canceled.

"Do you realize how much you undermine the image of the crown and your own!? By their very appearance, it is clear that they will not perform anything decent. And I very much doubt that you will change that. Most likely you will make it even more indecent." Said Luna with a certain contempt and a bit of a compulsion. It's like she wants to put such pressure on me to abandon my plans. No.

"Yes, you guessed it." I said calmly, continuing to sit on the chair as if everything was fine. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw that Rising pressed his ears to his head and began to back away as if something terrible could happen.

Luna gritted her teeth and began to tremble even more with rage. Her mane started to develop faster and seemed to get a little bigger. Something like an animal ready to attack.

This is aggression, don't you think? I think the time of the performance is over.

I abruptly got up from my chair and took a long step with my right foot towards the moon, putting my left hand behind my back. In my left hand, I quickly made an ordinary arrow rune and raised my hand high in the air as if I was preparing to strike. For a second it seemed to me that the eyes of Luna took on a predatory look and Celestia was preparing to stop her sister. I ignored this and completely untied the knot on my right arm, which allowed me to deliver an instant blow to the chest. The blow was so instantaneous that I didn't have time to clench my hand into a fist and hit just with the palm of my hand. As a result, the blow reached the target and forced Luna to retreat a few steps back without severe damage. I jumped back and braced myself for the two princesses' response. As an additional measure, I wrapped a magic tentacle around my fingers so that I got a brass knuckles. As a result, I have a loaded arrow rune in my left hand and my right hand is better adapted to close combat.

Everyone in the room stared at me. Rising froze in place as if trying to process this situation. Celestia stared at me as if she wanted some kind of explanation for my actions. Luna began to take quick breaths as if she was terribly tired and needed rest. For a second it seemed to me that fear and a semblance of internal struggle flashed in Luna's eyes, but I waved it away.

This is definitely some kind of trick. We continue to wait and think over options. For example, you can take a carafe of water and throw it at the one who makes the first move.

I took a cautious step towards the table so that in case of an attack, I could take a carafe of water and throw it at the enemy. All the attention of my right eye was focused on the decanter and calculating how best to throw it. Suddenly I was distracted by the quiet and even, it seemed, guilty voice of Luna.

"We have to go. " Luna muttered before trotting out of the place. Everyone in the room watched the moon and judging by Rising's sigh, he believes that the conflict was resolved relatively peacefully.

Maybe, maybe I can continue this performance a little more. It's up to you, Celestia. Make at least one good decision in your life and put the brakes on the conflict. It's better for you to continue in your position now. Consistency is important to me.

Celestia took a deep breath and exhaled, looking at me before saying, "You didn't mean anything good for my sister while you were doing this, did you?"

"Guess." I said, continuing to wait warily for an attack. If anything, the decanter and the charged rune are at my disposal. Yes, definitely a great weapon.

"In fact, this is a violation of our agreement, namely the part about the fact that you don't touch the pony. But I forgive you this time. Consider yourself lucky to accidentally do good." Celestia said after taking a few steps towards me with sincere gratitude in her voice. Having reduced the distance, she rose on her hind hooves, maintaining her balance with rare flaps of her wings. She spread her hooves to the sides as if she wanted to. . . hug. I rolled my eyes as if giving a refusal.

The next second I realized that my jaw was hurting terribly, and I myself fell to one knee. Concentration was completely lost, which caused the rune and the magic knuckles to dissolve. I heard Rising's startled sigh and several of his steps towards me. Despite the huge pain in my jaw, I didn't feel anything break or bend. I felt Celestia lean into my ear.

"This is for everything you've done. Especially for my sister." She said briefly in a malevolent and vindictive voice before walking out of the room. I struggled to stand on two legs and clenched my teeth trying to contain my rage. I clenched my hands into fists and directed my thoughts to calm down. If I get started, I won't stop.

She hit me too fast. At the moment, my chances of defeating her are close to zero. However, if I remember correctly, there were a lot of books near Ponyville from which I learned the basics of magic. Maybe I can learn some new techniques? In any case, it is better to postpone the rage for the future.

I sighed and walked out of the restaurant. I heard Rising following me, muttering to himself. I didn't pay attention to it and after leaving the bar, I looked around the street in search of footprints in the snow. Fortunately, I found a track of six tracks that obviously belonged to two musicians. Before I was going to run after the musicians, I heard the question Rising.

"Does it hurt?" He asked with caution and pity.

"Very much." I answered, running my hand over my jaw. Despite the fact that I didn't get serious wounds, my jaw still hurts terribly. It was as if I had been hit with the intention of just hurting without the intention of hurting.

"If you want to follow me." I said, following the trail at a brisk pace and waving Rising goodbye.

"I'm with you!" Rising shouted, starting to run fast to catch up with me. I chuckled softly and shook my head before focusing on the path to the musicians.

A jerk but so loyal. Perhaps he will be suitable for the role of junior commander.

Veni

"So now let me summarize. We don't have a band name or pseudonyms, and we don't even have lyrics. You only have an instrumental and one without a name. And my task is to come up with all this. Did I understand correctly?" I asked the centaur after he explained the position of the group. Before that, we had a simple conversation for the sake of acquaintance. The centaur guitarist's name is Kozim and the Minotaur drummer is Konstantinos, although his friend calls him Kon for short. The conversation was conducted mainly by Kozim while his friend sat and looked into nowhere. In a short conversation, we were able to come up with a plan that suited me, him and was silently supported by Konstantinos and Rising. When we get off the train, I will give Cosimo the money so that he can rent a place for himself and then later in the night we will meet at the town hall.

"Well, yes." replied Kozim with obvious awkwardness in his voice. Obviously, it is not pleasant when you, as a musician, have a fantasy that ends immediately after creating the instrumental part.

I took a deep breath and exhaled through my nose to calm down. Then I turned to the window and let my mind create random ideas. In principle, I don't want to steal something from already existing musical bands, so I need to come up with my own, perfect one. Go.

Make the name of the band, right? We'll figure something out now. Enameled parts of head systems? No, it's too long. Fanatical Backfire of Ideology? FBI? The reference is good, but I'm afraid few people here will understand it. Hunting grounds? Some kind of fuse is missing. We need something stronger. Something crushing and appealing to the masses. I have an idea.

I turned to Kozim and without a second thought expressed my idea: "Well, I have an idea. Our common name is the civil offensive. You will now be a proletarian, you will be a concept and I will be a philosopher. These are our pseudonyms." I said, pointing my index finger first at Kozim, then at Konstantinos, and finally pointing my thumb at myself.

"A civilian offensive?" Kozim asked, being both confused and interested at the same time.

Now is the most difficult. You need to explain the idea to him.

"Yes, a civil offensive. Like, as you know, history is created only by freeloaders born in a wealthy family and hardworking revolutionaries. Since you and I are hard workers, we have only a revolutionary path. Just imagine a single impulse of the people for the purpose of global change, a march on the castle of a government that has forgotten about the needs of the people, dropping and lowering the old flag to install a new one. All this is as a civil offensive. " I said, trying to give my thought as much emotion and artistry as possible. He's a musician, right? So I have to appreciate it.

"Damn, man, the idea is really cool! But why is pseudonym Kon`s is a concept?" Kozim asked as if he was worried about such a choice of words.

Do I have to say how do you have to answer?

"A concept is a thing that, if desired, can be changed and twisted as you want. The revolution begins because working people or proletarians unite around the concept that the philosopher came up with. And please let's not talk now about the fact that we badly reflect the idea of pseudonyms. I tried to connect personality traits and ideas as best I could. " I replied, hoping that Kozim would just calmly accept the idea.

"What do you think Kon? " Asked Kozim after a long silence, turning to his silent friend as if he needed consent to make a decision.

"Kozim . . . don't you think. . . this is too much. . . for us . . .?" Konstantinos asked, periodically making long intervals between words. I raised my gaze to the Minotaur and began to drill with my gaze.

If you don't have ambitions, then say so.

"Kon, we're making history, you know? We were born for this, we met for this and we will do it. Kon is our destiny, you know?" Said Kozim, turning to his friend and seeming to reveal his soul. This is not a joke, not a method of pressure, as I thought at first, but exactly what he believes in. Well, it's nice to see a person who says what he really believes.

Konstantinos stared at the floor for a while as if ashamed and strained his eyebrows in thought. After a few seconds, he sighed and nodded uncertainly. I couldn't help but smile a little at the sight of it. Another problem has been solved and I didn't even have to do anything.

Kozim smiled broadly when he saw this and said loudly, raising his fist in the air: "So it's decided! Our group is now called the Civil Offensive."

"Yes, yes, whatever you say. Are there any other problems that need to be solved urgently?" I asked out of the corner of my eye, noticing that Rising was sitting next to me and trying to ask something, but could not because of the current conversation.

"Well, in principle, we will find housing, so there are no problems, dude." Kozim answered, pressing his friend to him with his hand. I nodded and turned to Rising, looking at him like a child.

"What happened?" I asked carefully looking down at Rising. I hope it's something serious.

Rising shrank a little into his chair as if looking down from high scares him, but quickly straightened up and began to speak cautiously: "Mr. Sir boss, yesterday when I dissuaded you, you said that you would give me a reward."

"What exactly do you want?" I asked, sighing and hoping that he would want something simple and cheap.

"Um, I thought I didn't have a choice in this matter." Rising replied confusedly, surprising me a little, but not too much.

"Well, it turns out it's your choice. Tell me when you think of it." I said before turning away from Rising and looking out the window. The sun was already sinking below the horizon, turning the sky scarlet. All the greenery has gone from the trees and bushes and only lifeless shells covered with snow remain. The wind carrying snow howled outside the train reminding that you cannot wait for any heat on the street. It was already possible to see Ponyville before arriving in which there were only a few minutes left. Above all, this towered a mountain on which a city with the most disgusting structure in general was installed. Canterlot and its castle. I took a deep breath and a slow exhale to calm down a little and think about something else. For example, about how to organize my first day in Ponyville.

Ideally, this should be done quickly. First you need to find your soldiers and the garrison of the Solar Guard. I will inform them that they are no longer needed by the city and I will deal with everything with my soldiers. They leave the city, we take the place where they were located, releasing the musicians along the way and distributing the guard throughout the city. I don't think my direct command will be needed for a simple patrol, so I will have free time. I will come to the musician, solve the main problems, maybe write some lyrics in advance and I will have a lot of time to study. Everything is simple and easy.

I sighed contentedly, causing the mirror to fog up from my breath. I felt someone touching my right hand. Turning in the direction of the one who disturbed me, I saw Rising who was looking at me with determination but at the same time nervous.

I looked at him as if he was an annoying little kid and asked without much enthusiasm: "What have you decided?"

"I need an answer to one question. How did you become like this?" I asked Rising without coming up with a better wording of the question, but I understood it.

A very stupid request.

I took a deep breath to think about how to say and formulate all this. It's one thing to live through this period personally and quite another to explain it all in a way that is understandable to someone else. If you don't explain all the small details, then the picture just won't work out. I have to give him a perfect and complete report, but at the same time short enough to make it before the train arrives in Ponyville.

You don't owe anyone anything! In a good way, such a stupid request should be rejected.

After what seemed like an eternity, the whole mosaic formed and I began to say: "Believe it or not, but I had a grandfather with whom I had a really good relationship. I spent most of the summer and winter with him and engaged in hunting. He even taught me how to hunt and butcher animals. In general, you can consider that this was the closest person to me. But like all good things, it had to end sometime.

"On the first of April, he died at the age of seventy-two. Good laugh day, huh? When this news reached me, I lost any support. My father always said that I should bend under his line and forget the old man. Of course, he didn't say it directly, but it was obvious. Other people didn't provide support either, and do you know what I think? It's even good because I figured it out myself.

"For a few days or even weeks, I just dragged out my existence and endured all the bullying. Yes, it's hard to believe, but I used to be a fat patient on whom everyone spat from a high bell tower. Well, maybe not very fat, but compared to his peers he was full, which caused ridicule. When I politely asked one of the hooligans to stop, he said something from the category of "Or what? Will you call your father for help? Or maybe you can call your grandfather to give me a lecture? " Then he made a fatal mistake.

"I remember right now how I pierced my own hand with a pen to contain at least some of the rage. It didn't work out. Then I suddenly hit the nearest bully. I remember that feeling when the knuckles are buzzing from the force invested in the blow. Since the lesson could start at any moment, I challenged him and his friends to a fight at a distance from the school. They agreed, probably thought they could beat me together. And what can I say? They were wrong.

"I remember the euphoria I experienced then. Something stronger and smarter than an animal loses to me. To me! A man who has always been considered slow, a fat guy who is only suitable as a toy that you can mock and not get an answer. Then, of course, I couldn't help but get wounded. I remember that for about a month after that I was in hellish pain and couldn't walk properly. But at the moment when I won, I didn't care. After the fight, I felt something akin to rebirth. Do you know what I did when I came home covered in bruises and blood? I went up to my father and told him to fuck off with his ambitions and desires to raise me the way he needs. Of course, then I didn't become the same as now, but it was a push to change. Here is the result of the push that occurred at the age of fourteen. " I said, spreading my arms to the sides and smiling a little, thus ending the monologue.

At the end of my monologue, there was complete silence in the train car. Rising looked down as if such a story turned out to be more than he could swallow. I noticed that both musicians also heard my monologue and were thinking. Because of their sunglasses, I couldn't tell their emotions by the look. I sighed wearily at how much effort it took to form individual thoughts and emotions into a coherent and understandable story.

Tell me, does anyone here deserve this level of effort?

"It's hard for me to believe that." Rising squeezed out after a long silence. Somewhere in the depths of me, there was irritation that he dares to doubt the veracity of my words for at least a second.

"Well, you'll have to believe it." I said, exhaling and shrugging my shoulders. Such a small thing is not worth my nerves. After my words, silence hung in the train again, but this time it was quickly interrupted by the screeching of brakes. I took my bag, hung it over my shoulder and waved my head and signaled that it was time to go. My attention was attracted by the fact that everyone was barely noticeably surprised that I acted as if there was no soul-revealing conversation.

But it's obvious to us that a person as close to Perfection as you have nothing to be ashamed of, right? You just told a life story, nothing more.

Fortunately, all my companions quickly recovered from this and got up from their seats. Except for me, because the exit to the corridor was blocked by Rising. I gave him a little nudge in the side so that he would make way for me from his seat. He quickly took the hint and stood up so that I could be the first to get out into the corridor of the train. I nodded and took a few careful steps forward so as not to disturb the invisible lines too much. Already now I felt that there are a huge number of people at the station, especially by the standards of evening time.

Great, you won't have to wait for anyone.

I walked to the exit of the train and got out of the car with a small jump. My head was pierced by a headache from such a sudden movement, but I was able to refrain from screaming. After looking around the station, I saw a large group of thestrals occupying several benches to my right and looking intently in one direction. Looking in the direction of their gaze, that is, to the left, I saw exactly the same gesture being copied by a much smaller group of the Solar Guard.

"Kozim, take it." I said, unbuttoning the bag and showing the bag of money that was in it.

"Just everything? Isn't that a lot, dude?" Kozim asked as if he couldn't believe that I was giving everything.

"I do not know how much local housing costs, so it's better to be safe. Take the money and don't show off." I said, starting to lose patience. After a few seconds of reflection, Kozim silently took the bag with his hands and was barely able to put it on his shoulder.

"Well, it turns out we'll meet later, dude?" Kozim asked, offering his fist for a friendly farewell. I sighed and without looking weakly hit his fist. He was satisfied with this and went ahead with a lot of money around the city in the company of his friend.

Giving all the money to him is too stupid an idea even for you, crybaby.

My attention was drawn to a group of thestrals who was sitting on benches. I started to approach them and noticed that the thestrals one by one were distracted from their solar colleagues and looking at me. By the time I stood right in front of them, everyone seemed to have forgotten about their opponents. Before I started talking, I quickly counted everyone in front of me. Surprisingly, I noticed Flying. Probably then he will have to be asked about where he disappeared. Forty-nine plus Rising is behind me. Fifty in total.

"Well, everyone is assembled. We all ended up here for a very boring purpose. Those guys who are opposite you have been beaten for a long time, but they did not give you a good rest. And now, when they managed to recover and maybe forget about that case, we appear. We will carry out the tasks of the garrison in this city for some time. This is good news for you because I most likely, but not the fact, will not teach you during this time. You will only guard and bypass the points that I say. " I said, pointing with my thumb at the Solar Guards behind me. I saw in the eyes of the thestrals that they were obviously pleased that I would not train them. But they forget that I can change my mind.

"So it wasn't a joke." Said a male voice behind me. I realized from the lines that the voice belonged to an Earth pony and that it was approaching me. I turned my head to him and looked up. Looking closely at him, I did not find any similarities with someone I had seen before. Although I don't really distinguish the faces of ponies very well.

"Listen, let's do this quickly. You tell me where the headquarters, the base, the garrison or something like that and we will disperse." I said, wanting to do all the necessary procedures as soon as possible.

He stared at me and began to drill with his eyes as if he was expecting something. After a few seconds, he snorted, gave me a single key and said: "Turn right from the town hall, there will be a pastry shop. Turn left from it and go through the market. That's the whole route. The doors are not closed so hurry up."

"Understood, accepted. Come on! " I said, waving my hand to signal my soldiers to move out. I heard them all get up on their hooves and get ready to follow me. I sighed contentedly and walked with a calm but firm step towards the town hall. Along the way, I looked around and remembered my first appearance. On a distant hill with a lone tree, I made an explosion and smashed a group of guards. In the garden, which is not really visible from here, there was also success and paranoia began. Crossing this bridge, I defeated the last remnants of the guard. Right in front of this town hall, I was defeated by Princess Luna.

The latter were not worth remembering.

I sighed distracting myself from these thoughts and turned right from the town hall. I continued walking through a part of the city that I hadn't been in yet. And just like the last one, I noticed that there was no one on the street. Judging by the fact that the sun will soon set over the horizon, they just went to their homes. My hypothesis was confirmed by invisible lines that took the forms of different ponies. But one group stood out among them all. To the left in front, a few yards away from me, I felt six ponies that were around the corner. Two Pegasus, two unicorns and two ordinary ponies. The silhouette of one of the unicorns is much larger than the others, as if the lines avoid it. One of the Pegasi, unlike his comrades, squatted down. My brain quickly puts everything together.

These are everyone's favorite national heroes. Well, I don't know what they need, but they don't pose a threat anyway. Judging by the posture of one of the Pegasus, they have a wounded one. Or just a coward. Just focus on the road.

I continued to walk along the designated route, but to be sure, I clenched my hands into fists. While walking, I focused on the lines in order to react quickly to their aggression in case of something. Already from here I could see the silhouette of a special terrifying building. Many yards away from me is a two-story building decorated like a big gingerbread house. Judging by the sign on which the cupcake is painted, this is the same confectionery. Seeing this, I froze for a second.

Calm down, Daniel, it's just a dummy. This is not a real gingerbread house. There is no sugar in it. Just breathe, it's okay.

I slowly took a few breaths and exhaled and was able to continue the way forward. Although the closer I got to the pastry shop, the stronger the desire to turn around and leave became. I wanted to continue on my way and restrain my fear, but I felt a group of six ponies come out of the alley to my left.

"Uh, hello?" One of the ponies asked uncertainly. I turned around and quickly examined them. A lilac unicorn in the center of the group, a white unicorn to her right, a Pegasus with a rainbow mane and an orange pony are paired behind her, and a pink pony and a yellow Pegasus who hid behind his friends are standing in the rear. Hid, by the way, very clumsily.

"In case you haven't noticed, I have soldiers to command, so I hope you have something important." I said with indifference in my voice, pointing my thumb at the soldiers behind me. I noticed that the Pegasus with the rainbow mane was already getting angry because of this attitude.

"That's not very polite. But I should point out that your new clothes look interesting." The white unicorn said, seemingly distracted by my clothes.. A plan of confrontation began to form in my head. The contract with Discord suggests that I will be more restrained towards them. So no offensive today. Only impenetrable defense.

"Yes, it's not polite to admit it. And I admit that lying is very, very bad. Therefore, no matter how much you like it, I do not feel guilty and, accordingly, I am not going to apologize for my behavior. Do you have any specific business with me or did you come here just to express indignation? " I asked, trying to sound helpful. According to my personal impressions, it turned out badly. And judging by the teeth of a Pegasus with a rainbow mane clenched with anger, I was not mistaken.

"A lot of time has passed since we first crossed paths and we had time to think." The lilac unicorn said uncertainly, rubbing his front hooves to relieve the tension.

"So what?" I asked, really not understanding what it leads to. Oh, my God, don't tell me. . .

"We have to start all over again. Hi, my name is on Twilight Sparkle and these are my friends: Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy. Nice to meet you. " Twilight said, closing the distance and extending her hoof to get acquainted. Yes, the worst and most disgusting thing happened. These bitches thought they had the right to just take and discard everything they had done.

Take her hoof. Shake politely and smile broadly. Offer to have a little party. And poison the punch with something lethal. It will be funny if they drink punch and after that you say in a calm voice: "I put cyanide in there."

I put my hand to my face to hide it and restrain my rage. I gritted my teeth trying to calm my desires. No matter how good the prospect is, the contract with the princesses interferes. And it will be difficult to keep the lie intact for long enough. Not to mention the search for cyanide. Just hold the line.

"I refuse. I find it disgusting that instead of learning from your mistakes and improving, you just go the easy way. In my understanding, you either deal with your problems completely or let them ruin you. But running away from problems like you? It's pathetic and disgusting. Get out of my sight, worms. " I said before turning away from the group of ponies and signaling my soldiers to follow me. They hesitated for a second, but still began to follow me. I felt like all six ponies were numb from my speech and were afraid to take even a breath. After a few seconds, I felt one of the Pegasus take off into the air and begin to dive at me like a fighter.

Attention anecdote! Pegasus swooped down on his enemy. The enemy's response killed:

At the last moment I took a big step forward and heard a crash behind me. Turning my head back, I saw Rainbow Dash burrowing her head into the ground, breaking through a layer of snow and trying to get out using her hooves. My ears caught, how several soldiers collectively hissed as if they were experiencing the same pain as the stupid Pegasus. I grinned when I saw this picture and continued to walk along the set route. Fortunately, no one lingered on Rainbow and everyone just kept following me.

When we got to the candy store, I turned my head to the left so as not to look at her and focus my attention on the rest of the way. There was a long road ahead with empty stalls and my destination was in the distance. Due to the long distance, it is not possible to see the two buildings in more detail. Unfortunately for myself, I felt how Rainbow dash was able to get up from the ground and started walking towards me with a modest step. This is definitely some kind of trick. I sighed in disappointment and quickly began to think about the possibilities.

If the situation gets out of control, this place will become a convenient battlefield. But it would be better if no one is around. Judging by her speed, it will take her less than a minute to get to me.

"Rising." I said loudly in a commanding and firm voice.

"Yes, sir?" Rising asked nervously, taking a step out of the mass of soldiers so I could see him. It looks like another conflict makes him very nervous.

"Do you see two buildings there? I need to sort something out, so you go ahead. Can you handle it? " I asked, putting one hand on his back and pointing out the final destination to the other.

"Yes, of course! " Rising said loudly, trying to look confident. In fact, it makes him even more nervous. I slapped him on the back and turned my whole body towards the stupid Pegasus. Everyone quickly gathered and followed Rising, which eventually left the street empty. Along with a light breeze, I saw a yellow Pegasus in the distance. Wait what?

It seems that this flair or new feeling is not as useful as it seemed earlier. I can at most distinguish a Pegasus from a unicorn, but representatives of the same species in this way I will not be able to distinguish from each other. How sad.

I saw a yellow Pegasus called Fluttershy coming towards me. As she approached, I could see that she was coming at me with great fear. But it keeps going. I nodded to myself when I saw it and tensed a little when I looked into her eyes. Goosebumps went through my body at the sight of such a level of condemnation. I took a deep breath, mentally taking a defensive position.

"How dare you!?" Fluttershy said, closing the distance and piercing me with her gaze. It seemed like she wanted to make me feel guilty and overwhelm me with a look so that I wouldn't resist.

Don't get your hopes up, manipulator.

"What exactly dared? If I. . ." I tried to answer, but I was abruptly interrupted.

"Just because you are bigger and stronger than us does not give you the right to offend us. We even apologized to you and offered to start all over again. But you, as the last hooligan, refused and insulted us. Maybe you have barbs, phrases and big paws, but you can't, I repeat, you can't offend us. Do you understand that? " She asked in a voice that did not imply refusal. She even took to the air with the help of her wings to towering over me.

A real manipulator.

At first I felt like a tiny part of me broke under this pressure and capitulated. But everyone else was furious. Logic has discovered fictitious facts. They didn't say sorry or anything like that, so there was no apology. Muscles tensed and prepared for battle in response to such false testimony. Philosophy and rhetoric have found millions of ways to break her empty order. The warlord has already figured out how to get rid of all of them most effectively. I looked away for a second and looked at the sky. Calm winter twilight, rare snow-white clouds and barely noticeable stars.

"No, I didn't understand." I calmly replied, returning my gaze to Fluttershy. It seemed that this answer puts her in a stupor and she just didn't know what to say in response. Looking up a little higher, I saw the other ponies standing behind Fluttershy and watching. There was silence in the air for several seconds, which no one could break with their answer. Seeing that no one had come up with a sensible answer, I went on a soft offensive.

"I don't understand why your opinion is more important than mine. If you don't care about my opinion, then why should I listen to yours? I have already said that I think about you and my opinion does not tend to change every second. If you hate me, then just leave and I'll go about my business. You don't have to worry about me, your hatred doesn't matter to me. If it's bad for you to live with the fact that I don't respect you, then you need to change. Stop running away from problems, shifting blame to others, manipulating others and many many other things. I know it sounds difficult for you. I won't hide it, I can't always meet a personal requirement for myself either, but I'm trying at least. I just keep trying and wish you the same. " I said pointing my finger at the group of ponies to emphasize that the appeal was made only for them. For a few seconds I waited for some kind of answer, but I was met only by silence. I sighed in frustration and turned around to get to my destination.

It was not to be expected that such stupid and pathetic creatures would be able to compete normally in a dispute. They can only have a conversation by hiding behind the plural and trying to manipulate. They don't stand a chance against me.

I could feel that the group of ponies stood still for a very long time and could not find the strength to take at least one step. I focused on what was in front of me, and as I got closer I could see the details of the garrison. It looks like a square separated from the rest of the city by red paint. Yes, only red paint and nothing more substantial. In the allocated area, there are not the most spacious barracks, judging by the appearance of a warehouse and a strange tower. If the old tower that I burned looked like an observation tower, then this one looks more like a fairy princess tower. All the soldiers stopped in the center of the square and seemed to be waiting for me. When I reached the waiting crowd, I stood in front of them and began to give the first instructions.

"The task is simple for you. Come to that warehouse and get the equipment. While you are doing this, I will look for a map of the city there." I said, first pointing my finger at the warehouse and then pointing at the tower behind me. The soldiers calmly obeyed and began to randomly make their way to the warehouse. I turned away from them and focused my attention on the tower.

I started walking slowly towards the entrance to the tower, which was made in the form of a simple oak door. I easily pushed the door with my hand and entered the room and closed it behind me. Before me appeared a room in which there was a table littered with papers, stairs to the top and many lockers. All this is illuminated by several lamps attached to the walls. Interested in the papers, I went to the table and took the first one that came to hand. I peered and squinted for a long time trying to make out the handwriting. As a result, I was able to grasp the basic information. In short, all sorts of forest animals stagger on the outskirts of the apple orchard and strain the owner. I sighed in disappointment, returning the paper to its place and taking a few steps back to assess how much I would have to sort out small business. Counting offhand, if you divide the work, you can manage in a few days. If you hurry up, you can manage in a day. If I make everyone work without a break.

In principle, I can deal with the animals in the vicinity myself. We need to quickly break down all these cases into those that can be assigned to the soldiers and those that are better handled by me.

I walked around the table from the side and sat down on the chair that stood next to him. I looked at the stacks for a few seconds thinking about how to sort them as quickly and efficiently as possible. Mentally, I began to imagine the trajectory of my movements. As soon as I take the paper, I will read it, put it in the chosen place and proceed to the next one. I took a deep breath and, together with a quick exhalation, began to quickly sort through the papers. In a matter of seconds, my eyes scanned the entire text on one piece of paper and my brain determined where to put them in order to free up my hands for the next candidates. Over time, I noticed that most of the papers contain complaints about the same personalities. Rainbow Dash damages private property, Twilight Sparkle makes noise and Pinkie Pie invades other people's homes without permission. Of course, there is something out of this, but this is rather an exception to the rule. The question is why were these papers allowed to accumulate at all?

They are national heroes. The hero is a person who fits perfectly into the social framework and who is gleefully given the right to use violence. A hero with the prefix national means that he or she enjoys the favor of the government. As you know, heroes are above all laws and in general they should be worshipped so? So the heroes can do everything because the whole world owes them. No one can encroach on their rank and purity.

"Except me." I said with a big smile on my face and interrupted sorting through the papers for a second. I thought about it for a second, but decided to postpone this idea a bit for later. It would be better if I first deal with outside matters, get a good reputation in the city and then strike at the heroes. As a result, I will help myself and tarnish the image of national heroes. Nothing personal. If you push it, you can prepare everything in a day or two. And I can start working on it right now.

I took another breath and continued sorting through the papers. It was a little difficult because of the still unaccustomed feeling of ubiquitous lines. Each of my movements caused the lines to smoothly but quickly change their shape to look like my handprint. An additional strain on my perception was the fact that I could feel all the soldiers who were doing their business. Although gradually and very slowly I get used to this feeling. Maybe someday I'll be able to get used to it completely. It would be nice to speed up this process somehow.

After what felt like a few minutes, I felt someone walking towards the building in which I am. Hearing the creak of the door, I raised my eyes above another sheet of paper and saw Rising in front of me. He had already managed to put on his armor and hang his sword on his side.

I asked, hoping to get either a negative answer or to meet with a minor request.

"Everyone has already managed to put on armor and take weapons. And I thought that you forgot to give the following order. No, that's not what I meant! " Rising said loudly as if he thought he had accidentally insulted me. I gestured to Rising to stop panicking and listen to me.

"Calm down. It's even good that you thought that way. See this stack of papers? These are the cases that the Solar Guards kindly left us. And to be precise, the cases that I think you soldiers can handle. " I said, pointing with my finger at a small stack of papers to my left, in which there were slightly less than twenty cases. To my right was a much larger stack of papers that had yet to be sorted. To her left was a tiny stack of cases that I take on myself. And finally, right in front of me was a stack of papers dedicated to the crimes of national heroes.

"There's a lot to do here." Said Rising, looking at all the papers I have to sort out. I exhaled and nodded in agreement before continuing to sort through the papers. By this point, the process has become almost completely automated. Do you see the hero's name? To the center. Do you see the story about wild animals? You take it upon yourself. Do you see something even more unimportant from the category of reprimanding kids? You leave it to the soldiers. While I was going through all the papers and felt that Rising was not going away, my brain fell into thinking.

There are just an awful lot of things and plans. Affairs in the army, the development of a civil offensive, a plan to discredit national heroes and the continuation of the study of magic. There's a lot to do. It would be nice to get support. Yes, pride hurts a little, but we have endured more than that.

"Rising, if you have nothing to do, then collect these papers and distribute them to the soldiers. Now there are exactly twenty cases here, so listen to my order. Take the papers, give them to those who can cope alone and tell them to do it. Fortunately, there are direct requests from citizens and addresses there, so they will somehow orient themselves. It's evening now, so if someone who asked is already asleep, let the lucky ones return to the garrison. The remaining ones will be a reserve in case something goes wrong. " I said, pointing my finger at the leftmost stack of papers. I felt Rising begin to shake with tension almost imperceptibly in the eye. I sighed, restraining my irritation.

"Are you going to work or are you just going to be idle? " I asked, tilting my head to the side and closing my eyes. Closing my eyes, I felt a small but constant headache subside and allowed me to enjoy a blissful painless second.

"Of course the first one! " Rising said with a nod, gaining confidence from something. What exactly is not important to me. I nodded back and went back to sorting through the papers. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Rising taking the papers in his wings and leaving the room. I stopped sorting through the papers to re-evaluate how much work was left. Seeing an almost unchanged stack of papers, I sighed and continued sorting through the papers.

I put the last paper in the right place and leaned back in my chair. Under all these papers was a map of the city that I originally wanted. My head is splitting from so much processed information, even taking into account the fact that the work was done almost automatically. The eyes slowly close, no longer wanting to stay awake. Realizing this, I sharply slapped my cheek with the palm of my hand to bring myself to my senses. Having recovered myself, I quickly picked up the card from the table and got to my feet. My legs felt sluggish from sitting for so long, so I had to stand for a couple of seconds leaning on the table to bring them to their senses. After a short rest, I stepped back from the table and in a few careful steps left the room.

I was greeted by a cold night wind and the moon already hanging high in the sky. My eyes caught the light coming from the barracks and the distant sounds of conversations. As proof that someone is there, I felt that there were a lot of ponies in the barracks. I started walking towards the barracks on the way looking at the map and planning where to place the soldiers. Such important points as the hospital, the mayor's office, the garrison and so on were marked on the map. In addition, the beginning of the forest and what no hills were noted. As I walked to the barracks, a plan for the distribution of soldiers began to form in my head.

I can put a group of people on the hill so that they watch everything around. Several pairs will make a detour along a certain route. And the symbolic remainder will remain in the garrison as a reserve.

I nodded to myself and reached the barracks and entered them. There I saw how many thestrals abruptly fell silent and turned to me expecting something. I looked around in search of some table, but seeing nothing like that, I spread the map on the floor and began to explain.

"Well, I looked at the map and figured out where to put you all. You eight will go to this hill. You, the first couple, will follow the route from the City Hall to the gardens. You, the second couple, will follow the route from the City Hall to the bridge. You, the third couple, will follow the route from the City Hall to the hospital. You, the fourth couple, will follow the route from the City Hall to the garrison. Get to work. Come back in twelve hours and you will have free time. If I find out that you are shirking work, you will not be able to help. " I said first showing all the marches on the map and pointing to those who will perform them, and at the end of my speech I threatened the soldiers with my fist. My eyes and ears caught the obvious dissatisfaction of the chosen soldiers that they would work twelve hours. The look I gave them was enough to make them quickly nod and go out. There are several thestrals left in the barracks, among which I was able to single out Rising and Flying.

"I have things to do, so while I'm gone, Rising will be in charge. You just need to place soldiers on guard within the garrison and no more. Nothing complicated." I said, folding the card and holding it out in front of Rising's face so that he would take it. He hesitated for a second, but to my satisfaction he grabbed the card with his wing. I was about to turn around to go about my business, but I heard the hoarse indignation of Flying.

"Why him? I'm obviously better suited for this role." Flying was indignant, putting a hoof to his chest in a defiant manner.

"You obviously left without any explanation. And I put your managerial skills in great doubt. So until you bring your super-negative reputation to the plus in my eyes, you will remain unfit for leadership positions." I answered harshly stating the fact.

"I just have an explanation. I just..." Flying started to justify himself, but I abruptly interrupted him.

"I have more important things to do right now, so put off your excuse for later," I said sharply before turning around and heading out of the barracks. I heard Flying take a breath to say something, but by turning around sharply and drilling him with my gaze, I was able to silence him. With a sigh, I left the barracks and slammed the door behind me. Looking around the area around me, I saw that all the groups of soldiers that I had gathered had already left my field of vision.

At least they bothered to pretend they were working. Okay, let's imagine that they really will work all twelve hours without my supervision. No matter how unrealistic it is.

I mentally scrolled through my to-do list and plans before settling on the next item. Go to the town hall and wait for the arrival of the musicians. I took a breath in preparation for a headache and started walking towards the town hall. My vision slowly adapted to the darkness, so I could see in the distance a pastry shop that served as a guide for me. In the dark, it becomes less frightening. Quite a bit.

Passing through the market, I saw the dark outline of a pastry shop. I tried my best to ignore him and continue walking on, but I felt someone boring into me with a look. I closed my eyes to reduce the headache and focused on feeling the invisible lines. There are two small silhouettes in the pastry shop. One belongs to a unicorn, the other to a Pegasus. Judging by the shape of the silhouette, they are either just lying or sleeping. Not far from them are two adult Earth ponies who are also most likely sleeping. With each silhouette I focused on, my tension increased. Not one of those creatures that I can feel cannot look at me because of the banal fact that they are sleeping. But the feeling of a gaze boring into me is still present.

Just go ahead and if something happens, hit in all directions. And most importantly, do not look at this terrible house called an even more terrible word confectionery.

I turned away from the building and started hurriedly walking towards the town hall. For my benefit, the moonlight was bright enough to allow me to see the road and not trip over my own feet. I felt and heard a couple of thestrals pass by me. I managed to catch that when they saw my figure, the thestrals froze, clearly not expecting me here. I didn't focus on it and continued walking towards the town hall, barely visible in such darkness. After walking a few yards further, I felt that the Thestrals shrugged their shoulders and continued their patrol. The best solution on their part.

As a result, I was able to get to the town hall and leaned on one of its columns. I started waiting for the musicians to come and preferably return the rest of the money. While waiting, my gaze fell on the empty city and buildings surrounding me. In the distance there was a library in which the light was still on despite the time of day. There is not a single trace of the fact that I interacted with her at the town hall, as if I had never been in this city. It would be nice if that were the case.

Let's think about more important things. For example, where are the musicians and how long are we going to wait for them. In any case, we still have plans to look for something useful in an abandoned castle.

I sighed and looked around again, hoping to find the musicians. Without seeing or feeling them, I made a decision. Count the seconds until I get to nine hundred, or if translated into minutes, fifteen. My eyes started wandering around the city around me again while I was keeping score. On a distant hill next to a tree, I could make out eight silhouettes of thestrals. One minute. I felt that the thestrals did not want to approach the town hall and turned around before reaching it, most likely because of my presence. Four minutes. I heard a distant sound as two children started screaming almost simultaneously. Seven minutes. Turning to the sound and seeing that the light was on in the pastry shop, I realized that the sound was coming from there. I wish I cared. Ten minutes. There is no wind, which is why there is complete silence in the city and only distant footsteps and my breathing is heard. Fifteen minutes.

That's it, let's go to the forest. We'll spend six hours on books and six on sleep. By the time we get back to the city, the first shift will have finished its work.

I sighed in disappointment and pushed off from the column of the town hall and headed towards the forest. I hope the Thestrals don't start asking too many questions. While my heart was full of hope, my legs slowly carried me towards the forest. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that the thestrals on the hill were looking at me intently. In response to this, I straightened up and walked with a more confident and relaxed gait, as if everything should be like this. By the time I found myself right in front of the entrance to the forest, I felt like they stopped watching me. Exhaling, I took a step into the forest.

I started moving quickly through the forest, not wanting to spend a lot of time on the road. Fortunately, there was nothing big nearby, so the headache from the lines almost disappeared. As I moved in one direction, I noticed with my eyes the moss on the trees that grew on the side facing Ponyville. In case I can't find the castle, I'll just go north by identifying it by the moss on the trees. Great plan.

Excellent the minimum level of perfection is returned. Now you can move forward and

My stream of thoughts was interrupted by a sharp break that I noticed at the last moment. My feet were at the very edge and began to lose balance. I grabbed a branch of a nearby tree to steady myself. After that, curiosity overcame me and forced me to look down. There I saw a river flowing below, which was frozen under the influence of cold. The distance to it is difficult to calculate, but one thing is for sure. It will take a long time to fall. Looking at the frozen river, my mind was in a trance. I looked at the ice covering the river without a specific purpose, rather just fascinated.

If you don't get to Perfection, you'll fall there. At least mentally, but most likely physically. Don't screw up and keep working.

I quickly shook my head and took a step away from the cliff. After several deep breaths and slow exhalations, I walked along the cliff hoping to find the castle. As I advanced, I could feel the wolves hanging around. But surprisingly, they avoided me as if they understood that they would not be able to fight back. Surprisingly good conclusion for animals.

While I was pondering the question of wolves, I managed to get to the bridge. Raising my eyes higher, I saw a familiar abandoned castle from which a shaky bridge separated me. I smiled a little and started walking across the bridge trying to ignore its shakiness. My ears picked up the creaking of the boards at every step, but the desire to get to the knowledge forced me to keep going. After crossing the bridge, I took a breath, preparing for the arrays of information that I was going to process, and entered the castle.

After wandering through the dark corridors of the castle, I got to the library so familiar to me. Looking around the room, I saw a map of the forest and books that were located in front of the stained glass window. After looking at the stained glass window, I realized one problem. There are no light sources in the library. Realizing this, I began to inspect the room trying to come up with a solution to the problem.

The bookcases are made of wood. The tree is burning and quite well. Fire gives light.

Quickly coming up with a solution, I began to approach the nearest bookcase. Pulling out all the books from it so as not to damage them, I began to create a fireball rune. As soon as a burning ball appeared in my hand, I put it in the closet. I hissed from the pain caused by the warmth of the ball and as soon as the flames began to spread through the closet, I threw the ball into the stained glass window. I heard the sound of glass breaking but was more interested in the condition of my suffering right hand. Fortunately, the hand received only severe redness and no more. Releasing a restrained sigh, I lowered my hand and looked at the closet. Slowly, the flames began to spread across the bookcase devoid of any books. While it was burning, I started walking around the library in search of books. This time my main goal was all kinds of books about runes. The arsenal of arrows, balls, time bombs and a puny shield is not very impressive. I need to assemble something more solid.

As I walked through the library, I felt a tiny, barely noticeable curvature among the lines. With every step, it became more noticeable and irritated. Turning my head in the direction of the curvature, I saw an ordinary stone wall. When I got closer to the wall, I felt that the curvature was behind the wall. Without thinking, my fist struck the wall. I felt my fist break through the wall without any problems, but then I ran into something strange. Crouching slightly and looking through the hole from my fist, I saw something dark. Following my curiosity, I put two explosion runes on the wall. After the runes were installed, I took many steps back to avoid being hit by an explosion. I started counting down expecting an explosion in five seconds. One, two, three

A couple of explosions rang out loudly two seconds earlier than I expected. I really need to figure out a way to determine how much time is left before the explosion, depending on the magic spent. Shaking my head, I focused on what was left of the explosion. The wall was completely demolished and behind it was a dome consisting of black material. Very similar to the material that was used for the medallion that Chrysalis gave me. In any case, there was something on the hemisphere that looked like a silver rod with a blue crystal in the middle and a golden crystal on top.

There must be something valuable underneath it. Punch through.

I tried to approach the dome, but I felt that I bumped into something. I slammed my fist into an invisible barrier and immediately realized that I had not achieved the result. Deciding to apply more pressure, I began to strike blow after blow in the hope of breaking through the shield. When sweat broke out on my forehead and the number of blows exceeded a hundred and the barrier remained, I realized that I was clearly doing something wrong. Choosing my last option, I tried to install the explosion rune on the barrier. And the rune just fell apart as if it couldn't catch on the barrier. Seeing the ineffectiveness of my methods, I leaned against the nearest cabinet and began to think.

What can be hidden behind a wall, perhaps an impenetrable magical barrier and an unknown strength black barrier? Obviously something valuable or at least interesting. Who knows maybe there will be some kind of sheer heart attack rune? On the one hand, you can focus on ways to break through the barrier but suspend the expansion of the arsenal. On the other hand, you can send this barrier to hell and start expanding the arsenal.

After weighing all the pros and cons, I began to wander around the library in search of a way to break through the barrier. Carefully examining each book on each bookshelf, I found several books that might help me. Among them are two thick books with the titles "Mechanics of magical barriers" and "Breaking seals, curses, barriers and other things." I hope this helps me.

I got to the already burned-out closet by a quarter and went to the wall. Sitting next to the wall so that the light illuminated my books, I opened "Breaking seals, curses, barriers and other things" in the hope that I would get a solution to my problem with it.

Vidi

I felt a light fall on my closed eyelids. My hair was moving under the influence of the cold wind. My body was numb from sitting in one place in one position for a long time and froze from the cold. Like a shot, the realization came to my head.

You fell asleep while you were reading. I hope you didn't deviate too much from the plan.

I abruptly opened my eyes and realized that I had been sleeping right on an open book all this time. I straightened up and rubbed my eyes with my hands to see my surroundings normally. Blinking a couple of times, my eyes scanned my surroundings while I remember what I did yesterday. Remembering everything, I sighed wearily.

Everything started fine yesterday. I started reading books, learning that the barriers come in different types, and in general it turns out that a magic shield and a barrier are different things. And then I ran into some difficulties. For example, the book provides ways to destroy barriers depending on their type, but does not tell how to determine the type of barrier. Because of this, I had to search the entire library to patch up the holes in knowledge. And it looks like at some point I passed out without getting an answer to my question. How to open that barrier?

Anyway, it's time to get back to the city. We take books with us. After all, the bag needs to be filled with at least something.

I started to quickly collect all the books that I managed to gather around me yesterday and throw them into my bag. Having filled my bag to the limit, I zipped it up, slung it over my shoulder and started hurriedly leaving the library. Finally, I took a look at several bookcases that had burned to embers. After that, I started walking briskly to the exit of the castle.

As a result, I found myself in front of a bridge that I have to cross again despite the shakiness. I wonder what I'm going to do when this bridge does collapse? Although while the bridge is intact, this is not my problem. Shrugging my shoulders, I took a step onto the first plank of the bridge and began to move to the other side. I held on to the ropes of the bridge to stabilize myself and feel a little safer. Suddenly, a gust of wind caused the bridge to sway, not allowing me to move on. Hearing a creak under my feet and assessing the distance to solid ground, I made a decision. My legs bent and then abruptly pushed off the board, throwing me into the air. After a second of flying, I landed safely on solid ground.

Sighing, I straightened up and started looking for moss to figure out where to go to get to Ponyville. Approaching the nearest tree, I began to walk around it clockwise in the hope of finding moss. Having passed almost a full circle, the eyes fixed the moss and the brain concluded where to go. I turned around and walked briskly in the direction where Ponyville should be. Fortunately, there were practically no animals around, which caused the headache to almost completely disappear.

As I progressed, my gaze fell on various plants that I had not previously paid much attention to because of my busy schedule. I stopped for a second and began to look at the nature around me. Despite the winter, some plants managed to survive by living next to trees. Of course, most of these plants are all sorts of mushrooms, but what kind. For example, a large mushroom of iridescent color grew next to one of the large trees. It looks at least interesting. Judging by the rumbling of my stomach, it's also appetizing.

First of all, we don't have time to admire nature. Secondly, don't even think about eating this mushroom. We have things to do. If necessary, you will eat children. In the best "truthful" traditions of Stalin.

I sighed and continued walking quickly in the direction of the city. When the silhouette of the city appeared in the almost solid wall of trees, I felt something to my left. After a short reflection, it dawned on me that this was a small group of animals. Most likely, it is those that strains the owner of the apple orchard. I don't even know if it's worth doing right now or going back to the garrison first.

On the one hand, these animals are right here nearby, and if you go to the garrison, you will have to look for them. Who knows how long it will take to find the animals if they go deep into the forest?

My thoughts were interrupted by a powerful roar from my stomach. I clutched my stomach and made a quick decision. At least it is better to do this to satisfy hunger. I stood on tiptoe, out of habit pulled out a knife and began to walk slowly towards the group of animals. Whenever possible, I hid behind the trees and looked out to see the position of the animals with my own eyes. Of course I can just run up and kill them in a couple of moments, but don't I, as the grandson of a hunter, have the right to play with the victim?

Having shortened the distance, I was able to make out surprisingly familiar animals. Ordinary normal wolves covered with fur and without any embellishments. I sighed contentedly and a second thought about how to limit myself to making hunting a little more fun. There are a lot of options. Use only one leg and one arm? Or maybe use only a knife? While holding a knife in my teeth? Of course, holding the blade in my teeth. Am I a sucker to take a knife by the handle with my teeth? I'm constantly holding the handle with my dirty hands!

It is better to combine business with pleasure. We will use only magic. Of course it's not so much fun, but practicing magic will be useful.

I took a decisive step with my foot showing up from behind the tree. As I approached, the wolves began to notice me and growl. At the same time, seeing my straight posture and confidence, they slowly retreated as if they had experienced genuine fear. I sighed in disappointment and quickly counted the number of wolves. Five. I created tiny arrow runes on the fingertips of my left hand and aimed at the paws of the wolves. Taking a breath, I fired a shot. All the arrows fell into the paws of the wolves and pierced them through, but did not kill anyone. I hope the threat to life will make them a little more active.

The bravest or stupidest wolf, despite the punctured paw, asked for me. With a grin on my face, I ducked to avoid the wolf's attack and put an explosion rune on his belly. I felt him crash into something and judging by the rapid movement of his head, he lost his orientation. A second later there was a small explosion and I stopped feeling the wolf. There are only four left. Seeing the fate of their comrade, the remaining wolves began to back away even more. I sighed in disappointment when I saw this and decided to continue the boring game.

I quickly created two magic balls without fire. In three quick steps, I closed the distance and brought down my hands with balls on the heads of the two nearest wolves. This action pressed the wolves into the ground with the sound of cracking skulls and caused the remaining two wolves to start running away in panic. After calculating the efforts and prospective benefits, I decided not to pursue them and stay with what I have. The magic balls dissolved, and I straightened up to look at my winnings.

Two wolves with almost no damage if you do not take into account the broken skulls. I will get a lot of meat, and if I want, I can take off the skin and make myself a scarf, for example. Although, given my skills, it will be easier to just throw a skin around my neck and say that it is a scarf. And a wolf half torn apart by the explosion. All that was left of his body was a charred piece of his chest and his head and neck. Not suitable for anything though . . .

I walked closer to the charred remains of the wolf and squatted down with a knife in my hands. I put the knife to the wolf's chest and started cutting along it. Along the way, I seem to have touched some kind of vein, which caused the knife to get dirty with blood. With a quick wave of my hand, I dusted off the knife and continued to cut the wolf. As a result, I cut off a charred piece of the wolf and saw that there was meat under the unsuitable pieces that looked fried. Of course, this is not the level of good roasting on a campfire with the marinade, but it's better than raw meat. And certainly better than raw pony meat.

After another rumbling of my stomach, I casually cut off a strip of meat for trial and barely bit off a piece. I want to spit it out, it's hard to chew, and it smells disgusting. Yes, the meat of the wolf has not changed since the last time I ate it. The difference is that the last time the meat was cooked normally on a campfire, with marinade and it was cooked by my old man.

First of all, stop whining, crybaby. Any meat is food. Secondly, we still have a lot to do, so there is no time to sit and eat. Let's leave the wolves here. Anyway, the idea with the scarf was not very good. We'll eat on the way.

I swallowed a strip of meat that I cut off and proceeded to chop off a couple more strips from the wolf. During the cutting, the knife accidentally severed the veins of the wolf, which caused blood to spray on my hand and on the knife itself. Despite this, I was able to cut myself five strips of meat with an average length of three and a half inches. Having finished cooking myself a kind of breakfast, I started walking towards Ponyville again, eating my meat along the way. Despite the desire to spit out the muck, I forced myself to continue eating. After all, meat is meat, and it doesn't make sense to become a vegetarian so that ponies aren't so scared. Their opinion doesn't matter.

Well done, I was able to establish order in my thoughts. Now it remains only to gain a foothold in the city and start moving forward and upward. Who, if not you, will achieve Perfection?

I felt the wind on my skin when I came out of the forest and almost finished my meat. Barely chewing a piece of meat, I looked around to understand exactly where I got out. To my own surprise, my brain realized that it had managed to get to the hill with a tree. And next to the tree sat thestrals who seemed to be counting down the seconds until the end of the shift and certainly were not engaged in monitoring the city. In a good way, they should be scolded for laziness and demanded to work until the last second of the shift.

But considering that half the time they worked you slept, scolding them for laziness at the end of the shift would be illogical.

I caught how the thestrals noticed me from afar and began to straighten up, look around as if they were not resting. My lips took the form of a small grin as I walked towards the garrison. I specifically chose this route so that before going down the hill to be as close as possible to the thestrals. Out of the corner of my eye, I managed to fix the intense gaze of one of the thestrals, as if he was praying that I wouldn't say anything.

"I think your shift can be considered finished." I said abruptly, turning to Thestral who was looking at me so intently. My eyes caught, how all the thestrals were hovering trying to process new information. After a few seconds that I gave them to process, they nodded.

I turned away from them but turned my head to them to give an additional decree: "But tell others that the shift is over. They must be wandering around the city right now. Otherwise, you are free for the next twelve hours. Just do not forget to return to the garrison after this time. You don't want me to have to look for you, do you?"

I didn't have the patience or the desire to wait for their answer, so I turned around on the spot again and went to the garrison. On the way, I raised my gaze to the sky, and when I saw the golden dawn, I was confused. How much did I study and how much did I sleep if it's early in the morning?

Calm down, it's winter now and, accordingly, dawn comes much later. Do you remember how as a child I went to school in the winter and could not see beyond my own nose because of the darkness? This is taking into account the fact that you came to school at eight in the morning. In the worst case, you let them go half an hour earlier. But the worst option almost always remains unrealistic.

I nodded to myself and let my legs carry me to the garrison. During my reflections, I managed to get to the town hall and realizing this fact turned right. Now, in the morning light, the terrifying pastry shop was visible in all its ugliness. I lowered my gaze to the ground so as not to see the terrible building and began to walk slowly. Hopefully while I'm walking like this I won't bump into someone.

At the moment when I almost tripped over the pink steps, my head instinctively rose up and my eyes fixed on the pastry shop. I slowly backed away and gaining distance turned sharply to the left, towards the market. At a fast pace, I walked away from the pastry shop without turning around and trying to forget about the existence of this at all. After a dozen quick steps, I calmed down, slowed down and exhaled.

Don't panic. It's just painted wood, stone, or whatever ponies use in construction. Calm down.

I took a breath and another exhale before finally looking up at what's ahead. While walking to the garrison, I noticed that some ponies had already managed to take place in the market. But unlike Manhattan, here they don't make a fuss from a single buyer. My legs had already managed to walk most of the way, so the garrison was clearly visible. There was a single thestral with jet-black fur on the street next to the tower. Squinting just in case, I was convinced. Yes, it's Flying.

He wanted to explain his loss yesterday. Well, let's see what he came up with.

Now you can tell me. " I said loudly as I approached Flying who continued to sit on the ground. Judging by the way he calmly turned his head, he could hear my approach. As I approached, I noticed how Rising positioned the soldiers within the garrison. Two at the entrance to the warehouse, two at the entrance to the barracks and one of the corners. I felt that most of the thestrals were located in the barracks and, judging by the lack of activity, were sleeping.

Our eyes crossed for a second, after which he grinned and asked: "What to tell?"

"I don't even know. Probably what you're most afraid of. Or maybe what you were doing while I was gone. There are many options. Which one do you think is real? " I asked, frowning.

"Okay, okay, don't get excited, sir. I'll tell you now, just let me clear my throat." Flying answered, emphasizing the word sir, and starting to clear his throat loudly, as if he was deliberately trying to get me out of myself. I started simply, calmly looking him straight in the eye, waiting for him to answer.

"Okay, you didn't appreciate it, I get it. I left because I really wanted to spend time with my family in my native village. Well, you know, who knows when the next time there will be such an opportunity with our work?" Said Flying looking into my eyes as if he was speaking sincerely. For a second I even believed it. Or rather, I wanted to believe.

No, wait, he couldn't have had time. I woke up in the afternoon of the first of January and almost immediately went to Ponyville. When I arrived Flying was already here in the city. Considering how long the train takes, he didn't have time to go to his family. Of course, there is a possibility that his family is so close to Manhattan that they can be reached in five minutes on foot. But the existence of probability is not an argument.

"To the family, right? Then tell me where exactly they are. And what method of movement did you use. Well, you know the things that you know one hundred percent once you went to them." I asked, wanting to catch him in a lie. Hearing my demand, he began to run his eyes from side to side as if looking for something to cling to.

After a few seconds, he sighed and said: "Okay, you got me."

"But judging by your face, you don't feel guilty and you're not going to tell me the truth. Did I guess right? " I asked, assuming the interlocutor's answer. He nodded, which made me grab the bridge of my nose with my fingers and sigh.

We will push until he breaks like the spine of an animal. He will be with us today.

"Get up. There are still a lot of things to do after our caring colleagues. And today you will be with me." I said, causing Flying to stare at me in shock.

After staring at me for a few seconds, he slowly stood up and asked sarcastically: "I would refuse, but you're the captain. What orders, sir? "

"Follow me and keep up. We'll figure it out on the spot. " I said, waving my hand, urging Flying to follow me. Noticing his barely noticeable nod, I opened the door and entered the tower to pick up the cases and arrange the soldiers.

When I entered the tower, I felt someone lying on the second floor and saw that everything continued to lie in its place without any changes. After taking a few long steps to the table, I picked up a decent part of the papers and turned to Flying, who had already assumed a bored look. Suddenly, my curiosity was aroused and burst out in the form of a question.

"Where is Rising?" I asked, trying to stabilize the column of papers.

"The last time I saw him, he came in here. Maybe on the second floor?" Flying asked, pointing with his head of the stairs. Probably it was Rising that I felt on the second floor

"Stay here. I'll check it out. I said softly before putting the papers on the table and heading for the stairs. My foot went down on the first step, which surprisingly did not make it fasten. Wow, finally a military building that isn't falling apart. I shook my head and continued up the nice stairs. As I ascended, I began to realize how high the second floor was. Counting on the jump, there's a minimum of thirty-five feet.

After going all the way, I ended up on the second floor, if that's the right way to call it. Looking around the room, I caught sight of a bed, a desk with a pen and a Rising who sleeps next to the window in an embrace with a map. After taking a few steps, I jerked the map of the city out of the hooves of Rising. Unfortunately or fortunately, he didn't wake up. After that, my legs carried me to the stairs, but my brain started thinking on its own, forcing me to stop. I leaned against the wall and wondered what to do with it. To fall asleep when you were appointed in charge is certainly not a reason for praise.

In a good way, you need to take off the belt and punish him with a whip. But considering that he did a pretty good job on the whole and he will have to be in command while I'm hanging out with Flying, then you can show a little leniency. So let's let him sleep a little.

Turning around on the spot, I began to quickly descend the stairs. The stairs of course began to creak faintly from my rapid steps. My head started to ache from such sudden movements, but not critically. Along the way, I folded the card in half several times to put it in my pocket. With the last loud step, I finished the hike up the stairs and returned to the first floor where Flying was still standing.

"Take it easy, daredevil." Said Flying with a grin. In response, I rolled my eyes and walked over to the table where I left the papers that would be sorted today. Taking a column of papers and making sure that it was held in my hands, I nodded to myself.

"Let's not joke. Make way for me. Now I will distribute the load." I asked while waiting for Flying to take a step aside. Fortunately, my demand reached him, and he took a slow small step to the left, thereby clearing the way. I nodded and opened the door to the street with a weak kick.

When I went outside, I grabbed a stack of papers above and below so that the wind would not carry it away. I began to walk cautiously towards the barracks, looking out of the corner of my eye at the soldiers who were guarding. They looked exhausted to the limit and as if the only thing keeping them from falling asleep was the risk of punishment from me. Of course, there is a possibility that I am being dramatic, but you can trust your eyes. Maybe. After weighing a lot of pros and no cons, I made a decision.

"Your shift is over! Get some rest." I shouted, taking in more air. The soldiers, hearing this, smiled faintly and slowly walked towards the barracks. Fortunately, my legs felt better and I was able to get to the barracks before everyone started crowding. Before entering, I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

"Good morning, the last heroes!" I shouted with a strong kick opening the door to the barracks. The door loudly collided with the wall, thus adding to my scream. The soldiers sleeping in the barracks abruptly opened their eyes and some even straightened up. After a few seconds, they were able to recover a little and focus on me. After looking around at everyone present and realizing that everyone was awake, I nodded to myself.

I put a stack of papers on the nearest unoccupied bed and clapped my hands and began to explain: "Before handing out decrees, I need information. Yesterday, Rising had to give some of you one or more of these papers so that you could help the locals. Which one of you did it yesterday? "

I saw about one-third of the thestrals in the room raise their hooves up. I carefully looked into the eyes of everyone who raised a hoof for a few seconds to make sure there was no lie. After no one succumbed to my gaze, I nodded contentedly and said, pulling out a map from my pocket: "For the next twelve hours you will walk along the routes I set or stand on the right points. I'll show you everything now."

I began to explain to the sleepy thestrals where they would go and in what composition. As a result, it turned out almost the same as yesterday, only instead of eight people on the hill there are four and the routes of the pairs are different. As soon as the sleepy thestrals understood my order and began to gather to leave the barracks, I turned to the remaining ones. After quickly counting them and getting the number twenty-two, I began to think about how best to distribute them all.

I don't think that many people should be left in the garrison. Eight should be enough. Let the others do the errands.

Having made a decision, I stretched out both hands forward and pointed with eight fingers at random soldiers. After making sure that everyone noticed this, I said: "You eight will keep an eye on the garrisons. The remaining fourteen must sort out the requests of the residents of the city and fulfill them. Questions?"

Seeing that no one had any questions, I took a few papers from the stack and turned around to leave the barracks. My eyes caught that before leaving the barracks, a bunch of soldiers crowded around, not allowing them to pass normally. I raised both hands and began to slowly make my way through the crowd of soldiers trying not to drop the requests of citizens from my hands. Several times I almost fell, but I still walked through the crowd and began to look around in search of my partner. Feeling someone behind me, I turned around and saw Flying.

"You just stood there and didn't follow me. Did I guess right?" I asked, being ninety-nine percent sure of my guess.

"Do you think I should have been crowding there?" Flying asked, raising an eyebrow. The fact that this is a violation of the order does not seem to bother him.

"Remind me to give you a good beating sometime. You know, for educational purposes. " I said, starting to look through what requests I picked up. The first thing is to reprimand the child for having caused some damage to private property by riding a scooter. Why should I do this and not the parents of the children? Good question but no answer. The second thing is to lift the refrigerator in the oh my God pastry shop because something rolled under it. I feel bad already.

"I will definitely remind you." Flying said sarcastically after a minute of silence. As if it's hard for him to say it to me. I looked up at him, waiting for him to continue, but hearing nothing, I continued to look at the cases. The third thing is to open the building that the businessman bought along with the plot, but he can't go in. Now it's clear. I'm the captain of the handymen.

With a frustrated sigh, I put the cases in my pocket and began to examine the map to build a route. Of course I'll go to the pastry shop in the last queue. If I had my way, I wouldn't go to the pastry shop at all. Having built the route and memorized it, I turned around with the words: "Let's go, Flying. It's time for super serious things."

When we were already outside the garrison, Flying turned to me and asked: "So, what's our first case?"

"Reprimand children for bad behavior." I replied without hiding my dissatisfaction and disappointment.

" Sucks. " Briefly replied Flying experiencing the same if not greater disappointment as I.

" I agree. By the way, you will be talking to the children. " I said in a voice not suggesting his opinion on this issue.

" Yeah. Wait what? Why me? " Flying asked in a dissatisfied tone.

" I have a belt handy. More precisely, under the navel, but you get it. Add to this the fact that for me children are just micro people. I do not make allowances for micro people. How do you think I'm going to reprimand naughty children? " I asked rhetorically.

"So you think I'm better suited for this?" Flying asked, responding with rhetoric to rhetoric. Rhetoric squared? Soon there will be rhetoric in the cube.

"Do you think you're more dangerous to a child than me armed with a belt?" I asked, silencing Flying for a second. After a few seconds of silent walking, Flying raised his voice again.

"Okay, I'll take care of the kids. I have no idea how, but I will." Quietly said Flying without coming up with a way to bring the rhetoric to the fourth degree.

In response, I nodded and together we continued to walk around the city. Some of the ponies had already gone outside and seemed almost not nervous at the sight of me. Almost. Having memorized the route, I began to look around to find a landmark in the form of a library. After a few minutes, my eyes were able to detect the library to my left and I turned right while continuing to keep the route in mind. As we moved, I got deeper and deeper into a part of the city that I had never been to and in which there are no landmarks. Getting out of there will be a lot of "fun".

At some point I saw a small orange Pegasus who was riding his scooter at great speed. Seeing this, I quickly pulled out of my pocket the requests of the residents of the city and began to sort through. Having found the right request, I quickly reread it and made a conclusion. There is a possibility that it is her and maybe not. For me, it's trite easier to assume that it's her. Or him, it doesn't matter.

Anyway, how are you going to slow her down, crybaby? Will you lie down in front of her like a speed bump?

I thought about it for a second. Some small wooden scooter will not be able to harm me, and perhaps shame will increase the child's willingness to perceive information. Although I don't understand child psychology, so it's not accurate. Or you can throw it under the wheels of a Flying scooter. No, either to throw yourself or to act differently.

I rubbed my chin with my hand in thought as the Pegasus on the scooter came closer and closer to me. As I got closer, I could see that Pegasus was keeping his eyes closed and drinking juice. Given the distance, the scream won't work because she just won't have time to stop. I probably already need to do something, otherwise a small horse will run over me with a scooter.

Considering all the factors, it's more likely that she will break from you than you will about her. And in general, why are you thinking about the safety of some child? Just stand on the road and let it crash into you.

I put my hands in my pockets and started looking around, pretending not to notice the scooter with the child rushing at me. At the edge of my field of vision, I found Flying who was looking at me as if he didn't understand why I stopped. His ear twitched and he looked forward to see a speeding scooter. He took a few steps to the side and looked at me with incomprehension when I continued to stand still. But he didn't seem eager to help.

Suddenly, I felt the steering wheel of the scooter rest against my stomach with a sharp blow. The little Pegasus at the wheel rested his head on my chest and the juice flew out of her hooves and fell to the ground.

" Sorry, sorry I'm not. . ." " The little Pegasus started to apologize, moving back, but froze when he saw who he was facing. I grinned and took a step back, waving my head in the direction of Flying, informing him that his work had begun. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly before approaching the petrified pegasus.

"Um, like you don't have to do that anymore. Wait, what did she do?" asked Flying, turning to me with a question in his eyes.

I looked down at the paper for a second to look up at Flying again and answer: "Hooliganism by harming the private property of a small business may not be possible to cope with management."

"Is that all?" Flying asked as if it didn't matter at all.

"Look, I'm not impressed either. But what are you offering me? To break the request of a resident of the city in half simply because I consider vandalism a trifle not worthy of attention?" I asked rhetorically, raising an eyebrow and continuing to follow the little Pegasus. She seemed to have recovered a bit but still looks tense.

"Yes, that's it. And you look like you want to do it. Would something really happen if you let one filly go?" Flying asked, pointing with his hoof at the Pegasus as if he wanted to make me feel sorry for her. I took a look at her and saw her mane having a color similar to purple.

Well, if we talk openly, we'll be stuck here for at least an hour. So we speak honestly, but it's closed.

"I have big plans and to implement them I need to play the role of a good guy, which of course I am. Answering in advance, no, I won't tell you what these plans are. Perhaps if you tell me where you disappeared after the new year, I will think about revealing this topic. Now can you stop asking stupid questions and start doing business? " I asked quickly tapping my foot on the ground.

He sighed and turned back to the little Pegasus. After a few seconds of silence, he started saying, " Just don't do that anymore and be careful, okay? "

She was silent for a few seconds and then answered, picking up her scooter from the ground: " Good. I'll be careful."

While indignation filled my mind, she managed to quickly get on the scooter and go the other way. As soon as I was able to calm my rage and desire to kill Flying on the spot, I turned to him and asked a reasonable question: "What have you done?"

"Me? I told the little filly elementary things. What else did you want from me? " I asked Flying sincerely not understanding what did not suit me. And in truth, there was no special reason to rage. I'm short-tempered of course, but there really is no reason to be angry. Something's wrong.

It definitely has nothing to do with the dark magic that you technically use on a regular basis. You probably just didn't get enough sleep and didn't eat well. After all, the meat of wolves was hard to eat.

"Probably nothing. Let's just move on. Our next mission is to help a rich man opens a building. It's on the outskirts of the city." I said, realizing the stupidity, absurdity and senselessness of this request. After the words left my lips, I started walking slowly, trying not to forget the route. I have just one question. Why can't I send the fuck these requests?

"Will we get paid?" Flying asked, following me.

"No. We are such kind guys that we do it for free. And most likely we won't even get a thanks. Cool, huh?" I asked sarcastically, turning my head to Flying.

"Incredibly cool." Flying replied sarcastically.

That was the end of our conversation and we went on through the city. Since the rich man's plot was outside the city, all that was required of me now was to go forward until I left the city. Fortunately, the owner of the plot bothered to write in the request where the plot is located and what the house looks like. A two-story brick building and a little collapsed.

Be careful when you do the autopsy at home. If you overdo it, you can accidentally destroy it.

"Shouldn't we go to the rich man first so he knows who did the job?" Flying asked, pulling me out of my own thoughts. Looking around, I realized that I had already managed to leave the city limits.

I remained silent for a couple of seconds before turning to Flying and answering: "In a good way, yes, it is necessary. But real good deeds are done without warning and out of a sincere desire to just do good. "

" Are you just too lazy to search and go to his house? " Flying asked, looking at me with a barely noticeable grin.

" I prefer to say saving time and effort. But on the whole, you're right. I'm too lazy to do such a small thing. I doubt he'll pay us if we say we did it. " I replied with a sigh.

"It's okay. I'm also not eager to dance in front of some rich man to get a handout." Flying said, raising his voice a little, as if he wanted everyone to know this.

The meaning of this action?

I nodded silently and began to turn around in search of the building that needs to be opened. Seeing in the distance the silhouette of something similar to a house with a triangular roof, I went to him and motioned for Flying to follow me. He understood me and judging by the lines nodded before following me. So in silence we started walking across the grass to the building.

After a couple of minutes of walking, we reached the building. I sighed when I saw the condition of the building. All the windows have collapsed and partially overgrown and the door is simply impossible to find. Either overgrown or sealed. It's amazing that plants manage to survive even in winter. Seeing such a mishap, I turned to Flying and asked: "Any ideas?"

He tilted his head for a couple of seconds as if he wanted to look at the building from different sides and after completing a brief inspection he replied: "I can only say one thing. It's not worth cutting all these plants, otherwise we will do even more work for the rich for free."

In response, I nodded hiding my disappointment and began to walk around the house from different sides in search of a door. After two rounds I stood next to Flying with my hands on my hips and said: "There is no door or traces of it. The question is simple. What to open in a house where there is no door? "

" The window. " Flying quickly replied as if the information had been memorized. I looked at him out of the corner of my eye but quickly focused back on the building. Putting my hand to my chin, I began to think about this idea.

Actually quite good. If you just break a random wall, you can damage the load-bearing wall. But if you remove the bricks from one of the collapsed windows, the building will be technically opened. No one talked about opening the door. They demanded just to open the building.

"Well done, Flying." I said before approaching a piece of the house where a small pile of bricks is located. Obviously, this is the place where the window fell apart. I took a breath and, together with the exhalation, struck at the base of the pile. Several bricks from the base fell inside the house and collapsed the structure. The pile of bricks quickly fell apart and left an almost convenient entrance to the house. Not counting the fact that two feet of bricks need to be climbed over to get into the house.

"We're done here. There's one last thing left." I said, which sent a chill down my spine.

"What is it?" I asked Flying in impatience at the opportunity to complete the work.

" The owner of the pastry shop lost something under the refrigerator. We need to lift it up so that she can return it. " I said, using all my strength to hide the tremor in my voice. Fortunately, I did it successfully.

"And why do you need me for this? Of course I'm strong, but it's obvious that it will be easier for you to do it." Said Flying looking at me with bewilderment.

Say it right here and now. Talk about it loudly and clearly until all the fear flows out of the fact. You can't let emotions slow you down. They should either stimulate you to action, or they should not be at all.

I started walking towards the city and beckoned Flying to follow me with a hand gesture. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed his bewilderment, but he followed me all the time keeping close. After a few seconds of silent walking, I said: "I'm afraid of sweets."

"What what?" Flying asked as if he didn't hear me or rather couldn't believe it.

"I'm afraid of sweets. Sweets like pies, cakes and so on terrify me. Sweet fruits just cause irritation. Have you seen a pastry shop in this town? This is hell for me. " I said, turning to Flying and constantly looking into his eyes.

It's just words. Sounds, letters, tenses woven with a phantom meaning. There is no fear. There is no fear. There is no fear.

Flying was silent for what seemed like an eternity, lowering his gaze to the ground. Then he abruptly raised his head and looked at me and asked: "And do you think that your personal fear is an excuse to force me to load up and even risk my health?"

Don't ask for anything. Either overcome yourself or speak honestly.

"No it doesn't. This factor has no rights. My panic paralyzing fear doesn't matter to anyone but me. But you know what? Just forget it. I'll do it myself. You're free." I said abruptly turning around and heading for the town hall to go for it to the pastry shop. I started to quickly divide the distance and felt like he was just looking after me.

You failed again, crybaby. You can deny it, but you subconsciously asked for pity and help. Such a thing should not just be suppressed. Something like this needs to be uprooted.

"Stop." Shouted Flying. I stopped and turned my head towards him, raising an eyebrow.

Seeing my attention Flying sighed and lowered his head down. After a few seconds, he slowly raised his head and calmly asked: "What do you want?"

They're giving you another chance. Don't spend it like the last one.

I sharply closed the distance and pierced Flying with a hard look before answering: "I need answers. Why did you become so fucked up so abruptly? Why did you leave when everyone was asleep?"

Flying seemed surprised by exactly these requirements and hung for a few seconds. But in the end, he gathered his strength and gave the answer: "Because you're sick in the head."

"So what?" I asked with a quiet laugh. I have never been used, such a non-offensive expletive in my address.

"Look around! Everyone is afraid of you. YOU constantly put pressure on people without even realizing it, YOU literally half a minute ago tried to cause pity to yourself so that later when I agreed to demand another, YOU can calmly beat anyone to death, YOU suppress everyone around both mentally and physically. " Flying said, giving me an annoyed look. It is not furious, but irritated, as if dissatisfied with the behavior of the child.

Will there be any disadvantages? And the statement about universal fear is very doubtful.

"I doubt that everyone is afraid of me. No one seems to be running away." I said, turning around to emphasize my position. The ponies calmly went about their business without paying attention to us.

"They don't run away. But they are afraid of you in a different way. At least they're afraid to tell you how you smell. Sniffing is not my talent, but I feel that you stink of blood, smoke, sweat and I'm afraid to know what else. And that's just the smell. Your crazy ever-wide-open eyes, your voice that suggests an attack at any second and much much more. " Said Flying, causing some part of me to break down and causing a desire to ask for forgiveness. Then another tiny piece broke and seemed to fall from an impossible peak.

Don't worry, they broke but they didn't collapse. They will recover soon. The first is just the weakest and the second, as a mortal sin, is an integral part of you.

"Anything else, or are you going to rest?" I asked calmly, raising an eyebrow slightly.

"No. Go deal with the pastry shop yourself." Flying responded by heading in an unknown direction. I sighed and continued walking along the route leading to the pastry shop. With each step, the stress only got stronger. By the time I got to the town hall and turned towards the pastry shop, the stress had already become overwhelming.

Now we will be the most difficult. Be strong.

I started to slowly approach the pastry shop while the stress was getting more and more. After one step, I felt that something was in my mouth. After a couple more steps, I instinctively began to squeeze it with my jaw. After a dozen steps, I felt a warm liquid splashed on my teeth, but I didn't stop because of the pastry shop, which only got closer with each step. Then I felt a lot of pain that made me distracted.

Abruptly pulling my thumb out of my mouth, I fixed his condition. There was a deep bite on the middle phalanx from which blood flowed. It feels like if I bit a little harder I could get to the bone. I looked up at the pastry shop and the warmth of the blood on my teeth and lips had a calming effect. I licked the blood from my lips and teeth before entering the pastry shop.

When I entered the building, I heard a bell ringing and a terrible smell of sweets hit me in the nose. I struggled to try not to smell by breathing through my mouth. Focusing on my surroundings, I saw all the ponies in the candy store staring at me with tension in their eyes. Except for Pinkie Pie, who was standing at the demonstration table with a big smile. I looked away a little higher so as not to look at the sweets being sold and pulled out of my pocket the request of the owner of the confectionery. I focused my gaze on the paper and began to bypass the queue to get to the kitchen. The ponies seemed afraid to react and stop me somehow, so they just watched.

Approaching Pinkie Pie, who continued to look at me with a wide smile, I asked the question: "The owner of this establishment is Mrs. Cup Cake asked to lift the refrigerator to pull out some kind of thing. I politely ask you to clear the way to the kitchen."

"Oh, Dani, you're funny. You are my friend, like everyone around you, and my friends always have an open road to the kitchen, to my room and much more!" Pinkie Pie said, making me squeeze my hand into a roll. I want to challenge the fact that she called me a friend, I want to hit her for every word she says, but not yet. Not here and not now.

Wait as long as you need to.

I just nodded and walked around Pinkie to get to the kitchen. Pushing open the bar doors, I found myself in the kitchen where I noticed two Earth ponies preparing sweets. Don't inhale, don't inhale, don't inhale, don't inhale.

"You've come to help, haven't you?" the light azure earth pony asked in an attempt to mask the tension. Of course unsuccessfully.

"Yes." I answered briefly, looking around for the refrigerator. I didn't find the usual rectangular white device, which confused me.

" The refrigerator is over there in the corner. Be careful. An engagement ring was lost under it. " She said, pointing with her hoof at a pink locker on low legs.

With a sigh, I took a few steps to the refrigerator and slowly lay down on my stomach. Seeing something glistening under the refrigerator closer to the wall, I quickly came up with a solution. Move the refrigerator. I got up from the floor, dusted myself off and took a few steps to the back of the refrigerator. Squeezing my fingers into the space between the refrigerator and the wall, I discreetly pushed to the side so as not to overturn anything. When the refrigerator quietly moved, I felt that both Earth ponies were staring at me intently. My feet lowered me to my haunches and my hands safely took a silver ring with a small stone. I got up, put the ring on the nearest table, returned the refrigerator to its original position and walked briskly to the exit. Better a headache than extra seconds in this room.

My ears heard someone's speech directed at me, but I didn't hear anything, so I didn't stop. As soon as I left the pastry shop and the cold came over me, I felt an incredible impression. It was only after leaving the pastry shop that I felt and realized that I was soaked to the skin from my own sweat. Remembering that I was still near the pastry shop, my legs involuntarily carried me away from it. So I started running at all speeds to the town hall wanting to escape from the pastry shop. And well, purely for small things to wait for the musicians at the appointed place.

My next conscious action is a sharp landing on an empty bench that is located right in front of the town hall. With a long exhalation, the air left my lungs and allowed me to calm down a little. For a few seconds I just stared at one point trying to recover from such shame and such a volume of fear.

I give you credit, crybaby. You didn't burst into tears right there in the candy store. However, you still need to be better, bolder, more logical. You need to be closer to perfection. But okay, I'll give you the right to consider it your first victory this year.

"One step closer to Perfection. " I said with an exhalation.

After a few more breaths and exhalations, I calmed down and straightened up on the bench. Not seeing any trace of musicians nearby, I decided to do another useful thing. Explore ways to break through the magic barrier. I slowly opened my bag, which had been hanging over my shoulder all this time, and pulled out books from it. I took one of the ones that I didn't finish yesterday and started reading.

But it didn't work out. It was as if a part of me demanded rest and did not accept the argument in the form of huge amounts of work. It's like a part of me wants to. . . to rest.

It's called laziness, Daniel. The main enemy of many, but especially you. Suppress laziness. Do it, do it, and do it again. No matter how much I would like to finish, quit, or at least have a rest, I need to continue. There is no other way to achieve Perfection.

I finally looked at the cold sun, which was already beginning to approach the zenith before going deep into the book. Every few minutes, a part of me wanted to distract myself, but with an effort of will I brought myself back to business. Throughout this whole process, I've been running through one thought in my head.

Keep working, keep going, keep watching, keep developing, keep. . .

Vici?

With a long exhalation, I put the last book in my bag and rubbed my eyes with my hands. The desire to overcome laziness turned out to be so strong that I read all day and even after dark. Although it became really dark about an hour ago. But this hour ago was the most difficult in terms of reading. I rubbed my temples with my fingers trying to process and tamp down all the information I received. In short, to break through the barrier, you need to complete two points:

Determine the type of barrier. It can be purely magical or belong to any element. Taking into account the fact that the barrier from the castle is transparent, this means that it belongs to one of three types. Windy, purely magical or luminous. Yes, the barrier can be made of light slightly condensed by magic. I thought it was weird too. In any case, the option with a wind barrier disappears because if it were so, my blows would pass through it and then the barrier would cause damage to my hands. This is the mechanics of this type. It is impossible to distinguish light from magic. We'll have to try countermeasures until it works.
Destroy the barrier using a suitable type of countermeasure. The light barrier can be broken by weakening with darkness. In principle, you can block the hole that I punched with an explosion with a wardrobe and then hit the barrier blindly. A purely magical barrier can only be broken through by strong magical tension in a short period. How do I do this with my stock of spells? Good question.

I closed the bag and got up from the bench and stretched. Crunching my neck, I looked around in the hope of seeing the musicians. Of course, they were nowhere to be found. A disappointed sigh escaped my lips as I sat down on the bench and looked at the sky. Judging by the position of the moon, it's about eight o'clock.

You're sitting down like you don't have anything to do. Go to the garrison and check how many cases are still left. NOW!

With a nod to myself, I got up and stretched again and went to the garrison along evening street. Along the way, I felt that the thestrals were walking in pairs far away from me. It's nice to know that they obey me. Or. . . are they afraid not to obey?

Did you really let that idiot make you think? What a pity.

I quickly shook my head from side to side and decided to focus on the road. Fortunately, the evening darkness protected my eyes from the pastry shop, allowing me to move on calmly. Every step I took was accompanied by a crunch of snow, which frankly is starting to get a little annoying. On the way, I noticed that the sellers from the market were slowly collecting everything not sold and going home. After briefly taking a look at all this, I continued walking towards the garrison trying not to think.

After crossing the red line separating the garrison from the city, I looked around wanting to find out how the soldiers were doing. Some soldiers were just sitting on the ground while others were animatedly discussing something among themselves. But when they saw me, they stood up and straightened to attention. I turned away from this and headed to the tower to see how many things were left and how Rising was doing. In a few long but slow steps I reached the door to the tower and opened it.

Inside the tower, I was greeted by a curious picture. There was only one small stack of papers left on the table, and Rising, was sitting at the table, who, judging by his closed eyes, was asleep. Interested in what had happened, I walked up to the table and slammed my palm on the table. Rising from this abruptly straightened up in his chair and, opening his eyes, began to frantically look around. When he saw me, he calmed down a little and smiled awkwardly.

"What happened to the papers?" I asked, pointing with my finger at the few papers that were left on the table.

"I thought it was better to deal with them as quickly as possible, so while you were away, I gave the soldiers some of them. I had to persuade, but everything worked out." Said Rising as if he expected praise for this act.

"Why is there only one stack of papers here? I left there." I asked, continuing the survey with disbelief in my voice. Rising looked slightly upset for a moment by the continuation of the incredulous survey, but still answered.

"Well, I distributed the first stack of small cases to others. The second stack of more dangerous cases was taken over by Flying. He wanted to do them so much that I couldn't refuse him. I left on the third stack here because I thought it was very important since the same names are repeated there. " Rising replied pondering every word.

Do you understand? When he found out that you needed to play the good guy card, he quickly realized why you took more difficult things for yourself. He puts a stick in the wheels. Now we have enemies in the rear. Excellent.

"Good job, Rising. You really did everything right." I said with a small grin, trying to abstract myself from anger. In response, Rising looked at me for a second, not believing what he heard, but in the end he beamed with happiness. For a couple of seconds I waited for him to say something, but not hearing a single word, I continued to speak, taking the remaining cases in hand.

"Okay, I'll go now, finish the remaining cases and return to the garrison. You deserve a rest so it's time for you to go to sleep, normally in the barracks. " I said before turning around and walking out of the tower.

" Wait, sir! " Rising said, jumping up from his seat and approaching me. I understood almost instantly what he wanted from me. He wants to come with me.

After a moment of reflection, I sighed and said, starting to leave the tower: " Okay, you can follow me. The main thing is not to interfere."

I felt his active nod, and quick steps following my slower ones. When I got outside, I stood next to the doorway and started looking at the papers to refresh my memory. Pinkie Pie. Lives in a candy store and is accused of trespassing on private property without permission under the pretext of throwing a party. Rainbow Dash. Lives in a house of clouds? Wait, how am I going to get there to hand over all the complaints? Okay, I'll think of something. In any case, Rainbow is charged for damaging private property. And finally Twilight Sparkle. He lives in the library and is accused of noise.

You know, you don't have to say accused. After all, they are not in court. For now.

After considering all the options, I decided to go to Twilight first. It's close, the route is familiar and most importantly - not a pastry shop. I started walking towards the library as it got darker and colder outside. The market has been already completely empty and it seemed that there were only two living people left in the city. I had hoped that walking to the library would take place in silence so that I could sketch my actions, but the sudden question of Rising destroyed these hopes.

"Ahem, sir?" Rising asked cautiously.

"What do you need?" I answered the question even without looking at Rising.

"I thought you were spending time with your band. Why are you here?" Asked Rising still cautiously. This question made me sigh.

I think it's time to admit it.

"Rising, have you heard the expression that as you name for a ship, so it will sail?"

"Yes, of course." Replied Rising after a moment of silence. I felt with every fiber of my soul that he was lying, but I decided not to catch him on a mistake.

" It turns out that the offensive is so crushing and fast that the commander was forgotten, but his finances were not forgotten. " I said, holding back my frustration and anger.

" You mean..." He started to say Rising, but I abruptly interrupted him.

" Yes. These assholes took all my money and disappeared in an unknown direction. Probably made a circle around the city and left here by train while everyone was busy. "

" How could they? How could they do something like that, especially after what you told them? " I asked Rising, who, judging by his voice, was saddened and greatly concerned about this issue. Although it's me who should be sad and worried.

"I don't know about you, Rising, but I realized one of many things a long time ago. The main thing is to do what you think is right, necessary, necessary or any other word that you like." I answered calmly while we continued to walk to the library together. Fortunately, the dialogue was able to distract me from the pastry shop.

"But they are thieves! We have to catch them!" Rising said, raising his voice.

I turned my head to make eye contact with him and said: "Firstly, it is too labor-intensive. Secondly, they could already spend this money or a significant part. Thirdly, I have more important things to do than revenge on specific people. Fourth, I don't know about you, but I would probably do the same in their place. "

After my words Rising was quiet for a few seconds and then quietly asked: " Is this really right?"

Just talk according to the manual.

"That's right, it's an extensible concept that I prefer not to understand. Look at it this way. What happened to me gave me a lesson and a benefit. First of all, it's time for me to learn not to trust strangers. It's funny that I'm already twenty years old and I can't do what every kindergarten student can, don't you think? In any case, my advantage is that, if I wish, I have a victim card. If things get really bad, I can make myself look like a victim. Although I want to tell you right away, Rising, that I will not stoop to this unless absolutely necessary. So that you understand, the threat of death is not a reason for me to make myself a victim. I got distracted. The answer to your question is: the main thing is to assess the ratio of losses and benefits. If the losses are much greater than the benefits, then you can be a little sad but continue to work. If the benefit is equal to or greater than the loss, then it makes no sense to get upset. Let's go time is not infinite." I said before turning around and continuing on my way to the library.

"I'll remember that. Thank you, sir." Said Rising with gratitude as if I had solved a very important question.

In response, I just nodded and continued walking towards the library with Rising on my tail. As I approached the library, I felt something I hadn't expected. I felt the presence of not one or even two beings, but as many as seven. With a gesture saying Rising will stop, I closed my eyes and began to analyze everything. In addition to the six ponies, there was something bipedal in the library. Who could it be?

A two-legged lizard. Do you remember him when you first came here?

I nodded to myself and put my hand to my chin and began to reason out loud: "Seven. There are claims to only three of them. There is a chance that everyone will cover for each other. Like the rotation of reserves to any point where they start to lose. Inconvenient. " What's wrong, sir? " The Rising asked anxiously, looking around as if looking for danger.

In response, I pointed my finger at the library and said: " There is Twilight Sparkle, who is one of those who has a ton of complaints. But the fact is that she is not alone there. There are six other creatures there, and with each of them, according to the little information I have, she has friendly relations. Plus, I also have complaints about two out of six. Do you understand what this means? " I asked, hoping for a quick positive answer to continue the speech.

Rising was silent for about ten seconds and then said with a sigh: "I'm sorry, sir, I don't understand."

I sighed hiding my disappointment and began to explain: "This means that they will cover up and justify each other. And since I have claims on only three of them, the option of binding all of them with a fight does not work. I need to think about it. "

" I am ready to help in any way I can. " Said Rising almost immediately after I finished speaking. I looked at him thinking it was a joke, but when I saw a determined look, I grinned and continued to think with new possibilities.

Look, there are three most effective options. Option one: break in there, knock out anyone who interferes and have a two-on-three conversation. Option two: by abrupt and unexpected actions, confuse everyone and while everyone is confused, knock out a confession of guilt from them. Option three: Go to bed and do it tomorrow. In the current state, nothing more sensible will come up.

"Rising are you ready to hear your role in the attacking action?" I said after considering all the options at my disposal.

"Always ready, sir!" Rising answered, straightening up and making me grin.

I put my hand on his back and said: "Well, this is the plan. I go in first and start the conversation while you're standing behind and trying to look as inconspicuous as possible. If possible, try to find a way to provoke them. At the moment when you see that they start interrupting me or saying several things at once, you should abruptly and boldly enter into a dialogue using everything that you could learn. Your targets are a yellow Pegasus, a white unicorn, an orange earth pony and a two-legged lizard. I'll deal with the rest. Are you ready? I asked in a tone not suggesting refusal. I felt a slight tremor that went through Rising's body, but he quickly gathered his strength and nodded.

"Then let's go." I said, removing my hand from his back and heading to the library. I felt like Rising perfectly followed my instructions and following me kept at a distance and exactly behind my back. Approaching the door point-blank, I mentally repeated the plan myself and began to bang on the door very insistently. Ideally, this should scare them.

"Who's there?" A female voice asked, which was muffled by the door, because of which I could not identify the carrier. I decided to surprise the opponents even more and took a step to the side, pointing my finger meant Rising and then at the door.

After a second of reflection, he realized what I wanted from him and said: "This is the Lunar Guard. Please open it. "

There was silence on the other side of the door but then the answer came: " Come on. The door is open"

I nodded to Rising for a good job and started slowly opening the door. As the door opened, my eyes began to study everything they saw in the room. First the stairs, then books on all possible topics and in the final atk a gang of six ponies with a two-legged lizard that stood behind. I saw the shock reflected in their eyes, especially at the sight of me.

Not bad so far, crybaby. Continue in the same spirit and the secondary direction of the secondary front will collapse. So step by step you will make an Equestrian field of experiments. Unless you find a way to get out of here before that, of course.

I opened the door letting a draft into the house, but did not take a step into the house and asked, forcing politeness out of myself. "I hope I didn't interrupt anything important. Can I come in?"

My eyes caught that everyone except Pinkie Pie was looking at me suspiciously, but after a couple of seconds Twilight cautiously replied: "Come in. And just curious. Why do you need all these papers? "

" About these? You see, the Solar Guard that used to be in this city left me and my dear soldiers a lot of work. You probably could see that we all work tirelessly or in their cases, tirelessly hooves. And these papers are the last thing left of what our colleagues left us. " I said, speaking wearily and trying to reinforce it.

" How does this apply to us? " Rainbow Dash asked, looking at me with narrowed eyes.

In response, I took several sharp loud steps to the table in the center of the room where everyone was sitting and loudly putting the papers on the table, I said, returning to my usual tone: "Refers directly to some of you. The charge of damage to private property in the direction of Rainbow Dash. The charge of trespassing in the direction of Pinkie Pie. And as the highlight of the program, the accusation of night noise in the direction of Twilight Sparkle. All these papers are complaints about you from residents of the city. "

" I assure you, Captain, my friends would never do anything like this. Rarity said, clutching her hoof to her chest as if it gave weight to her words.

"I assure you, a female civilian, that I don't care about your opinion and the accused were already adults who can answer for themselves." I replied, causing Rarity to snort and turn away.

I looked at the accused and asked: "Well? Do you have a refutation of these complaints?"

"Who cares?" asked Pinkie Pie, taking a few complaints at a time and starting to chew paper. I stared at her in shock, her "friends" repeated my gesture and I am sure that Rising is experiencing similar emotions.

What are you waiting for!? Now this worm will eat the resources for the offensive. Do something!

I quickly grabbed her by the scruff of the neck like a kitten and lifted her above me, wanting to intimidate. Instead of fright, she spread her hooves to the sides, dropping the papers from her mouth and said in a nasty squeaky voice: "Wheeeee. . ."

I opened my hand hoping that she would at least experience a painful fall. Instead, continuing her nasty squeaking, she bounced off the wooden floor like a ball and landed next to the table, but fortunately away from the papers. She was smiling even wider, which almost made me lose my temper. Almost.

Okay, you know what? To hell with the Discord deal. He offers too little to tolerate this. As soon as possible, kill her.

After a few breaths, I was able to regain my composure and continued the attack on the stunned ponies: "So do you have any refutations?"

"We are heroes! How could they complain about us for such a small thing after everything we've done!?" Rainbow Dash exclaimed. I opened my mouth to catch a mistake, but they started acting in a chain.

"I was just throwing a party. What's wrong with that if I want to surprise my friends?" Pinkie Pie asked, biting her lip for a second and making a plaintive face. Did you go to drama club too?

"I created noise, I admit, but I did it without prejudice just once! And there are simply not so many neighbors around me to write at least one tenth of these complaints. " Said Twilight, who seems to be trying to analyze the situation.

Deciding that the chain was over, I said before I was interrupted again: " Hero? Perhaps. But laws are for everyone..."

" Laws for everyone? Then why are you here in front of me now after your first appearance in Ponyville? Something tells me that for beating five ponies and many other things, people go to prison." Rarity said with a grin, as if she had checkmated. We need to answer somehow before it really becomes a checkmate.

Wait, I have to come up with an answer. You need to charge your phone and. . . and. . . just. I'm done, I don't have the strength. Back to plan number one. Fight!

"I do not know what the captain did, but that does not negate what you three did. Don't shirk the topic and tell us, do you, " heroes", have any refutations? " Rising asked with disdain in his voice, surprising everyone in the room, especially me. Oh, with what contempt he said the word heroes.

Not bad, not bad.

There was a deathly silence in the room. No one could come up with an answer and everyone was shocked by the abruptness of Rising. The accused began to slowly lower their heads, as if slowly accepting defeat. The third-party pony and the two-legged lizard were also shocked and unable to give a decent answer.

"I'm. . ." "Twilight said shamefacedly, but to my annoyance was interrupted by Pinkie Pie's loud intake of breath. By the time I turned to her, she had several wet papers in her hooves that she had been chewing on before.

Pinkie Pie solemnly picked up the papers and said: " I do not know more than one name here. And I know the name of every pony in Ponyville!"

Hearing this, my brain finally stalled. How to respond to this? What can I do in this situation if I am in this city for only a couple of days? I can't at least link random points of information into a web because there are basically no points.

Pretend that everything is fine. It is better to get into a draw than to be defeated.

I slowly walked over to the papers I had put on the table earlier and pointing at them asked trying to sound calm: "Do you claim that all these complaints are falsified?"

In response, Pinkie started nodding very vigorously, to which I strained coming up with an offensive plan and said: "You claim to know the name of every pony in Ponyville. So it won't be difficult for you to write them, right?"

Breaking up my plan, Pinkie took out a thick notebook from her mane and quickly flipped through many pages. The reaction allowed me to see a lot of names and what is the strangest information about some residents. Where they live, what they like, what they don't like and detailed information. To my even greater embarrassment, I was able to make out my name and, worst of all, a note about sweets.

Now killing her is a mandatory task. By the way, who do you think organized the setup? Maybe those guards held a grudge and decided to take revenge?

Thinking, I slowly approached the table and took the papers from it and said: "Keep the chewed paper for yourself. I will keep these papers and find the culprits. Let's go to the garrison, Rising."

In response to his name, he nodded and I went out with him. To my annoyance Rainbow Dash asked in an accusing tone: "So you just came to us, accused us, and just left as if nothing had happened?"

For the first time in the room, I paid closer attention to her and saw that she was flying indoors. Isn't it dangerous?

What do you care about her? If she loses control and breaks a couple of expensive things, it will make you neither better nor worse. On the path to Perfection, other people are no more than steps. DON'T forget that

"What do you want to hear? Regret? Do you want me to say I'm sorry? I won't say this because I don't feel sorry about it. Yes, I absolutely don't feel it." I said, stopping and feeling my chest with my hand as if I was looking for a feeling of regret about this. Nothing was found.

"Can you regret anything at all?" Rainbow Dash asked in an exasperated voice.

What's the point of regretting something?

"What's the point of regretting something if I can do more important things? I really don't understand. " I said sincerely. Rainbow Dash opened her mouth to reply, but Applejack interrupted her.

"He's not lying. He really doesn't understand." She said, causing everyone to stare at me in embarrassment. After they didn't see or hear any words from me, their expressions changed to shock.

You can leave like this. Or we can get at least some benefit from this situation and weaken their vigilance. It's more profitable to attack an opponent who doesn't expect this from you, don't you think?

I took a deep breath, gathering my strength and said: "I think since you understand this fact, you will accept my offer. I offer mutual forgiveness. You forgive me for this situation and I forgive you for the past incident. How do you like the idea?"

They looked at me suspiciously while silence hung in the room. I noticed that Rainbow Dash bit her lip in anger, but for some reason did not dare to behave aggressively again. Eventually Twilight looked at her "friends" before looking at me again and saying, "We need to discuss this. Alone."

Alone translates as get out of here until we call you, no one needs you here.

I waved my hand telling Rising to come with me and headed for the exit. In a few long strides, I reached the open door and left the room, closing the door behind me. Once on the cold street, I leaned against a tree and closed my eyes to console my headache. I felt that Rising was standing next to me and looking at me in anticipation.

After a few seconds it started to annoy me and I opened my eyes and said: "You'd better go to the barracks and get a good night's sleep. After all, sleeping anywhere is not very useful. And of course I should note that you did well there."

Rising was silent for a few seconds and then nodded before slowly walking towards the garrison. Perhaps my praise made him more accommodating. After a few seconds, a thought came to my mind and, grinning, I shouted to him: "And always remember that the name of the band should be in honor of something static, slow or simply non-existent. Park, defense, nirvana, door, kiss, movie for example. And yes, I don't care about the exceptions to this rule. Remember that!"

Why did you say that?

By the time the eyes began to slowly close, the door opened. Looking up, a two-legged lizard appeared in front of my eyes, which beckoned me into the room with a hand gesture. He looked scared of me but suppressed it with all his might. Although I'm not surprised considering our height difference. On the flip side, he's more than twice as tall as me.

I took a step into the library and saw some small changes. There was a chess board and eight mugs of tea on the table. My attention was attracted by the chessboard, and I did not pay attention to the female muttering. Instead of a king and a queen, there were two alicorns, the second slightly smaller than the first. Instead of elephants, there were unicorns, instead of horses there were Pegasus, and instead of a rook there were earth ponies. The design of the pawns has not changed. Although I will still call them decent names.

It is more expensive to cut such figures than classical chess. I don't know about you, but I'm already tired of being angry about the pony's lack of ability to save.

"Are you listening?" Twilight asked irritably, raising her voice a little.

"No, I wasn't listening. My attention was focused on the picture that you have arranged here. Especially on the chessboard. Let's not waste a lot of time, you just say the result." I said, lifting my gaze from the chessboard.

Twilight let out a long exhale and finally said: "We forgive you and since you forgive us, we decided to do something to improve the relationship. I thought you might like a little game of chess and a friendly conversation."

Funny, don't you think? They lost so much in this conflict that they thank you so much for ending it. Your lack of sleep and fatigue is a blessing for them.

I smiled a little and nodded before sitting down at the table. I saw that the chessboard was turned towards me by white pieces. Deciding to give the pony a chance, I turned the board so that I could play with the black pieces. I propped my head on my fist and asked: "I intend to play only one game. Who will go first and only?"

Twilight sat down and with a grin, moving the pawn to e4, said: "Your move."

How are you going to win this in your current state, crybaby? Although you know better answer me another question. When was the last time you played chess normally? Six years ago? More?

In response, I silently moved the pawn to d5 and touched the cup of tea. Warm but not too warm. While Twilight was thinking about a retaliatory move, I took a mug of tea and abruptly drank all the contents. The ponies stared at me as if I had done something strange. But the main thing is that I was able to warm myself up and cheer myself up a little.

After a couple of moments, Twilight gathered her strength and moved her pawn forward again, placing it on e5. While I was thinking about the next move, Pinkie Pie started saying, "So what do you like, Dani?"

I looked up at Pinkie for a moment before moving the knight to c6 jeopardizing Twilight's pawn and replying: "Some like it, some don't. I don't have time to pursue hobbies and look for interests."

"Don't the Guards give you days off?" Twilight asked, making a pawn move from f2 to f4.

"Yes, they do. But I spent my weekend on outside business. I'll tell you ahead of time that I won't tell you exactly what those things were. If you're that interested, you can ask Celestia. " I said, without hesitation, moving the pawn a little forward so that it ended up on d4.

Twilight looked slightly surprised, but did not ask and made another move with a pawn from d2 to d3. While I was about to make another lazy move Pinkie asked the question again: " Are you staying in Ponyville for long?"

Does she want to distract you? Anyway, go knight on h6 I have an idea. If she doesn't notice with the second move we will advance the bishop and under the protection of the knight he will threaten the queen

"For an indefinite period." I replied instantly, making the move I was thinking about. Twilight almost instantly descended as a knight to f3, thus breaking off the idea.

Forget it.

That's how the chess game began, which was constantly interrupted by uninteresting questions.

"Oh." I said, realizing the mistake only after I made the next move. I took almost all the pieces from Twilight except the bishop and left her with only two pawns and managed to accidentally put her in a stalemate. It's a draw.

Even here, you didn't win. Are you going to fuck up all the plans today!?

With a slow exhalation, I held out my hand to Twilight and said, "Stalemate."

She jumped as if she had completely forgotten about my existence in the room. The hair on her forehead was tangled with sweat and the hair from her mane had escaped, giving her a wilder look. In the end, she still stretched out her hoof and I grabbed it for a moment. But when I felt the humidity, I quickly let go of her hoof and got to my feet and said: "Well, I have to go. And don't strain yourself so much when you play games. It's like you've run a marathon."

She smiled awkwardly and replied: "Okay, maybe we'll do it again sometime."

By no means.

"I doubt it very much." I said before quickly leaving the room without giving any pony time to respond. In a few long steps I reached the door, opened it, left the room and slammed it behind me.

It became even darker and colder outside, but despite this, I decided to do the last thing. Break the barrier. After warming up a little and throwing sleep out of my eyes, I went towards the castle. Along the way, I felt that the nearest thestrals were walking very slowly, as if they were very tired. In this regard, calculations began to take place in my head.

The approximate time of joining the shift is ten or eleven o'clock in the morning. So their twelve-hour shift will end at ten or eleven o'clock in the evening. Due to the lack of a watch, you will have to rely on the moon and its position in the sky.

Before entering the forest, I looked up at the moon and saw that it was not very high in the sky. There is still time. Having made sure of a large amount of time, I entered the forest.

After a couple of steps, my nose caught an unpleasant but familiar smell. Oh, yes, wolves. Probably they should be put away in the castle before they are devoured by scavengers. Did I waste my time killing them? Sniffing and enduring the unpleasant smell, I started to turn to the side before going to him. Because of the darkness, I had to move almost by touch, but my vision began to slowly adapt.

At some point, I felt my foot collide with something hard, fleshy and cold. Kneeling down, the smell hit me especially hard in the nose and I realized for sure. This is a place of wolf slaughter. Looking closer, I was able to understand that this is exactly the wolf that was torn or "cooked" by the explosion. Realizing that it was impossible to see the rest of the wolves because of the darkness, I decided to stop at one.

Taking the torn carcass of a wolf by the upper jaw, I felt the tree in search of moss and having found it, I built an approximate route to the castle. A couple more such visits to the castle and I will be able to walk into it with my eyes closed. Although considering the darkness, it's almost like that, huh.

After a few minutes of walking, I grabbed a branch of the nearest tree and started walking more slowly, feeling that I had almost reached the cliff. My guess was justified when I saw the river far below again. Releasing the branch, I took a few steps back and headed along the cliff, expecting to see the bridge to the castle at any second.

After a short walk, I got to the bridge, which was not damaged in any way. It didn't seem like it was necessary to jump. I looked first at the glazed eyes of the wolf and then at the castle. Maybe, just maybe. . .

No. No games.

Sighing, I lifted the wolf carcass off the ground and carefully walked across the bridge. This time the boards creaked even louder, but based on the experience of the last time, you can ignore it. At the end of the bridge crossing, a small breeze blew, but without paying much attention to it, I finished the crossing. Once again on solid ground, I took a few breaths before going forward to my goal.

After walking through the familiar corridors and between the familiar bookcases, I again looked at my barrier in the form of a barrier. I put the wolf carcass on the ground, put the bag next to it and stretched my shoulders, I started moving the bookcase. While pushing, various books fell out of it, but without paying attention to it, I continued to move. In the end, the closet almost completely blocked the hole in the wall behind which there was a barrier, but left a small gap so that I could squeeze through. After using it for its intended purpose, I quickly realized that a hidden room with a barrier is small in itself, so in order to somehow get in, I would have to stand right on the barrier. Swallowing and taking a breath, I hesitantly climbed onto the barrier and bent down a little so as not to bang my head against the ceiling. The last touch remained.

I shot a small magic arrow into the closet to make a tiny hole in it. Taking advantage of this, I stretched a magical tentacle through the hole like a thread and, catching on the outer part of the bookcase, pulled sharply on myself.

Instantly, the bookcase jerked, leaving me without light, and I felt the shield crack under my weight and disintegrate. Unfortunately, even before I had time to rejoice at the victory, my body collided with another barrier. I felt a growing rage inside.

YOU. MUST. WIN. HERE.

The rage became overwhelming and I started kicking in all directions. I felt my feet colliding with the second barrier, meeting an impenetrable barrier. The legs collided with something metallic that bent little by little from each blow. And a couple of times my legs collided with something that sent a shiver through my body in response. But that didn't stop me. Or I couldn't stop.

At some point, I felt something break under the force of my blows, forcing me to calm down a little. I pushed the cabinet a little to light up the hidden room and saw what I had broken. The silver pole that was sticking out of the black ball was broken in half and a golden crystal remained on the broken part, which slowly faded. I looked at the second unexpected barrier and began to analyze it. The blue crystal attached to the part of the silver pole that hadn't broken slowly pulsed in sync with the barrier. Unfortunately, the crystal was out of my reach as the barrier was created slightly above it. However, the pole was broken so successfully that a small part of it was outside the barrier.

Smiling, I grabbed the pole and spreading my legs, I pulled up. Nothing happened, so I grabbed the pole with another grip and before the second attempt I bent down to use my legs and arms at the same time. Mentally counting to three, I pulled the pole up. At first there was nothing, but after a while, when a vein had already appeared on the forehead, there was a click. Then the next one, then another, and finally six came out of the black sphere. The blue stone began to fade and the barrier dissolved, leaving me alone with a normal physical barrier.

With a sharp kick, I easily punched through it and found myself inside. Inside, I felt as if my magic was being actively sucked out. I didn't pay much attention to it, shook off the dust and looked at what was waiting for me inside. There was a large key that stood on a pedestal. And everything.

WHAT!?

I clenched my fists and approached the key hoping to get at least a hint to use. The key was about the length of a jump from my shoulder to the tips of my fingers and had a red crystal on its head that pulsed every few seconds. Nothing useful. I started taking slow breaths in and out to calm down.

Okay, I won't consider it your mistake, for now. Let's fix this as a withered in the mud offensive. We take the key, go to the garrison, wait for the right time, assemble a new shift and go to bed.

With a long exhalation, I grabbed the key and got out. Pushing the bookcase out of the way, I went to my bag and taking it tore off a piece of meat from the wolf to satisfy my hunger. While I was eating on the way out of the castle, I threw the key into my bag and began to sum up the day.

This is a failure on all fronts. The image of the heroes is not discredited, the efforts spent on opening the barrier did not yield results, and even the chess game ended in a stalemate. It's a shame, it's a failure, it's a defeat. Maybe I need to refocus my forces on something else?

Exhaling, I said to myself: "Pull yourself together, Daniel. This is just another test on the way to perfection. And this, as well as the past ones, will not stop me."

To Tartarus and Back Pt.1

I looked down on the soldiers who were in the garrison and tried to make out the soldiers patrolling the city. Since I was sitting on the window of the tower with my legs dangling, it was a very simple task for me. A few days have passed since the attempt to attack failed and, having calmed down, I was able to benefit from the unpleasant experience and change tactics. Now I solved all the few cases that appeared at a fast pace on my own. And I also found that the pulsation rate of the crystal on the key depends on the location. For example, if the crystal pulsed once every few seconds in the castle, then in the city the time increases to once every thirty seconds. Most likely, the pulsation works like a compass.

Now all that's left is to find a loophole in time and go look for what unlocks this key. He has to discover something useful, right?

With a nod to myself, I looked down again, waiting for Rising to leave the barracks to give him command of the garrison. I gave him a few days of complete rest before appointing him in charge again. For a second, the sunset stole my attention. So bright, beautiful and even soothing. Just sitting and watching is so nice. Maybe postpone the search until tomorrow?

One more thought like that, crybaby, and you will definitely end up at the bottom.

With a sigh escaping from my mouth, I turned my gaze down again. The door of the barracks slowly opened, which made me lean forward, grabbing the windowsill with my hands. But unfortunately, Flying came out of the barracks, which I did not expect. I thought he was walking around the city somewhere in order to find alcohol. When I was about to look at the sky again, he suddenly looked straight into my eyes, taking me by surprise. Some part of me wanted to look away insistently. As if to me . . . ashamed?

Don't be silly and behave as usual.

Taking a breath, I stared at him and began to drill with my gaze despite the distance. After a few seconds, he lowered his head and went to no one knows where. With an exhalation, I closed my eyes for a few minutes and then began to look down at the barracks again. After a few minutes of waiting, when I already wanted to be distracted by the sky again, the door of the barracks opened again and Rising came out of it, who looked as if he had woken up very early. Although I woke up even earlier.

I whistled and waved my hand loudly and said, "Rising, come here! Or fly. Your choice."

He jumped when he heard me and slowly raised his head up. Seeing that I was sitting on the window and only the grip on the window sill kept me from falling, Rising abruptly flapped his wings to get to me. After a few seconds, he matched my height and looked at me with concern.

Grinning a little, I said, continuing to rock back and forth: "Thank you for your quick response. You see, I have some things to do, so you need to take care of the garrison again. I hope you've had a good rest these few days. "

Rising was silent for a few seconds with a worried face and then cautiously asked, continuing to stay in the air flaps of wings: " If it's not a secret, what kind of business? And if it's not hard for you, you can please get off the window. "

I reluctantly leaned back and went back inside the tower. Getting to my feet, I pointed my finger at the key that was lying on the bed and said: " Do you see the red crystal on this huge key? It pulsates for an unknown reason and the frequency of this process depends on the location. I guess he's discovered something interesting and using the ripple frequency I want to find out what."

Rising flew into the room and looked at the key as if he didn't believe it, but struggled to believe it. After a few seconds, he opened his mouth to say something, but when he saw the pulsation of the crystal, he froze in shock. Grinning, I put my hand on his back and asked: "So are you ready to be in charge for a while?"

In response, he swallowed and said with a nod, "Yes, Mr. Sir Boss."

I grinned and going to the bag to put the key in it, I said: "You know, this phrase Mr. Sir Boss is very funny to me. The main thing is not to use it too often, otherwise it will start to bother."

Rising nodded again and smiled a little. I quickly threw the key into the bag, hung it over my shoulder and was about to go to the stairs, but before I could take a step, I was interrupted by the voice of Rising: "Can you stay here a little please?"

I stopped where I was and turned my head to him, raising an eyebrow. Seeing my willingness to listen, Rising got confused and began awkwardly scraping the floor with his hoof. After a while, he asked quietly but suddenly focused on my finger: "What . . . O Holy Luna, what's wrong with your finger?"

When I heard Rising's remark, I looked at my right thumb. There was a very deep bite on it, from which the blood had already stopped oozing. Looks like I left a really deep wound. Sighing, I looked at Rising again and replied calmly: "I was nervous."

"Because of what?" Rising asked in a polite voice after a short silence.

The scheme is the same as before. It's a shameful fact, but it's impossible to hide it. It's just that sooner or later it will have to be destroyed. Completely.

Taking a deep breath, I answered loudly and clearly: "I'm terrified of sweets and a few days ago I had to visit a pastry shop. And I have a habit of biting my thumb when I'm nervous. Here's the result for you. "

Rising looked at me for a few seconds as if he couldn't believe it. After a while, he nodded and asked politely: " Do you want to talk about it?"

I blinked several times, not expecting such an offer. Why talk about it? What's the point? Why would he suggest it? Why was that nod? Why is he speaking so politely? What does he want from me? He must have a goal if he's offering it, right?

Sure. Therefore, it is better to put it in its place.

"No. Do you have anything else to do with me or not?" I asked, looking down at Rising. He seemed a little saddened by my harsh attitude, but quickly gathered himself and nodded respectfully. I grunted with satisfaction and walked slowly towards the stairs. The boards creaked under my feet and the things in the bag quietly collided with each other.

When my foot stepped on the stairs Rising said again: "Just want you to know, sir. I'm on your side. Whatever happens."

Are you waiting for my advice, crybaby? That's not going to happen. All this emotional stuff is your specialty.

I looked at Rising out of the corner of my eye, not knowing what to answer, but before continuing down the stairs, I was able to squeeze out an awkward: "Okay."

That was the end of the conversation, and I was able to calmly descend the stairs. When I got to the first floor, I pulled the card out of my pocket and put it on the table so that Rising could use it. Although I still don't know exactly where I'm going. Maybe it's just a little hiding place in the middle of the forest, and I'll be back before I have to make up a new shift. And maybe not so.

It would be nice if it was written on the key that it opens. Although a pulsating crystal will do, too.

Nodding to myself, I turned away from the table and headed out of the tower. Opening the door, I was greeted by the familiar cold air and snow. I sighed and took a step outside and slammed the door behind me. While walking along the usual route to the forest, I scrolled through the plan of action in my head.

In fact, the whole so-called plan is to enter the forest, away from prying eyes and use the key as a compass. I don't want to tell a story about this key to everyone I meet, do you want to? The question is rhetorical.

During the time of reflection, I managed to pass through the market and the pastry shop holding my breath. After a few dozen steps from the pastry shop, I let out a sigh and shook my head and went on. During the journey, I came across rare single ponies that were most likely going home. Considering the sunset, it is quite logical.

Approaching the town hall, I was about to turn to the forest, but a woman's voice called out to me: "Wait, Captain."

I stopped and turned my head to the one who had disturbed me. It was an Earth pony with glasses with a gray mane and coffee-milk fur. After a brief inspection of the one in front of me, I asked: "What do you need?"

She seemed a little taken aback by the quick transition to business, but gathered her strength and said: "I just wanted to thank you and your soldiers on behalf of the city for the good work. I especially want to note how diligently you personally have been doing things for the last few days."

I was a little embarrassed and asked the question in an insistent tone: "And tell me, who are you to speak on behalf of the whole city?"

For a second she looked gloomy, but almost instantly she smiled politely and replied: "My name is Mayor Mare and I am the mayor of Ponyville. Nice to meet you."

What a stupid name. She probably got the idea from birth that she should be the mayor. No matter. Step aside, crybaby. Let me do this.

"Oh, I apologize for being rude. I just woke up early today and haven't had breakfast yet, so you know. You're not the nicest person either when you haven't had enough sleep and haven't eaten, are you?" I asked, forcing out friendliness and interest.

"Yes, you're right." The mayor replied with a small laugh. After a laugh, I saw the mayor thinking about something but did not dare to ask a question.

There was silence for a moment after that, but I quickly interrupted him: "Since you are now on the street, I assume that your shift is over for today, did I guess?"

"Yes, you guessed it. Why do you ask?" The mayor asked, it seemed purely out of politeness.

"Do I need a reason? I can't just talk to a beautiful girl about anything when there's such a beautiful sunset outside?" I asked, pretending to be offended.

"Oh, you flatter me!" The mayor said with a little giggle.

"Maybe just a little bit. " I said, clicking my tongues, which caused only a big giggle from the mayor. After a few seconds, she stopped giggling and just looked at me with a little smirk as if I had entertained her well.

Now see how to put a quick and simple checkmate from this position

"Can I ask you something, Mayor? If you don't mind." I asked, feigning uncertainty and doubt. I even hunched my back a little and lowered my head.

"Yes, of course. What happened?" The mayor asked with a worried look.

"What do you think of Celestia as a ruler?" I asked, feigning even more uncertainty. It's a pity that I don't know how to imitate a trembling voice.

The mayor seemed to be caught off guard by such a question and did not answer for several seconds. Then she asked with curiosity and caution in her voice: "If it's not a secret, why are you asking?"

I took a deep breath as if it was hard for me to talk about it and answered, trying to look as uncertain as possible: "You see, lately I have been doubting princesses and especially Celestia as a ruler. It seems to me that someone should replace them. But it feels so wrong. After all, I belong to the personal guard of one of them. I even took an oath. And I hoped that if I could get an opinion from a similar servant of the princesses, even from another sphere, I would be able to understand whether this is normal or not. It was probably a stupid idea. I'm sorry to bother you. "

I turned away as if I was going to leave, but fortunately the mayor replied: "No, I understand you. I, too, have been worried about this since the last Summer Sun Celebration. I have always believed that Princess Celestia is invincible, perfect and always does everything right. But after she disappeared at the most crucial moment and the fate of the whole Equestria hung in the balance, I strongly doubted the status of Celestia. I don't even know who to believe in and who to rely on. Of course, there are elements of harmony, but it's not exactly the same as the old Celestia. "

I shortened the distance in a few long steps and putting my hand on the mayor 's shoulder said: " Then I think we just need to believe in ourselves. Don't you think so?"

The mayor looked at me in surprise for a while before smiling and answering with a nod: "Yes, I think it's a good alternative."

I nodded in response and turned around to go but finally said: "Well, it was a good conversation, but I have things to do. Good luck to you, Mayor."

After that, my legs carried me further into the woods until my ears heard the mayor's unintelligible answer. Slowly but surely I began to pick up the pace in order to get to the forest as early as possible. Despite the headache growing from the increase in speed, I continued to accelerate. When I started running, I began to feel hellish pain and felt that all the soldiers on the hill were staring at me. Enduring all this, I ran into the forest and, going a little deeper into it, hit the nearest tree, splashing out all the emotions. My hand pierced through the tree, but did not bring it down. With a slow exhalation, I leaned my head against a tree and began to try to calm down. After this conversation, I feel disgusting. It's like I was fucked, turned inside out and then fucked again.

Don't whine, crybaby. Look at it from the objective side. The mayor of this town, which be located near the capital, hesitates. What does this mean for us? If you don't decide to arrange another day of defeats, then the mayor can play a role in the future. Imagine that you took out a trump card from the deck.

After taking a few deep breaths, I calmed down and pulled my hand out of the tree trunk. Waving my hand a little in the air, I managed to throw off most of the sawdust from it. Taking another breath in and out, I opened the bag and took out the key from it. I took it so that the crystal was as far away from me as possible and started pointing them in different directions to understand where I should go. When I pointed to the side, the key flickered a little faster, when I pointed to the sunset a little slower, and when I pointed to the sunrise, the crystal flickered much faster. I grinned slightly and started walking slowly to the east to keep track of all the changes in the flicker of the key.

As I walked, the sun slowly but surely set, leaving me less and less light. As I progressed, the crystal flickered more and more often, telling me that I was moving in the right direction. I noticed that gradually vegetation and snow are decreasing their numbers around me. My feet felt like the ground was getting warmer. By the time there were no trees or snow left around me, I saw how the steps leading to the door on which the red sun was depicted were hollowed out at the foot of the mountain. Under the sun was a dark green diamond in the center of which was a round hole. Seeing this, I went to the hole and compared its dimensions with the crystal of the key that was actively flashing and with the key itself. The hole is too big.

I think our goal is behind this door. You know what to do.

I put the key in the bag and then threw it on the ground next to the gate. After taking a breath, I went closer to the hole and putting my hands inside began to pull in different directions. Gradually, cracks began to pass along the rhombus from the effort I made, but with every second it became more difficult to move forward. When his hands began to ache from the effort, the diamond broke with a powerful crack and the gate opened slightly. I rubbed my hands and after a few seconds took the bag and went through the door.

Before my eyes appeared a kind of cave with torches illuminating the entrance. I started to walk on, but I felt something very close. The silhouette looks like a very large dog with three heads. Really? Slightly crouching down, I quietly put the bag on the floor and started walking pressed against the wall until I was near the corner. Looking around the corner, I saw confirmation of my assumption. Cerberus.

He slept on a small hill that was separated from the main road by a tiny chasm. Turning my head to the right, I saw a passage further turning into a bridge. Glancing at Cerberus again, I began to study him from a distance. He had three bulldog heads with spiked collars on each of them and a standard tail. In size, he was, counting on a flip, half the size of a dragon. Although who knows, maybe I fought with a very small dragon.

According to mythology, Cerberus can smell a person on the other side of the earth. I doubt that the fight will be avoided. Well, here's breakfast.

Crunching my neck, I slowly went to Cerberus, preparing an explosive rune in my left hand. Jumping over the abyss, I looked at Cerberus with a grin. The animal was still sleeping while I was only a couple of steps away from setting the bomb. Suddenly, he inhaled air through his nose and instantly the central head opened its eyes staring at me. I quickly walked the remaining distance, set an explosive run on his nose and jumped away from him with a kick in the nose. The central head of the Cerberus looked at me with bewilderment while the other two slowly opened their eyes. But unfortunately for the animal, the rune exploded faster, raising a cloud of dust into the air.

Well, dog meat is much better than wolf meat.

But the feeling of the lines upset me beforehand. The explosion at least did not kill Cerberus. Suddenly, all three heads rose up and roared, scattering a cloud of dust. My eyes widened at the sight of Cerberus, who was not affected by the explosion in any way. When he lowered his head to look at me furiously, I got into a fighting stance and began to stabilize my breathing. Cerberus stepped over the chasm and swung his paw to strike. Easily bouncing to the right, I instantly punished Cerberus for his slowness and kicked his right head in the jaw. The right head recoiled a little from this action, but did not receive much damage. I felt a paw flying at me from the left in response to which I jumped. But the paw was able to slightly touch my legs, which caused me to lose balance and fall to the ground on my side.

I understand that you really like getting injured, crybaby, but we have more important things to do. Deal with the dog somehow.

The feeling of the swinging paw appeared again and I instantly rolled to the side avoiding the blow. The headache was already starting to wake up, but the focus on the fight suppressed it. A small cloud of dust rose into the air, blocking the view of the central head of Cerberus. The left head looked at me while I was looking for vulnerability and coming up with a plan. Suddenly, while inspecting Cerberus, my eyes caught a detail on our battlefield. Stalactites hanging from the ceiling.

I felt Cerberus swinging his paw again and dodged to the side as usual. Then while Cerberus kept his paw on the ground, I jumped on it and ran up. The eyes of all the heads widened from such impudence and the central one of them opened its mouth wanting to devour me. I stretched out my magical tentacles to his big fang and jumped back out of the affected area of the mouth. Cerberus looked up at me in amazement and tried to bite the tentacles. When my back collided with the wall, I pushed off with my feet from it and pulled the tentacles to give myself speed. This allowed me to get on his head faster than Cerberus could react and deliver a powerful blow to his central head. The head quickly collided with the stone with its chin and I heard its furious growl.

"What happened? Don't you like stone and dirt, mongrel? How strange." I said openly mocking while standing on the central head. In response, the central head growled even louder and abruptly lifted its head up, sending me flying. I looked down at Cerberus with a grin as I flew closer and closer to the cherished stalactites. Cerberus opened all his mouths as if he thought I would fall and he would deal with me. As a result, I found myself at the level of stalactites and grabbed the nearest one. After that, I kicked one of the stalactites onto the central head. The stalactite whistled right into the mouth of the Cerberus, forcing him to cough and lower his head. I let go of the stalactite I was holding on to and began to fall freely on the central head. I regrouped in the air for my attack.

Pushing out my fist to hit the central head and pressing my knees under me, I got ready. At the last moment, I hit the central head and using my fist as a support, I kicked the other two heads. The central one was trampled into the mud and the other two recoiled from the force of the blow to the sides. As a result, Cerberus lost his balance and fell loudly to the ground, raising a huge cloud of dust into the air. Pushing off with my hand from his head, I jumped off his body and ended up in the air.

"Lie down, dog. " I ordered before getting off Cerberus and landing right in front of him.

The central head slowly opened its eyes and, having made the right decision, humbly bowed to the ground. The other two heads looked at each other as if they were talking nonverbally. After a few seconds, they also bowed down, showing submission.

Grinning, I walked over to the bag and slung it over my shoulder and walked past Cerberus. Finally, I said with a wave of my hand: "Don't forget me, mongrel. I'll be back soon."

In response, Cerberus whined for a moment, but quickly remembered that he had to be impressive and just looked after me. After a few steps, I saw how a relatively narrow cave turned into a huge space with cells whose contents were hidden by shadow. Focusing on the lines, I discovered a strange thing. The lines diverged away from the cells as if they were alive.

Or they contain magic. Yes, an enchanted cell sounds more logical than a living cell. I think the lines react to magic. The more magic, the further the lines are pushed.

Examining the cages and the road ahead, I saw a narrow path down to my right. As soon as I took a step towards the path I heard a man's voice calling me: "Hey you."

I turned my head towards the sound and saw two yellow eyes looking at me from the darkness of one of the cages. Looking at them, squinting asked: "Give me at least one reason not to ignore you."

The voice of the owner of the eyes was silent for a while and eventually gave an answer: "I saw you fighting Cerberus. Very impressive. However, I feel that despite the impressive reserves of magic, you do not know how to use it effectively. If you would free me, I would be happy to teach you. Believe me, after my training, you will be able to surpass even the Alicorns. You have the potential for that."

I raised an eyebrow and leaned against the wall and asked: "How are you going to train me? In case you haven't noticed, I don't have horns and, accordingly, I have to use runes instead of spells."

The figure came closer to the cage so that I could see him. A centaur with tiny horns, dull red skin and a thin build appeared before my eyes. He grinned and replied: "I use runes too. To be honest, I'm surprised that this art has not been forgotten yet."

I restrained my laughter at the sight of such a pitiful sight and said approaching his cage: "Good. Give me one piece of advice about runes in advance and I'll set you free.

" Show me how you create a rune. " The centaur instantly replied as if he couldn't wait to be released.

I quickly created a normal arrow rune and the centaur responded almost instantly: " It's not necessary to create a flat rune."

I raised an eyebrow and stopped a few steps away from his cage, waiting for an explanation. The centaur sighed and explained: "You can layer one rune on another like a multi-layered cake. If everything is done correctly, the effect will multiply. With proper skill, you can learn how to layer so many runs on top of each other that you get a sphere. My personal development. "" Who should I be grateful to for this advice? " I asked, smiling a little.

" I am Lord Tirek," the centaur replied with pride. Ha, in the pride of our own name, we can be similar.

I shot an arrow in the ceiling and turning to the narrow path said: "Well, Tirek, I hope your advice will be useful. I will definitely use it when I have time. I wish you a good time in prison."

"WHAT!?" Tirek asked, raising his voice as I moved away from him.

"Did you really think that I would set you free? How stupid. If you really know as much about runes as you claim, then you're a threat to me. To gather dangerous people around you, you need to be perfect to keep them in check by the simple fact of your existence. So before I become Perfect, please sit here. Maybe I'll come back for you. " I said without turning to Tirek and continuing to walk down the path.

" You little shit! " Shouted Tirek, making me laugh briefly, but I decided not to answer anything. As a result, I reached the path and began to walk carefully along it going down. As I moved down, I continued to hear Tirek's angry shouts, but I paid more attention to the growing heat.

I should note that you have shown yourself perfectly now. Looks like you're not hopeless yet. If you continue in the same spirit, you will stop being a crybaby, crybaby.

With a nod to myself, I finished the descent and the next high door appeared in front of me. This door was burned to such an extent that it was completely black and at the same time a key hole was visible. Pulling the key out of the bag, I went to the hole and inserted the key into it with both hands. The first attempt to turn the key but there was no reaction. With an inspiration, I started connecting both arms and legs to turn the key to the right. Slowly, with a profuse creak, the keyhole gave way. Eventually, there were a lot of clicks and the huge door swung open. I decided to leave my bag at the gate and slowly walked through the resulting passage.

After a few steps, I saw a cliff in front of me. A thick layer of ash spread apart from my movements and fell down. Standing on the edge of the cliff, I looked down and saw the distant bottom illuminated by something. I looked around in search of a normal descent. Unfortunately, nothing was discovered by me. We'll have to come up with something.

The key is big enough to insert it into the wall and hook the tentacles like a rope.

I nodded to myself and turned around to pull the key out of the keyhole. With great difficulty, I managed to pull out the key and return to the cliff. I stood for a while, looking for convenient points and eventually chose a section of the wall that was a little lighter than the rest. Probably because of the smaller amount of ash. I took a deep breath and then, together with the exhalation, I hit the wall with the key. The stone crumbled under my force and allowed the key to attach itself to the resulting hole.

I pulled the key up and down a bit to check its strength. A few pebbles broke off from the wall, but the key did not fall. Grunting, I pulled the tentacles out of my hand and grabbed the key with them and took a step into the abyss. I felt my hair flying, with every second of falling the speed increases and then with increasing speed the head starts to hurt more and more. When the ground was close enough, I spread my tentacles and prepared to land. As soon as my feet hit the surface, I bent them at the knees and did a somersault softening the fall. After a few seconds, I got to my feet and dusted myself off, looked at the picture in front of me in amazement.

I saw a picture of a scorched earth with many faults filled with red liquid and from which flames periodically burst out. To my left was a forest with ugly black trees. Above all, this towered a large palace from the upper floor of which a red pulsation emanated. A similar ripple crystal on the key. I looked up at the key and wondered if I should go up and pull the crystal out of it.

"No, I'm too lazy." I said, returning my gaze to the path ahead. Fortunately, from my point of view there was a descent in the form of a long trail of steps. Looking closer, I looked around the wasteland in search of at least something alive. To my surprise, I managed to find living creatures. Who were writhing in pain in the red river. All kinds of creatures suffered in the river. Except for the dragons.

Do you think dragons don't go to hell?

"They probably have their own special boiler," I said, gathering my strength. Somehow, in an amazing way, I managed not to go crazy because of the fact of being in hell. To make sure and cool off, I unbuttoned my coat and touched my chest. It seems to be still alive. Okay, just go down, take everything of value and leave. A twenty-minute adventure.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before slowly exhaling. After that, I abruptly opened my eyes and started walking down the stairs at a brisk pace. As I descended, I was getting hotter and sweat was already flooding my forehead. When there were only a few steps left before the end of the descent, I caught something strange. It's like my body weight has increased by a kilogram or two.

Do not pay attention. Just move forward.

I looked at my target in the form of a red pulsation on the top floor of the castle and took another breath to calm my nerves. Then I jerked forward from the spot, looking both ways, waiting for any threat. Cerberus can't be the only threat, right? No matter. The important thing is that now I'm just a few yards from the red river where a bunch of screaming creatures was stretching their limbs in the hope of help. At this distance, their screams become legible and made me think about stopping for a second.

"Help!"

"For what?"

"Stop it, please."

Why help them? What do you think a dead man can give you if he is saved?

Not finding an answer to the question, I continued to move, preparing to jump. When I was only a few steps away from entering the river, I abruptly pushed off the ground. At first, everything was calm in the air until I felt something bigger coming. And there were a lot of these big creatures. Still in the air, I convulsively raised my head and saw how all the air was blocked by the approaching dragons. But unlike the creatures in the river, they looked absolutely emotionless and for a second it seemed to me that their eyes were flickering with a red light. No, probably just a light drop.

The largest dragon from the squadron began to dive at me and began to make sounds similar to the bubbling of a volcano. Fiery breath. Unable to dodge, I quickly created a shield rune and put as much magic into it as I could. The dragon with a mighty roar released a thick jet of flame in response to which I activated the rune by creating a thick shell of my own magic around me. The fire went around the shield without harming me, but at the same time completely blocking the view. The next thing I realized, my face was imprinted into the warm earth. It looks like the river is passed.

Lifting my head off the ground, I noticed two things. The first is that the magic shield is still intact, but it is flickering, hinting at imminent destruction. The second is that a crowd of dragons hovered over me like vultures and began to make similar seething sounds at the same time. I abruptly jumped to my feet and ran to the castle trying to ignore the headache. Several roars sounded simultaneously in response to which I jumped into the air. A deadly jet of fire passed from under me while I continued to move forward by inertia. Then I felt the approach from behind and turned around and saw a dragon flying up to me with its mouth open. The next moment, his teeth bit into the shield and I could see his throat. Fortunately, the shield lasted long enough for me to avoid being swallowed by the dragon and figure out how to react to it.

As soon as the shield broke under the force of the dragon's fangs, I grabbed his nose with my hands and quickly pulled myself up to be away from his mouth. After that, I grabbed the dragon's horns to get even further away from his mouth. In response, he started wagging his head in all directions, wanting to throw me off while the other dragons, to my surprise, started making a bubbling sound again. They won't shoot at their own, right?

Do you think that fire can harm the dragon?

"Oh shit." I whispered before quickly hiding behind thick horns and in a hurry to create some kind of shield around myself. A lot of dragons simultaneously let out their fire at me while their brother, on whose head I was standing, was actively shaking his head to the sides. After just a few seconds of continuous shelling, the shield began to crack, forcing me to retreat. I jumped off the dragon's head and breaking out of the streams of fire could see that there was very little left of the castle. Then I felt a huge crowd below, the size of which aspired to infinity. Nervously turning my head down, I saw a crowd of creatures running towards me like a tidal wave. The most amazing thing is that despite the burnt skin, which in some places has become completely black, they continue to move quite confidently. At the same time pushing each other as if they were breaking into the store during a good sale.

Then I felt another weighting of my body. And together with him, I realized that I abruptly began to fall down like a brick. Because of the long reaction, I fell into the ground, raising a cloud of dirt around me and feeling the pain that passed through my whole body. But the feeling of a huge crowd and a squadron of dragons made me get up with a groan of pain and continue the hike. But there is one plus in this. Now, against the background of pain all over the body, the head does not hurt so much.

Slowly, I began to run, seeing that there was very little left of the castle. As I approached the castle, I felt my body getting heavier and invisible lines radiating from the castle far to the sides. Turning around, my eyes saw an endless crowd of creatures following me and dragons doing the same. I focused on the road again and picked up speed trying to ignore the pain all over my body. Suddenly, a tongue of flame burst out of the ground in front of me, from which I dodged to the right at the last moment, stumbled slightly, but quickly regained my balance and continued the race.

My ears caught another sound of a bubbling volcano, but feeling the hellish pain in my legs that barely held my body, I just picked up speed knowing that I would not be able to jump. With a mighty roar, several dragons released jets of fire, but so far they have not been able to aim at me. Succumbing to my curiosity, I turned around but seeing a wide jet of fire that was a few feet away from me, I decided to focus on the road.

When I already felt the fire at my back, my eyes caught at the entrance to the palace. With the last of my strength, overcoming the pain, I accelerated and, entering the palace, fell to my knees. While I was trying to catch my breath, I saw that the path was not over yet. There is still an infinitely long circular staircase ahead. Hearing the approaching sounds of a huge crowd walking, I realized one more thing. Yes, dragons cannot enter the palace because of their size. But smaller creatures can do it without problems.

I jumped to my feet and ran up the stairs feeling the increasing pressure on my body. It's already getting a little hard to breathe. Turning around at the sounds, I saw that some members of the crowd ran into the palace and began to climb the stairs pushing each other. Many creatures were simply pushed down the stairs, sending them falling down. Some particularly unlucky ones were trampled. I focused on the path again and, putting the last of my strength, started running up the stairs trying to break away from the crowd.

At first, the whole body just hurts. Then my knees bent a lot, as if they couldn't hold my weight. Then I felt pressure on my chest preventing me from breathing normally. Grabbing air with all my might, I continued to rise. Fortunately, the pursuers were also experiencing difficulties. But unlike me, most of them were barely able to move anymore. However, some continued to move despite the hellish work.

With the last step, I went through the stairs and a room appeared in front of me. The room was illuminated by light passing through black stained glass windows and there was a source of red glow right in front of me. A humanoid figure who sat on a throne with two glowing red eyes and a hole in his forehead. Due to the falling light and blurred vision, I could not see the figure in more detail. Behind the throne I saw a small corridor at the end of which was a bookshelf. I was about to get into a fighting stance to take what I came for, but something grabbed my leg. Turning around, I saw a mutilated unicorn on whose neck there were no muscles left, only bones that grabbed me by the leg with two hooves.

With titanic difficulty, I took one step forward trying to force the unicorn to retreat. Suddenly he let go of my leg and pulled away clutching his head. At first, his horn crumpled like a tin can and pressed into his skull, causing a small splash of blood. Then abruptly his head flattened into a pancake, flooding my face with blood. For a moment I felt panic. What if the same thing happens to me when I approach this figure? He doesn't get up, maybe he lets me go? As if I'm not even interested in killing.

Let me make one thing clear to you, crybaby. You HAVE TO win, you WILL WIN and you WILL BECOME Perfection. There is simply no other option.

With difficulty taking a breath, I took a strong step forward and raising my hand to wipe the blood from my face, I shouted: Get up your ass, whoever you are and fight. I don't care about your gravitational force, I'll still defeat you! "

Absolute silence greeted me in response. After everything I've been through, does anyone dare to ignore me? Gradually, irritation began to grow on me, turning into anger, which stimulated me to go forward. Approaching the figure on the throne, I began to create an arrow rune in my hand. But the magic just refused to obey my will, as if the weight was crushing even magic. I can handle it with my fists.

My right leg buckled, causing me to fall on my stomach to the ground. But continuing the movement, I dug my fingers into the floor and began to pull myself forward with my hands. When I grabbed the figure on the throne by the leg, I felt and saw a strange thing. Getting closer, I was able to make out a skeleton with an outstretched jaw, nose, two toes and four at the hands. In some places, there were still muscles that, to my shock, throbbed weakly. I barely raised my head higher and saw his red eyes that were incredibly slow trying to transfer to me. Is it paralyzed or something?

Get busy and try to get rid of those eyes.

Gathering the last of my strength, I threw my hand on his knee, pulled myself up and threw my other hand on his shoulder. When I was about at the level of his eyes, I stretched out a trembling hand to one of them. With an exhalation, I reached into the eye sockets of the skeleton, grabbed the eye that felt like stone and abruptly pulled it out. Abruptly, the pressure on my body decreased significantly, but it did not disappear completely. I was going to repeat the process, but when I looked back, I realized that this was not the best solution. A crowd of creatures stood next to the stairs, also feeling the pressure drop. Next to them lay a lot of brothers turned into a pancake, which they did not pay attention to. Fortunately, the pressure was still strong enough that the army did not pounce on me. But one question remains. How to get out of here?

Bookcase. Let's see what's there and just test it in battle. The pressure has dropped so there is no risk that your eyes will be doubted like that unicorn. Maybe.

I nodded wearily and got off the skeleton's body before heading to a small bookcase. As I moved away from the skeleton, the pressure on my body decreased and when I passed a small corridor leading to the closet, it became much easier for me. I stretched out my hand, still shaking, in one of the books that was completely black just to see the title. Necronomicon.

"Of course everything is logical. First Cerberus, then natural hell, which for some reason is located in the east, and at the end of this path I find the Necronomicon. Where is the Cthulhu summoning manual here?" I grumbled hurriedly flipping through the book in search of something useful in this situation. In the book, the rituals of summoning the so-called spirits were mainly indicated. There was even a Discord listed among them. It's a pity that I don't need it now, and even if I did, I don't have the components. For example, to summon a Discord, you need a bar of milk chocolate. I'm serious and it looks like the author of the book too.

With a sigh, I threw the book behind my back and decided to try my luck again. The next was a book of bright blue color with the inscription Animancy. What? Opening the book and quickly flipping through it, I realized two things. Firstly, almost all spells are duplicated in the form of runes on the next page, which is very convenient. Secondly, the book is written in an unknown language. It is strange that the Necronomicon was written in understandable. For convenience, we will assume that this is Latin. Do I have to say that I didn't learn Latin at school?

Throwing another book over my shoulder, I picked up the next book in the hope of getting at least some success. The next book was scarlet red and was signed as Sanguisncy. Opening it, I was met again by the Latin alphabet along with images of runes. I decided to try my luck with this book and understand what it is about from the drawings. Great, to at least guess what the book is about, I'll have to look at the pictures as a child.

Don't whine.

Taking a breath, I began to examine one of the runes presented in the book. The outer circle with spikes outwards means that it is at least not directed at me. A central circle with systematic irregularities resembling drops integrated into the circle. Water? And finally, a symbol similar to fog. No, something doesn't add up here. There's water in the fog anyway, so why add extra water?

In hell, they will not keep a book in which it is written how to create an ordinary fog. Think, crybaby, think.

" These drops do not mean the water. And the blood. "I said to myself after some reflection. Yes, it sounds logical. Blood, murder, violence is bad and the like. As the Moon told me while teaching me, the central circle of a certain element in the right circumstances allows you to save magic. For example, releasing a fireball in a conditional volcano vent will be cheaper in terms of magic costs due to the peculiarities of the environment. She said something about natural magic. So blood magic is cheap to use and does not require special terrain conditions.

I looked at the crowd of creatures who continued to wait without words for me to leave the high-pressure zone. I hope the dead have blood. I sat down next to the bookcase, giving a cherished rest to my legs and began hastily searching for useful runes in the book. Before I completely immersed myself in the process, only one thought flashed into my mind.

I have to get out of here. For the Sake Of Perfection.

To Tartarus and Back Pt.2

I took a deep breath before closing the book and quickly scrolling through the runes in my head that I remembered and considered necessary. Then my gaze fell on the crowd of the dead still waiting for me. Everyone is also standing knee-deep in corpses, still half-burned and still waiting for the moment to pounce on me. Thanks to the skeleton that holds them back. And fuck him for almost turning me into a pancake.

Anyway, we have things to do. Figure out how to get out of here. Preferably whole.

I leaned against the wall and began to inspect the crowd of creatures while I scrolled through my arsenal in my head. An arrow, a ball, an explosion, a shield, tentacles and a couple of new runes. The worst thing is that I can only guess at their function. Of course, I could check them while I am in relative safety, but I am afraid that they may be expensive in terms of magic costs. It will be bad if I accidentally spend most of the magic in nowhere. Besides, until I start the massacre, blood will not cheapen the runes. Trouble. Not to mention that I have no passive protection other than my skin. I have no desire to test the fire resistance of my skin.

Suddenly, an idea came to me. Why don't I stuff, books under my clothes? This will not only provide me with some kind of protection, but also allow me to carry away as much valuable information as possible. Besides, there must be some linguist outside. I hope.

I took a step towards the bookcase and started shoving books into all the places I could at a fast pace. By the belt, in the sleeves and in the belly area. The only exception where I didn't put books is my feet. I don't think they have a chance not to fall out of their clothes. However, in other places, the probability of not falling out is also low.

Sighing, I closed my coat and tucked it into my trousers to increase the likelihood of books not falling out. Having finished with this, my gaze fell on the crowd waiting for me in order to find a place for a breakthrough. But there were so many of them and they were arranged so chaotically that it didn't make sense. Jumping over, for example, a pony will not work due to the fact that there will be dozens of other creatures behind it. There is only one option left. Massacre.

Well, have fun, crybaby. YOU think it's just a fun hunt, don't you?

I stood next to the skeleton, ready to rip out his other eye. The first one is in my pocket. I hope I don't lose it. Preparing for further testing, I cracked my neck and flexed my knuckles. Then I abruptly thrust my left hand into the eye sockets of the skeleton and pulled out a crystal-like eye from there. Instantly, I felt the pressure drop almost to zero and felt the crowd break away from the place.

A dozen creatures attacked me in a wave at the same time. My eyes instantly began to study the crowd looking for an invisible point. In the next moment, I quickly grabbed the unicorn by the horn, placed an explosion rune on his stomach and threw it somewhere into the crowd. In the next second, several griffins clung to my back, starting to tear my coat with their claws. I quickly turned around on the spot, throwing off the griffins and at the same time striking with a U-turn. Every time my foot touched someone's head, the air was filled with the sound of cracking and the smell of iron. Following this, there was a loud explosion sound that tossed and hit a lot of creatures on the ceiling. And a large pool of blood appeared on the ground.

Grinning, I quickly created the first new rune. It had a spiked outer circle, a bloody central circle, and a mist symbol. In the next moment, the rune began to attract blood to itself and fill up like a vessel. When the rune took on a red color, it trembled and a few moments released a thick red mist filling the room. I felt that the creatures were already on their feet and began randomly beating in all directions trying to find me. Stifling a chuckle, I headed in the direction where the stairs were located approximately. But suddenly, in the thick of the fog, some Minotaur was able to detect me and ran wanting to impale me on the horns. Seeing this, I made a reflexively high kick from the bottom up, which caused the Minotaur's head to come off and bounce off the ceiling like a soccer ball. After a moment, I realized my mistake. The others heard it and I felt everyone turn their heads to me.

I quickly ran to the place where I remembered there was a ladder and began to create an explosion rune. But to my surprise, as soon as I created the rune, it caught right in the fog. Assuming the worst, I accelerated my pace, not wanting to face the consequences of this action. Along with my acceleration, the crowd began to move towards me, focusing on the sound. Even worse is that I feel of an even bigger crowd from below.

Suddenly there was no ground under my feet and I felt my face collide with something marble. The next moment, the crowd pounced on me from above, pinning me to the steps. I abruptly threw my arms to the sides, scattering many creatures from the crowd to the sides like dolls and heard an explosion followed by a whole series. Twitching several times in different directions, I was able to throw off all the creatures and take a moment to get up. From the point where I'm standing now, there were at least a dozen torn corpses with organs spilling out and spilled crimson blood. I'm sure there are a lot more victims up there where most of the fog was.

Feeling another incoming wave, I grinned and decided to show them who is in charge. Rushing forward with lightning speed, I grabbed a pony in my right hand and a minotaur in my left and began to strike at the rest of the crowd with them, moving forward like batons. With each blow, the air was filled with the sound of bones cracking and a metallic smell. Over time, the pony, followed by the Minotaur, bent in half and became unusable as weapons. With a powerful swing from right to left, I threw down a lot of creatures from the circular staircase, followed by unusable tools. For a moment, the endless crowd stopped after seeing the simplicity with which I mow them down, but then they continued to come at me like puppets in another wave.

Grinning, I drew attention to the huge pool of blood in front of me and decided to test the next rune. Hastily, I formed a rune almost identical to the last one, except for the symbol, which this time was a thorn. Pointing my hand at the representative of the crowd who was right in front of me, I expected a simple spike, but it did not happen. The rune turned into a projectile of pure magic and collided with the head of an earth pony just evaporated. Yeah.

The Earth Pony, along with many other members of the crowd, jumped on me from all sides. I leaned forward sharply as if I had sneezed and thus threw most of the creatures into a pool of blood. I thought about it for a second. If the rune did not absorb the blood before the launch, maybe it needs contact with the blood after the launch?

I quickly created a rune with a spike and shot it into the pool of blood under my feet. Then I felt the lines slowly diverge from the puddle to the sides, as if it was filled with magic. In the next moment, some areas on the puddle began to turn into spikes and punch through one by one everyone who got stuck in the puddle. Deciding not to risk it, I jumped up and justifying my assumption, a part of the puddle under me also turned into a thorn. The crowd at the same time, like a single organism, stopped in front of the puddle, not wanting to incur further losses. The fate of those who are already in a puddle is not enviable.

Deciding not to leave them without entertainment, I grabbed a random Minotaur with tentacles while in the air and pulled it to me. Pushing him so that he was under my feet like a skate, I grabbed him with a small grin. After a couple of moments, the Minotaur with me on his stomach landed on several spikes that pierced his arm, legs and neck. Despite his wounds, he continued to desperately try to grab me somehow and let out a growl. Ignoring the pitiful sight, I jumped away from the chest of the Minotaur forward towards the ever-decreasing crowd. All the creatures raised their limbs up as if they wanted to grab me. Even ponies did not skillfully stand on two legs and even managed to stand relatively straight.

Without focusing on the absurdity, I created bouncing arrows in both hands and fired them into the crowd. Arrows randomly bounced off opponents, pushing the unlucky ones with a quick flight down and the rest into the wall. Landing on a small, crowd-free section of the stairs, I decided to experiment. I started creating an explosion rune but decided to invest a lot more magical than usual. I tried diligently to concentrate the magic only in the symbol, not paying attention to the circles. At the end of the creation of the rune, I installed it on one of the stairs and began to run away from the affected area. Almost immediately, I felt the enemies begin to recover and slowly, one by one, rushed in pursuit of me. After a few seconds, my eyes caught a bright light that came from somewhere behind. In the next moment, a deafening explosion blocked my ears and sent me into the wall with its force, forcing me to close my eyes.

Slowly opening my eyes, I hovered in shock from what my experimental explosion could do. A huge piece of the staircase along with the wall simply disappeared, leaving no one and nothing behind. I slid down the wall on one of the steps and barely got up because of severe back pain and a slight feeling of fatigue. Standing up, I looked at my right hand, which was shaking and whose fingertips seemed to have become a little darker. Unfortunately, the next moment I felt the crowd approaching from below and a squadron of dragons to the hole. Acting ahead of the curve, I created a shield around the body and prepared for an attack from two sides. In the next instant, several dragons stuck their heads into the hole left by the explosion and instantly let out fire in all directions with a loud roar. The fire was circling the shield, leaving me unharmed but blinded at the same time.

I closed my eyes and guided by invisible lines ran to the silhouettes of dragons. Once at close range, my left hand swung and delivered a crushing blow to the dragon's nose. From such an action, the dragon closed his mouth, ceasing to breathe fire. Deciding to continue the offensive, I opened my eyes and jumped on the head of the shocked red dragon. The dragon immediately felt my presence and started wagging his head in all directions to throw me off. Since this dragon didn't have horns, I had to improvise. With a strong blow on my left hand, I pierced his skull and felt a slimy substance that collapsed under my force. The brain, definitely. In the next instant, I felt the dragon's movements slow down before it started sliding off its position.

The dead dragon started falling down to the ground with me on its head. The situation was further aggravated by the fact that the other dragons began to fly down and make seething sounds, preparing to spew fire. And the shield is already on the verge of destruction. Looking down, I saw that it was still very far to the ground, but an endless crowd had already gathered from below. Between the hammer and the anvil. Or in this situation, fire and earth. Yeah.

As a way out, I could only find one desperate solution. An explosion rune began to form in my right hand, and I sighed as I prepared for the next part of the plan. I pulled my left hand out of the dead dragon's head, losing my footing and going into free fall. Being in a fall, a rune of a simple ball began to form in my left hand. Then when the rune turned into a ball, I put an explosion on it, which surprisingly worked. Smiling, I threw my hand back before throwing the ball with lightning speed into the crowd on the ground. The balloon quickly reached the ground and after a couple of moments exploded, lifting many representatives of the crowd into the air. From above I saw a huge stream of dragon fire that gradually caught up with me. Analyzing all the creatures thrown into the air, my brain was looking for a route for a comfortable descent.

Having formed a route, I quickly grabbed the nearest earth pony with magical tentacles and jumped away from it forward to the next target. The next thing I pulled the griffin to me, but he turned over in the air like a cat, meeting me not with his back but with his claws. He grabbed me with all his claws, tearing through my clothes but not piercing my skin. Improvising, I crushed his head with a side blow on my left hand, instantly killing him. Wrapping my arms around his shoulders, I jumped forward and down again, continuing the route. The magical tentacles pulled the creature towards me again, this time a Minotaur, and I stood on it like on a skateboard. The ground was rapidly approaching me, and in the end the Minotaur met most of the blow, turning from the force of the blow into a bloody mess under my feet. My knees reflexively bent at an angle close to ninety degrees trying to absorb the impact of the fall.

After making sure that my knees didn't break, I closed my eyes to soothe the headache and focus on the lines. The crowd surrounded me from all sides but did not move forward to let the dragons burn me. Suddenly I noticed a detail. With such a huge cluster of creatures, the lines almost touch each other. Just need a little push. Taking a small breath, I raised my shaking right hand up and began to concentrate a bunch of magic on my ring finger. With each passing moment, the sound of the crackling of the dragons' fire and my magic grew louder. Then, abruptly, like a short circuit, I felt the lines collide in some places and seemed to become denser. With lightning speed, I took a step to the side and put my ring finger charged with magic on the double line that did not manage to move away.

I opened my eyes wanting to see the result and opened my mouth in shock. The line of my dark blue magic instantly dispersed along the lines and continued to spread like a fire. Lifting my head up, I saw how the lines charged with my magic stopped the fire and after a couple of moments they cut into pieces the dragons that did not have time to slow down. The crowd didn't dare move towards me and just stood there being blocked from my view by the fire. But there was one caveat. My magic was being sucked out of control to spread further along the lines. I took a step back, but the magic just stretched out further to keep in contact with the lines. Gradually, I began to feel increasing fatigue and a hellish headache. My legs buckled, sending me to my knees.

So, crybaby, things are bad. A few more seconds and your soul will be empty and you will die with it. So figure it out somehow. To achieve Perfection, you need to be at least alive. Think, think.

One thing popped into my mind. Magic needs oxygen to work properly. Panicking, I clamped my right hand between my legs, trying to at least partially block the magic's access to oxygen. To my own surprise, it started working and after a second or two it stopped and the lines began to slowly lose the charge of my magic and assumed a normal appearance. With difficulty and a cough, I was able to force myself to stand up and assess the situation. My ring finger took on the same completely black appearance as the little finger. Did my little finger suffer in the same way? So I came up with this a long time ago while drunk? Surprisingly.

And strangely bordering on the absurd.

In any case, my skin seemed a little dull, as if I was experiencing severe exhaustion. Along with this, holes and lines formed in the ground around me. There were dragons cut up like sausage salad in the neighborhood. Only the endless crowd remained. And I'm almost completely devastated.

The crowd, seeing this, immediately rushed forward from their place right at me. After taking a few breaths, I tried to raise my arms for a fight, but I could only raise my left and then with difficulty. My eyes started to double, but squinting, I could see the river and behind it the stairs. I closed my eyes a little consoling the headache and getting ready to fight back.

As soon as the opponents were close enough, I ducked and made a circular sweep, knocking down everyone in the affected area. Then I took a sharp step forward and grabbed the nearest fallen Pegasus by the neck with my left hand. Putting up a human shield in front of me, I stepped over the rest of the bedridden and ran straight through the rest of the crowd, pushing everyone I could with my shoulders. As I moved, various creatures tried to grab me or at least hurt me, but all to no avail. Their maximum is to tear up my coat a little.

Pathetic like everyone else.

After a few moments, I began to feel a growing heaviness in the area of my legs. Slightly turning my head back, I discovered that the creatures started grabbing my legs in a desperate attempt to slow me down. Surprisingly, though slowly, but still, surely, they succeed. I decided to focus on the road and on the condition of my human shield. Fur, feathers and in some places the skin has already been torn from the body of the Pegasus due to the constant taking blows on it. Thank you for at least performing its functions.

When the red river became clearly visible, the weight became strong enough to force me to take a quick step. The body of the Pegasus was wounded to such an extent that basically only the skeleton remained, and then with bent bones. Surprisingly, he still resists and twitches as if alive. I wonder if I have completely destroyed at least one on my way, or is their immortality absolute? Seeing the condition of the shield, I moved away from thinking and threw it into the river before continuing to walk towards it, trying not to notice the increasing weight. Just keep going, Daniel. The exit is already close.

When I came to the very bank of the river, the weight became so strong that I hardly took even ordinary steps. Turning back, I saw something. Two endless lines of creatures grabbed my legs, stopping me in place and not allowing me to jump over the river. Having discovered this, my brain began to search for a solution at an emergency pace. The remaining part of the crowd that did not engage in my containment began to run away from their comrades to destroy me. I noticed dragons in the distance. Of course, there is a reserve here, of course. Sighing, the realization came to me. All of them had previously been in this red river and suffered without being able to harm. What's stopping me from reminding them?

Gathering the last of my strength, I raised my right leg and turned around, sending many creatures into the river. A few people were able to keep their grip on my leg. Continuing the U-turn, I put my right foot on the ground with my back turned to the river and then made the same U-turn with my left foot. The success was repeated again and in the end there were at most a dozen creatures clinging to my legs. Ignoring them as an insignificant load, which they were, I took a small run-up and jumped forward across the river.

In flight, I felt some of them begin to slowly crawl up my. Turning sharply, I saw two griffins clutching my legs with their claws that were moving up me. The rest of the creatures seem to have fallen from my jump. In response to this, my two hands almost instinctively rose and fell on the heads of the birds. The griffin struck by the left hand was instantly deprived of its head and after a couple of moments fell down, unlike its more fortunate counterpart. My right hand, exhausted by the active use of magic, could not hit the griffin properly and could only injure its beak. Taking advantage of the opportunity, he climbed slightly higher and to my surprise, instead of attacking, he stuck his claws into my pocket. While I was confused, the griffin abruptly pulled out the red crystal that was the eye of the skeleton and detached himself from me, jumping down. What for? Not clear.

After a couple of moments, I decided to focus on landing so as not to fall face first into the mud as before. Looking at the ground, I was able to roughly determine the distance to the ground as I fell. Thirty feet - press your knees to your chest. Fifteen feet-get ready to land on your toes. Colliding with the ground, I quickly did a somersault forward, softening the pain from the fall. Finally, turning around, I saw a crowd stopped by the banks of the river and dragons who were struggling to get to me through the air. Smiling, I turned back to the exit and ran to the stairs from hell.

On the way to the stairs, I felt myself and my pockets. There was only one crystal left in the left pocket. Most of the books fell out, but about five or six remained under the clothes. Better than nothing. When I reached the top of the stairs, I sighed happily realizing that there was very little left until the end of the way. Without looking back at the abandoned hell, I took a step forward and stopped for a moment. The whole wall was littered with small holes. Did my magic reach all the way here along the lines? In any case, looking up, I saw my last trials. Lift.

I reached for the key that was still embedded in the wall and released the magical tentacles. Only one tentacle came out of the hand and was able to stretch only a few feet before dissolving. Misfortunes. I had no time to start thinking about a way out of a bad situation when I felt the approach of several dragons. Misfortunes never come alone.

I jumped up quickly and when I saw that I wasn't even getting close, I stuck my left hand into the wall. The stone crumbled under my force, without rebirth and allowed me to create a good ledge for myself. I put my hand on the edge of the ledge and sighed, pushed off with my hand and feet, going even higher. Not gaining the right height, I stuck my hand into the wall again and took a short break. My whole body was sweating due to the local heat and general fatigue. My right hand was shaking so much that I was unable to use it. Suddenly, a dragon flew into the hole and quickly looked around and found me. Since he was too big to get into the hole completely, he began to make bubbling sounds that bothered me so much.

Growling, I jumped away from the wall towards the exit while the fire roared out the fire. In the air, my body reflexively stretched forward to avoid the approaching fire and reach my destination. I felt the warmth brushing my legs for a moment, but the next moment it was gone. After a few seconds, my exhausted brain understood the situation. I landed on my stomach right at the gate covered with ash. A stream of fire raged behind me, which could no longer reach me.

I slowly rolled over onto my back, inhaling and exhaling in an attempt to regain my strength. It feels like a big piece has been torn off from me. Damn lines. Of course it was powerful, but it only goes along the lines. The very lines that encircle all the living, allowing me to see the enemy without looking. In fact, this is a deadly, expensive and ineffective trap. Yes, it chopped up an entire squadron of dragons, but I'm sure it was just a lucky accident. Conclusion:Or figure out how to increase efficiency or forget about the existence of such an ability.

You underestimate. Maybe it has a huge potential. The potential that alone can bring you to perfection. This should not be forgotten. On the contrary, it is necessary to use and develop as often as possible.

Slowly, after thinking it over, I turned over again, this time on my stomach, and propping myself up with my left hand, I slowly got up. After taking the final few breaths in and out, I looked back expecting to see the key hanging on the wall. But there was nothing there. Outraged, I slowly began to walk to the edge of the cliff, hoping that the dragon still sitting there would not have time to react. When I reached the edge, I lowered my head only to be instantly met by a stream of fire. No, he has time to react.

Okay, we took out everything we could. We return to the garrison.

I made a sharp U-turn and went to the exit, letting the slightly torn coat fly away. After passing through the gate, I turned my head to the side where the bag was lying and quickly hung it over my shoulder. After making sure that everything was fine, I started walking up the stairs. As I walked to the exit, I walked close to the wall so as not to fall. After passing through the gate, I tried to throw off the ashes from myself and my clothes, which turned out to be almost completely unsuccessful. Seeing the lack of results, I sighed and slowly walked up the stairs away from the heat. As I ascended, a thought was spinning in my head. Maybe, just maybe Flying has been right. Maybe I need to cause a little less horror. It would be nice to at least bother to wash. Even just soaking your hair with water will not be so bad.

Crybaby, does some idiot have the right to say what's wrong with you?

"No it doesn't. No one has the right. But is it really normal to cause fear in others? Is it okay to talk about yourself just to scare someone? Is my honesty bullying?" I asked myself, thinking out loud.

We're not talking about phantom normality, crybaby. Norms are determined by a soulless, useless and vile mass called society. Your task is to achieve perfection and destroy this mass. Perfection is above society and, accordingly, defies morality and norms. Being NOT normal is in your true state.

"Really? I used to be normal, I guess. At least I didn't cause terror, irritation and rage in everyone around me. Maybe. " I muttered uncertainly.

Yes. And you were also a nobody at that time. You were beaten and you endured. You were humiliated, and you were silent. You were ordered, and you did it. Just a rag that can absorb pain and cry at night. And you know what? Without striving for perfection and the adjustments that follow it that keep you whole, you will become exactly the same. Nothing has changed since that moment. NOT a drop.

For a second I stopped leaning against the wall and thought. Maybe there is a balance somewhere? Maybe it's possible to be yourself at the same time and somehow look normal? I do not know, sometimes to say something at least neutral about me, for example.

And what are you going to say? Name at least one thing about yourself that another person will call at least neutral.

In response to my own question, I could not give any answer. Experience shows that talking even about the banal love of meat is not particularly welcome. At least in this environment. Telling a life story is also not an option. I doubt that many people will appreciate the fact that I have always solved the overwhelming number of conflicts by violence or flight in early childhood. Why can't people just admit that this is the most effective and universal way to solve problems? I meant violence, not flight.

Because they are as perfect as from the Milky Way to the Condor. You're up to perfection as from the north pole to the south. Far away but not even close as far as them.

After standing in place for a while, I slowly nodded to myself before going up the stairs. Yes, I'm definitely closer to Perfection than they are. You just need to make a few more jerks and you can rest. That's when you can think about how not to scare others. Until then? Study, study and study again.

By the time I finished thinking, I had almost walked all the way up the stairs. Compared to the heat at low levels, this area is a real refrigerator. Climbing another step, I staggered and fell forward, sprawling on the steps. After a few moments of rest, my eyes opened and I saw that four books had fallen out from under my clothes. Quickly feeling myself, I realized one unpleasant thing. These are all the books I have left. The rest is most likely lost. Was it really worth it?

Sure. The fog alone in conjunction with the explosion is worth something. The most important thing is not to show these books to anyone. And in general, put the books in the bag. What else do you need it for?

Sighing, I slowly got up and grabbed the books and threw them into the bag before closing it. After dealing with books, my legs carried me further to the exit. During the hike, I could feel the furious gaze on me and my body aching exhaustion. Passing by Cerberus, being unable to restrain my curiosity, I looked in the direction where the dog had been lying earlier. As expected, after the fight with me, he decided to sleep, despite the fact that this is shirking duties. Although who would expect discipline from a huge three-headed dog?

Grinning a little in response to my own remark, I turned away from Cerberus and continued walking forward. The gate to Tartarus that I opened let in a thin strip of light calling me to him like a moth lamp. Slowly, forgetting the pain, I started walking faster, burning with the desire to get out. When the gate was within my reach, my hand reflexively reached for it and opened it with a sharp movement.

A wave of light and cold air rushed over me, making me smile slightly. The sight of the tree, though devoid of foliage, only reinforced my joy. Looking up, my eyes widened at the sight of a pleasant sight in the form of a dream almost completely gone beyond the horizon. Of course, I didn't stay in hell for so long, but some part of me was very nervous from being there. As if a small part is still afraid of death.

In any case, it's time to return to the garrison. Go ahead before it gets too dark.

" Wash up first. Even a little sitting in the river will be an order of magnitude better hygiene than usual. " I said to myself before slowly walking forward along the way remembering the road to the river. You just need to walk along the cliff, pass by the castle and go forward. If I remember correctly, there is a river there.

While I was walking to the river, there were some doubts on the corners of my mind. If I don't work, then I'm lazy. If I'm lazy, I degrade. If I degrade, I lose progress. Losing progress means moving away from perfection. But I was able to partially suppress these thoughts. For the first time in a long time, if not at all, I'm thinking about something and just want it for no particular reason. Like a child watching a toy and wants it just because he wants it. Without logic, reasons and arguments. Just one short phrase: I want to.

With each step, the nature around me became more lively and the layer of snow became more dense. Although I'm not complaining. Cold is always better than heat and winter is better than summer. It would be nice to slightly shift the orbit of the planet to cancel summer or at least make it colder.

"Okay, this is a little too much. Even for me." I said to myself, shaking my head as I continued to walk towards the cherished goal. I devoted a moment looking at the castle that I almost missed. Maybe go in and take another bite out of the wolf.

No, it won't work. During the time you didn't go there, the meat most likely deteriorated badly. I still don't understand why you hunted on the outskirts of the forest instead of coming here. Was it really so important for you to provide a complete rest for Rising?

In response to my own question, I just nodded, continuing to walk forward to the river and admire the surroundings. Eventually, I got to the frozen river. The ice covering the surface of the river beautifully reflected the light of the setting sun, slightly blinding me. Standing at the shore, I stopped for a second looking at my reflection. Her hair was completely matted, her skin was pale and her right face and neck were covered with blood.

What are you going to do now, crybaby? In any case, you only have one set of clothes.

I instantly raised my foot and a powerful stomp forced into the cracks to pass through the ice. After the second stomp, the number of cracks increased significantly and the solid ice on the river turned into separate pieces. With my hands, I moved the floating pieces of ice slightly, freeing up space for myself. Then, taking a deep breath, I climbed into the vacant space right in my clothes and sat down on the bottom. Fortunately, near the shore, the bottom was low enough for my head and neck to stick out from under the water.

You can't be serious. What will you do when you're done sitting in the water? Will you go naked?

"No, I will walk around in wet clothes. Although nudism is also an option." I said, taking deep breaths in and out to distract myself from the cold. At some point, a cold wind howled through the space, making my teeth chatter. Despite this, I took some water in my palms and splashed it in my face. The water was running down my face back into the river, taking quite a bit of blood with it. Seeing the ineffectiveness of this method, I closed my eyes and with a sharp movement dipped my head into the water.

What are you going to do, crybaby, if you get sick here? Or will you catch any frostbite at all?

"I'll be patient. I still suffer from allergies every spring and I don't even know what it is. You can walk around with snot and watery eyes a little earlier. Nothing will change significantly. " I answered myself after I pulled my head out of the water. Seeing the reflection, my eyes began to study it reflexively. Most of the blood was washed off my face, my nose was red from the cold and my hair took on an even more chaotic tangled look. It's probably time to get a haircut.

Maybe you'll go to the spa again?

"Why not? You can write a letter to Luna in a month and demand a well-deserved salary. You can use the money to go and clean yourself up. The search for balance has been shelved, but it is still important to smell at least a little better than a garbage dump. Probably the only thing in which I agree with my father. " I said, smiling a little at the last thought. It will be at least interesting to come to the spa for the first time.

No, you're not going to the spa. I'll repeat it again. There is perfection, and there is everything else. Until perfection is achieved, it is not worth being distracted by something else, with rare exceptions. And going to the spa is not.

I closed my eyes and leaned my head back, letting the water drip onto the snow. Of course, Perfection is important, and this is above all. But I just want to do what I want for the first time in my life without logical reasons. Not for survival, not for profit, not for anything. Just a wish.

An abomination.

Sighing, I looked at the setting sun and said to myself: "I have to think about it."

POV Rising Moon

I nervously looked at the forest into which the captain had gone from his position from the roof of the tower. It was a little difficult to get here in armor, but everything was possible. I think the captain will approve that I chose such a good position for observation. The sun has already set, plunging the whole neighborhood into darkness and marking the beginning of the active time of day. Fortunately, at least here I was lucky and I can see well in the dark. I wonder what the district looks like from the captain's point of view now? He probably can't see anything.

I gasped sharply realizing my own assumption. Maybe the captain got lost in the woods? What if he's in danger? What if he was attacked by some mercenaries again? All these questions and others swirled in my head as my eyes widened with increasing panic.

Why are you panicking? No, no, it's illogical. A few days ago, he regularly went to the forest and for a much longer period of time. No, no, everything should be fine. The captain is strong and smart. I went to the forest with him more than once while we were at the old place. He's fine.

"He's fine." I said consoling myself. Calming down a little, I looked at the armor that I put next to me. In the current conditions, they are so cold that it is impossible to wear. A few days ago it was still tolerable, but now it is not. I looked down at my comrades with some envy. They stood quietly on the street, chatting about something with each other and showed no signs of discomfort. Why can't I do what everyone can?

Sighing, I decided to switch to something less depressing. Looking at the forest, my eyes widened at the sight of a familiar bipedal figure with a bag on his shoulder. Seeing this, I jumped up abruptly and spread my wings. But then he stopped. How will the captain react to the fact that I will be without armor and without weapons?

"I don't think he'll approve," I muttered before quickly putting on my armor. First, I took the wings of the main part of the armor, which is a single plate with a hole through which you can stick your head. Slowly trying to endure the cold, I put on the main part and in a hurry put on a helmet. I stood there for a second, trying to control the trembling all over my body. Taking a deep breath, I jumped off the roof of the tower and spread my wings. Due to the weight of the armor, a normal dive did not work out and I had to flap my wings hard to stay in the air. I don't think I'll ever get used to the weight of this armor.

Having flown close enough to the captain, my eyes caught that he stopped in place and looked at me leaning against the wall of the nearest building. Smiling nervously and waving my hoof, I began to slowly descend to the ground. A few moments later, my hooves landed on the ground, pressing into the snow. I shivered slightly from the extra cold.

"You're shaking all over. I didn't think that taking into account the fur, you ponies can freeze so much. What's wrong, Rising?" The captain asked, raising an eyebrow. I opened my mouth to reply, but then looked at him more closely. His hair looked disheveled and damp. Water dripped from the torn clothes in various places, the nose turned red and the skin looked somehow pale. And he was even slightly chattering his teeth from the cold.

"I can ask the same about you." I answered after finishing the inspection and looking into the captain's eyes.

In response, he grinned and replied, confusing me: "This happens when you swim in an ice hole."

"Why?" I asked instantly, unable to suppress my curiosity in time. Why climb into the ice hole in the already cold weather?

"I thought it was worth doing a little hygiene. Admit it, I haven't looked and smelled presentable lately." The captain replied, baffling me. What am I supposed to say here? Should I admit it? Or should I challenge it? The first may offend the captain. And the second is a lie.

While I was thinking nervously, the captain snapped his fingers in front of my nose, bringing me out of my thoughts and said: "In any case, I washed up. Bad, crooked, without soap, but washed. And judging by your shaking, you're freezing just from the local weather. It's weird considering you have fur, but okay. Will you come with me to the garrison or do you have your own business?"

I smiled in response to the fact that the captain deprived me of a dilemma and to his proposal. Without hesitation, I nodded at the captain's suggestion. In response, he nodded and walked away from the wall towards the garrison. I quickly realized what was going on and went side by side with the captain.

After a few seconds I looked up at him and asked: "So, did you find something?"

"Yes, I found it. It was hard, but success was achieved. Unfortunately, most of the books were lost on the way out. But something turned out to be saved." The captain answered, putting me in a stupor.

"Books? Lost on the way out? Is it hard for you? " I asked, hoping that the captain would tell me more.

" Yes books. Yes, most were lost during the exit. And yes, it was hard. " The captain replied, making me tense up a little. Usually, he immediately says everything at once and answers questions that haven't even been asked yet. But nothing like that now.

"What happened?" I asked, yielding to my curiosity.

"Why are you so interested in my condition and what is happening to me?" The captain asked, stopping abruptly and looking at me. There was annoyance, incomprehension and even some anger in his gaze. Under this look, I feel like a bug and instinctively try to look smaller.

You won't be able to leave. Come on, Rising, you can say it.

I took a deep breath and answered: "I feel indebted to you."

"Debtor for what?" the captain asked firmly, continuing to press.

"Don't you see?" I asked, bowing my head in embarrassment, "You trained me as your soldier. You helped me feel one hundred percent safe with someone for the first time in my life. I will say more, even if temporarily, you are putting confidence in me that I have never felt in my life by my presence alone. You saved my life after all! "

The captain paused for a moment before asking in a much softer voice: " Why do you feel unsafe around others?"

I looked away and asked quietly: "Can I not answer?"

The captain took a deep breath and replied: "Okay. When you're ready, tell me. Just know that I won't judge. "

I smiled a little in response and said: " That's what I'm grateful for. "

For a second there was silence in the air, interrupted only by the howling of the wind, but it was interrupted by the words of the captain who again began to walk to the garrison: " Let's go. "

I nodded and followed the captain, trying to endure the cold. My mouth opened to repeat my last question, but the captain interrupted me: "And I'm sorry, Rising, but I won't tell you about what I encountered. Right now I'm not ready to tell you and I'm not sure what you're ready to hear."

After a couple of seconds of thinking with a worried expression on my face, I decided not to argue with the captain and nodded. Following the captain, I couldn't take my eyes off his pale skin. It can't be something ordinary. Something has happened. But perhaps his unwillingness to tell is fair. I didn't tell him something of my own, he didn't tell me something of his own. Sounds fair. Maybe.

While I was thinking, we managed to get to the garrison. Sighing, the captain turned to me and said: "I don't know about you, but I'm going to bed. Or I'll go study what I could find. I haven't chosen yet. Wake me up in a couple of hours so I can schedule the next shift, okay?"

How will I determine the time?

In response, I nodded, deciding to postpone solving problems for later, which caused the captain to smile. While he was walking to the tower, I was thinking about how to spend time. After a few seconds, I looked at the tower and a thing came to me that I hadn't noticed before. There is a really good view from the roof of the tower.

Spreading my wings, I jumped up and started flapping them quickly. With some difficulty and effort, I was able to reach the roof and landing on it quickly took off my armor. I sighed, enjoying the feeling of cold metal removed from the skin and casting a glance at the sky. Hundreds, thousands of stars hung in the sky, and in the center of this picture was a large moon that took the shape of a crescent. Looking at the sky, I tried to fix one thought in my head.

I have to tell the captain. Sooner or later.

Of course, unsuccessfull

Silence. Cold. Pain. Devastation. The wind howling outside the window. The light of the moon illuminating the table on which everything I received is located.

I sighed slowly, leaning back in my chair. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't fall asleep. A maximum of a few minutes long sleep and a sharp awakening. Having accepted this, I put everything I could get out of hell on the table. On the table there are three books and a crystal eye that I took from the skeleton. On the left was a book of iridescent color with the inscription "IL fallimento dell ' realtà". God, I don't even know how to pronounce it. In the center was a book I already knew about blood magic. On the right was a brown book with the inscription "Vita de nulla". And right in my hand was a crystal eye.

After looking closely at the red eye, I began to look for at least something curious. Unusual shine, pulsation, anything at all. At first it seemed to me that there was nothing unusual in the stone, but then I discovered a curious detail. As if the closer the stone is to my body, the brighter it glows. Although even at maximum brightness, the stone is not able to at least illuminate the room. Looking at the crystal, an idea came to my mind.

What if we send magic into it? Can it glow due to this?

I shrugged slightly as I pondered this thought. I still can't sleep properly and I'm still sitting at this table, so why not? With difficulty, I pulled a tiny tentacle of magic from my finger and directed it to the crystal. As soon as the tentacle approached the crystal, instead of the expected stop, it entered it with zero resistance. This only spurred my interest, forcing me to continue stretching the tentacle. To my shock, the tentacle came out from the other side of the crystal with the same simplicity. And with it six more identical tentacles. Three on the left and three on the right. For the sake of experiment, I stretched the tentacles a little further and, as I expected, the other six also became longer. I relaxed, which caused the tentacle to disappear into thin air, as did the copies. Putting the crystal on the table, I began to think about what I could do with it.

In fact, it is an amplifier. That is, if I wish, when I find a way to return to my world, the problem with creating the right amount of energy will be smoothed out or completely solved. And in battle, you can come up with a good application. For example, shoot an arrow at him to create several additional ones. Like a shotgun. But it all comes down to the fact that I just don't have enough accuracy to get into the crystal often. Yes, you can hold it in one hand and shoot with the other. But what kind of opponent will wait while I do all these tricks. That's right, none. But what if. . .

No, crybaby, the transplant won't work. First of all, it's ugly. Even if you transplant it not into the eye but somewhere else, it will remain useless. You have too poor control of magic to create runes inside your body. If at all possible. So you'll have to shoot yourself. In addition, some of the cloned arrows will fall into the muscles, if not into the organs. So it looks like we'll have to slightly change the doctrine to somehow use this crystal. Or you can just forget about the crystal until the time comes. And at the same time not to give up hand-to-hand combat. Because if you give up hand-to-hand combat, it will no longer be an adjustment of the doctrine, but a complete change of it.

Suddenly, an incredible idea struck me. I quickly started going through the cabinets of my desk in search of pencils and paper. The first box. Empty. The second box. Ink and pen. When I saw them, I quickly grabbed a pen and one can of ink and put it on the table. The third drawer and fortunately papers. I put one sheet on the table and began frantically sketching my idea. At first I drew a cube without a top, but realizing a small mistake, I erased the ink in two places. Top and bottom. At the same time, the hole was wider from above. Then, instead of the top of the cube, I drew four fasteners that would, as it were, attach the crystal. Then I drew a flat square of the perfect size to fit into the upper hole. And as the final touch on the first sheet, I drew a simple line and signed it like magic.

Then I pulled the second sheet of paper closer to me and began to describe a flat square on it. From the top, the flat square looked just like an ordinary rune, except for a small passage through which magic would go. When my stream of consciousness ended, I slowly put the pen in the ink jar and began to consider what I had come up with and analyze.

" The square will make it easier for me to create runes if it is made of materials that conduct magic well. Of course you can do without it, but I'm afraid it will be difficult to make a rune almost blindly. We can say that this is a stencil. " I muttered to myself, considering my objectively speaking crooked drawing.

"The upper hole will allow you to insert such squares into the cube and the lower one will help to conduct magic. And how will I pull out these squares?" I asked myself, having understood the error of this construction. Of course, you can just flip the cube and shake until the square comes out. But it would be preferable to be able to change these squares quickly and on the go. Okay, to begin with, it would be nice to figure out how to make one such cube and only then think about modifying.

Sighing, I took a pen and wrote questioningly: "Quick change of squares?"

Then I saw another problem. There is only one hole for the magic wire and, accordingly, it will turn out to use only one rune. But if you make a few holes for the wire, then this problem will be partially solved. However, I will have to remember at the level of which hole which prepared rune is located. Sighing, I drew a few arrows pointing to places where holes can be made and wrote: "Extra holes for magic?"

Taking a breath, I looked through the drawing of my idea once again in the hope of not finding another inaccuracy. But of course it couldn't be that simple. Now the mistake has been noticed in the cornerstone of the idea. In the crystal. As the experiment showed, the crystal creates six copies of everything magical that passes through it. Three copies on the left and three on the right. With an upward slope, ideally to the side and with a downward slope. That is, four out of six cloned spells will be far from hitting the target. Inefficient.

I propped my head on my hand and started thinking about what to do with it. Prototype by prototype, but I don't want to lose sixty-six percent efficiency. What if in some places we add materials that will reflect magic so that the cloned projectiles hit the target? Probably there should be such. I hope.

Sighing, I wrote on top of the entire structure: "2/3 copies go nowhere. Slow change of rune types. It is possible to use only one rune."

I put the pen in the ink jar realizing that I had exhausted the strength for a full analysis. Now two other questions appear. What should I do and will I be able to sort out my doodles in the morning?

The second one will be available only tomorrow. Well, the first one. Well, we can try to sleep. And fail again.

I sighed and slowly got up from my chair. Before I lay down on the bed, I glanced at my wet clothes hanging on a chair. Water dripped on the floor with a barely audible sound from a red coat and green trousers stained with blood. I hope he won't stop me from falling asleep. Sighing, I slowly lay down on the bed trying not to cause pain in my body. After all, the race, some falls and the pressure on that skeleton turned out to be painful. Especially for my back. Putting my head on the pillow, I tried to ignore the fact that my legs were hanging off the bed. Yeah, the bed in the castle and the hotel was better. Taking at least a minimally comfortable pose, I slowly raised my right hand in front of my eyes to examine it in the light of the moon. There was a serious scar on the thumb and the ring finger and little finger were completely blackened.

" At this rate, the right arm will have to be amputated. Thanks for not the left one. " I said, putting my hand on my chest. Slowly, I grabbed a blanket and threw it over myself, getting what no warmth. Alas, the upper part of the chest and the part of the legs below the knees did not receive such luxury. Sighing, I closed my eyes trying to fall asleep. Slowly, my thoughts began to blur and disappear. The desire to open my eyes to every rustle disappeared. There was only darkness and the elusive feeling of a blanket.

Abruptly, a sigh escaped from my lungs and I reflexively sat up in bed. My heart was pounding fast, my lungs were actively taking in air and sweat was dripping from my forehead for an unknown reason. I didn't even dream anything and my body behaves as if I was scared. It was as if something had knocked me out of a dream into reality. Slowly, I calmed down and put my left hand to my forehead, wiping away the sweat and began to think about what this could be caused by. Overstrain? Emptying the magic reserves? Or is it because of what I did with the lines?

The latter is definitely not true. Think for yourself, crybaby, how could something that happened to your fingers affect your ability to sleep?

I nodded to myself, discarding the idea and continued to sit in bed sticking into the wall. Suddenly, I felt one of the Thestrals walking slowly towards my tower. Assuming the worst, I quickly jumped out of bed and went to a chair and started putting on wet clothes. In a hurry, I put on all my clothes and barely managed to fasten the buttons on my coat, I headed for the stairs. Feeling that the thestral had been already very close to the door to the tower, I decided to just sit on one of the steps and look at the door.

In the next moment, I saw a thestral with a gray fur quietly enter the tower and began to look around in search of me. Until he guessed to look higher, I began to look closely trying to remember who it was. Alas, I could not remember the name of each soldier. I would even say that I didn't really remember anyone at all. But looking closely at the thestral, which is lighter than the rest of its fellows, I began to remember something.

While I was thinking, the thestral finally thought of looking higher, and when he saw me sitting on the stairs, he jumped slightly from fright. I grinned slightly when I saw this reaction and asked without much interest: "What do you need?"

The Thestral stood in place and was awkwardly silent, looking at the floor. Then he said, stammering: "W-W-We h-h-have a situation."

Oh, I remembered. This is the stutterer who helped restore the old military base. Good kid. If possible, he is silent, tries to speak briefly and has not once shown disobedience. If it wasn't for the speech defect, he would be just gold.

I propped my head on my fist and asked with a little interest: "What's the situation?"

"You b-b-better see for y-yourself." He replied, slightly averting his gaze to the side.

I frowned slightly displeased with the evasiveness and stood up before starting down the stairs. As I got closer, I began to notice that the stuttering thestral began to get more and more nervous. Almost finished the descent I asked: "Okay, but answer me another question then. Why are you the one reporting this out of all fifty soldiers?"

"I d-decided to report it m-m-myself." He replied almost instantly. Curious.

I took a few more slow steps towards him and asked: "Curious. And why did you make such a decision?"

"I t-thought that you w-w-would h-have instantly g-guessed that the situation h-had occurred and somehow w-would h-have p-p-punished all t-the soldiers for silence." He answered with a slightly averted gaze, as if he was ashamed of it. I don't see anything to be ashamed of.

"But in this case, anyone will be punished, but not me. " I think that's exactly his way of thinking. I thought about myself and my safety first of all. Not bad.

I walked straight up to Thestral and looked down at him for a few moments. To my surprise, he looked confused, as if he just didn't understand what I was doing. But no additional tension or fright was noticed. I nodded slightly and said: "Okay, the answer is accepted. Lead me to this situation. "

He just nodded and turned around on the spot before slowly starting to leave the tower. When he left the room, I followed him and closed the door behind me. While we were walking, he regularly turned around on me and quickly turned back as if he thought I wouldn't notice. Unfortunately for him, he was wrong.

Deciding to calm the soldier down a little, I slightly accelerated so that I could walk side by side with him. While we were walking through the night city, I began to notice that the detachments that I had appointed were not walking around the city. Thank you that at least the guards from the garrison showed a minimum of discipline. Or maximum fear. Turning to the stuttering thestral I asked: "Let me guess, everyone else went to look at the situation you're talking about?"

"Yes." He answered almost instantly. Oh, how good it is when the answer comes instantly and without delay. But the constant stuttering is annoying.

"Are you just nervous or are you having trouble speaking?" I asked directly, turning slightly to Thestral.

He seemed taken aback by my question and didn't answer for a few seconds. When I was about to repeat the question, the thestral still answered: "It's innate. M-M-More precisely f-f-family."

"Did you go to a speech therapist?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"To w-w-who?" Thestral asked in a curious voice. As if he wants to fill a gap in knowledge.

"A speech therapist is a specialist in speech disorders. As a child, I went to a speech therapist. I had problems with hissing sounds." I replied, trying to explain as clearly as possible.

Seeing only a surprised look saying that he had never heard of such a doctor, I said: "I really hope that the whole point is simply that the thestrals were not integrated into Equestria. Remind me to find you a speech therapist sometime. I hope there are such somewhere in Equestria."

Seeing his brief nod, I focused all my attention on the road ahead. After a couple of moments, I felt the silhouette of the crowd that lined up around the two thestrals. I started to accelerate the pace and my companion quickly noticed this and accelerated too. After a few dozen steps, in the night darkness I managed to make out a crowd of soldiers that had formed around the City Hall. With each step I was able to hear the conversation between the Thestrals clearer and clearer.

"What should we do?"

"Should I tell the captain? We can hardly hide it anyway. "

" Are you kidding? "

" Well, I certainly don't. " I said, approaching the thestrals point-blank from behind. Everyone in the crowd jumped on the spot and stared at me in shock. And then some looked angrily at the thestral who brought me here.

I took a step to the side so that the thestrals could not look at the stutterer and asked: "Disperse and let me see what's going on. Obviously, you didn't gather around the town hall just to study architecture."

Swallowing, they parted and I could see two thestrals on the ground. One was sitting, and the other was lying on his side. Looking closer, I saw that the seated thestral is a Flying familiar to me. With what without a helmet. Slowly, a frown appeared on my face and I asked harshly: "Flying, explain to me what's going on here."

His eyes widened at the sight of me, and he slightly opened his mouth. After a few moments of silence, he awkwardly scratched the back of his head with a hoof and replied: "Maybe we got bored and decided to have a race around the city. Of course in armor to complicate the task."

"That doesn't explain what's wrong with this guy." I said, pointing my finger at the thestral lying on the ground. His teeth were clenched and his eyes were tightly squeezed shut. Pain.

"Maybe during the race I accidentally pushed him and he crashed into the pillar of the town hall." Flying replied while continuing to scratch the back of his head. Hearing this, I quickly glanced towards the pillars of the town hall and saw that one of them was badly bent and seemed to have almost broken.

Turning my gaze back to Flying, I said: "I'll talk to you later. Now just step aside and let me see what happened."

Flying stood still for a few moments, but still bothered to reluctantly get up and take a couple of steps to the side. I walked up to the thestral sitting on the ground and squatted down in front of him. Despite my presence, he just kept lying on the ground with his teeth clenched and his eyes closed. I turned it over slightly so that the armor wouldn't interfere with my work. It seems that there is a plus in the lack of protection of the belly. Without warning, I stretched out my hand and began to press in various places, waiting for some kind of reaction. After a couple of touches, I pressed my fingers on the area where one of the ribs should have been. But abruptly the thestral hissed in pain in response to which I quickly removed my hand as from a hot stove.

I've heard that horses are killed if they find fractures. Or was it just about leg fractures? Although of course the diagnosis may be incorrect.

I put my hand to my face and asked, restraining the anger that appeared from nowhere: "Explain one thing to me, Flying. How did you manage to push someone in such a way that not only damaged the pillar of the town hall, but also broke a rib?"

"Um." mumbled Flying unable to come up with an answer. How nice when he can't answer.

I carefully removed the armor from the thestral and put it on the ground and wrapped my arms around the thestral from below. Carefully, I got to my feet, holding the thestral in my arms so that it made a minimum of hissing and turned my head to Flying. For some reason unknown to me, I had a slight feeling of anger towards him inside me. Sighing, I said loudly: "You, Flying, will come tomorrow and tell all this to the mayor yourself. I'll take the wounded guy to rest. I have another assignment for the rest of you here. You have to find a hospital in the city and find out if it works. As soon as you find out, report to me. Free."

Having finished giving the order, I silently turned in the direction of the garrison and went to him. Along the way, an idea formed in my head to thank the stuttering thestral. But considering that most of them have already taken to the air and I don't even know his name, so it will be difficult to look for him. I have no particular desire to call him by his nickname stutterer. Sighing, I focused on the road and saw a pastry shop that scared me so much. But for some reason, looking at the pastry shop, I did not feel fear or panic. It was as if my senses were focused on something else.

Stop thinking about useless things and get busy.

Nodding to myself, I continued walking, trying to ignore the periodic painful moaning and hissing of the thestral. The guy does not know how to tolerate pain at all. When I broke my ribs, I just hissed a little. After a while I heard him say with difficulty, "Sir?"

For a moment I looked at the thestral in my hands. His eyes opened slightly and I saw a mixture of pain and surprise in them. My eyes focused on the road again and I answered: "If my guess is correct, you have a broken rib. Try to speak less and breathe briefly. I don't need a rib to pierce your lung."

In response, the Thestral nodded very slowly and carefully. As I walked, my ears picked up that he was breathing in short breaths and exhalations. How quickly people are ready to follow orders when life is at risk. Sighing, I crossed the border of the garrison and noticed out of the corner of my eye that the soldiers were staring curiously at the situation. Without saying anything, I continued to walk forward and when I reached the tower, I opened the door to it with a light kick.

Then I started slowly climbing the stairs trying not to lose my balance. It was clear from the sounds that Thestral obviously did not enjoy such a pastime. After about a minute, my foot was on the second floor, a couple of steps from the bed. I reached the bed almost instantly and carefully laid the wounded Thestral on it. He turned over slightly, taking a more comfortable position. Maybe. Then my hand took a pillow and put it under his head. Slightly pulling away, my eyes noticed that he was shaking slightly. It looks like the bed got wet because I was lying on it.

Although we don't have another normal bed nearby. The beds in the barracks did not go much further than the bench in terms of comfort. So he can be patient.

Sighing, I put my hands on my hips and asked: "Should I cover it with a blanket? Just nod if yes."

The Thestral nodded slowly and I covered him almost instantly. After making sure that the minimum services were provided, I turned around on the spot and started walking down the stairs. Along the way, the ideas of what to do with Flying were spinning in my head. Forcing the town hall to be repaired is certainly a punishment, but something tougher is needed. Maybe make him run around the whole city? A whole day? Or maybe break the same rib for him? An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, and that's it.

No, no, no. I have a better idea. The punishment for Flying will be chosen by his victim. And I will just make sure that the punishment is executed.

"Sounds great." I said with a little smile and finished descending the stairs. Deciding to get some fresh air, I left the tower in a few long steps, slamming the door behind me. With quick movements, my foot scattered the snow, forming for me what no place to sit. Sighing, I slowly sat down on the cold ground leaning against the wall of the tower and closed my eyes hoping to fall asleep. I am sure when the soldier arrives after completing my task, they will guess to wake me up. All my feelings told me that the soldiers in the garrison periodically look at me. Is it really so surprising that I am fulfilling my duties?

This is a failure to fulfill duties. Your attitude to the whole situation was the worst possible. It was caring and, even worse, mixed with altruism. To a small extent, but mixed. YOU could have just thrown him on the bed in the barracks, YOU could not have brought him here in your arms, YOU are weakening, YOU are losing your grip, YOU are moving away from Perfection and it is YOUR fault. No matter how and by what methods it is VITAL to turn back to at least slow progress towards Perfection. This is already above the obligation. This is a VITAL necessity.

Sighing, I slowly put my forehead to my knee and started trying to find what had changed, what had led me astray and at what point. When I lost at Ponyville and made a deal with the princesses? No, the defeat only strengthened me and built the right way of doing things. Force always persuades a person more effectively than any words. It's strange that I didn't figure it out before. Maybe when I took over as captain? No, I always wanted to and, having every opportunity, commanded. They are just subordinates and nothing more. Their maximum value in my life is slightly useful puppets. No sentimentality, no inhibiting feelings, no weakness. Only the pursuit of Perfection. Right now, I was just doing my duties. Performed very well.

While I was trying to get all these thoughts into my head and didn't pay attention to what around someone was able to sit next to me. Lifting my head from my knee and turning my head to the right, I saw Flying sitting next to me. Sighing, I looked into his eyes and said: "What do you need?"

"As I see and feel, you have washed up after all. Not perfect, but not bad. He replied mockingly with a grin.

" Is that all? " I asked, feigning lack of interest.

" Oh, don't pretend. I can see that I hurt you then. Flying replied by lightly pushing me with his shoulder.

I rolled my eyes and said: "And I noticed that someone managed to break a rib during the race by accidentally pushing one of the participants."

"Hey, I'm not proud of this, okay? Unlike someone else." Said Flying hitting me on the shoulder. I didn't feel any pain from the word at all, but I assumed that he wanted to cause some kind of pain.

"Do you have the facts on which the theory is based? Or do you have a theory that fits the facts?" I asked, raising a bored eyebrow.

"The way you smiled, you know when." Instantly replied Flying with a steely look. For a moment I didn't understand what he was talking about, and then I understood. It's about the torture that I arranged for that mercenary. Was I smiling then? This episode is like a blur. I only remember the acrid smell of blood and strange feelings when it was over. But the process itself? Everything is in a fog.

"Was I smiling then? In any case, I'm not proud of it and I'm not ashamed of it. It's a fact, that's all." I said with a shrug.

Flying stared blankly at me for a few seconds before sighing and saying, "Okay. Maybe you're not completely crazy. Just almost crazy."

As if someone is interested in your opinion.

With difficulty I restrained myself from expressing my thought and just sighed. Then my eyes widened when I realized it. Why am I holding back? I won't lose anything if I tell him the truth, and in general it is always desirable to tell the truth. It has practically no objective value. So why can't I bring myself to just tell him the truth to his face?

"What happened?" Flying asked in a curious tone.

I shook my head, postponing my thoughts until better times and replied, rubbing my eyes with my finger: "Forget it, I thought something strange."

For a moment Flying looked completely neutral, but then he smiled nastily and asked: "What did it seem like? Is the mare in bed?"

What?

I looked at him and raised an eyebrow and asked: "What was it about?"

In response, Flying only chuckled softly covering his mouth with a hoof and said: "It doesn't matter."

I looked at him trying to understand him, but after a few seconds I sighed and wrapped my fingers around the bridge of my nose. Taking a breath, I asked quietly so that only Flying could hear me: "Was that a reference to the fact that I'm a virgin?"

In response, he began to giggle softly and after a few moments switched to loud laughter. I put one hand to my face when I heard this and said: "You can't even imagine how I want to rip out your vocal cords."

Flying's laughter only got louder, causing the rest of the garrison to stare at him. It didn't stop him, but fortunately it didn't spur him on. After what felt like a minute, Flying slowly calmed down and took a breath and nodded.

I took a slow breath and said in a tired voice: "It's not funny. Not a drop. And even as a mockery does not work."

"Well, yes of course." Flying said sarcastically with a dismissive wave of his hoof.

I opened my mouth to say something, but was distracted by the movement of the lines. Looking up, my eyes saw Rising slowly fluttering down to the ground. Without armor. Sinking to the ground, he waved his hoof and asked: "What's funny happened?"

Without even looking at Flying, I plugged his mouth with my palm and said trying to stay conscious: "It doesn't matter. What matters is where your armor is. "

Rising looked nervous for a second, but once on the ground he calmed down and replied calmly: " They're on the roof. On the roof of the tower."

I frowned, wanting to ask what he was doing on the roof. But after a moment I decided that it would be more useful to find out what he was doing while the whole situation was happening. Sighing, I asked: "Were you on the roof while the whole situation was going on?"

"What's the situation?" Rising asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Someone decided to arrange a race all over the city. And pushed one of the participants of the race into the pillar of the town hall. As a result, the guy has a broken rib. And I even know who broke it." I replied by pointing my head at Flying and removing my hand from his muzzle.

"Oh, this is a situation." Said Rising without coming up with anything better to say.

"Yeah. But you still haven't answered the question. Where were you while all this was happening?" I asked, starting to get a little annoyed. I just wanted to sit down and get some sleep if possible. And as always, someone wanted to talk about the useless.

Don't whine.

"I fell asleep. Rising replied with an awkward smile while rubbing the back of his head.

I narrowed my eyes and frowned slightly when I heard this answer. It's night outside, he's thestral. At this time, he should feel like a normal person during the day. It's just that I'm sleepy because I've strained to the limit.

Seeing my frown, Rising became nervous and began to make excuses in a panic: "I woke up very early. And it was also very comfortable on the roof. And in general, when it's cold, I fall asleep quickly!"

I sighed and said stopping frowning: "Don't make excuses. Everything is fine. I'm just a little tired. Especially after what that jerk did."

Flying growled slightly when he heard me call him, but there was nothing meaningful in response. Sighing contentedly, I said: "Okay, Rising, remind me to schedule a new shift as soon as possible. And if someone comes here and tells me where the hospital is and that it's open, then wake me up."

Rising nodded and said: "Roger that, sir."

After these words, silence reigned in the air. Rising looked around expectantly. The Flying one just sat silently next to me. And the rest of the soldiers lost interest and dispersed to their positions.

Suddenly Rising asked a question: "Since you're here, Flying, answer me one question. Why didn't you fly into the air when we were chasing the captain and asked you to do it?"

Flying abruptly changed his behavior, looked away and began to mutter something unintelligible. Seeing his embarrassment, I grinned and slapped him on the shoulder and said: "Okay, you'll answer tomorrow. Right after you finish helping the mayor rebuild the town hall. "

Flying looked at me and opened his mouth to answer, but feeling my grip on his shoulder tightened, he fell silent and nodded. Seeing this, I loosened my grip and said: " Well, now I don't know about you, but I'll try to sleep. "

" Right here? " Flying asked with a slight chuckle.

A note for the future: never give him a reason to insert his word.

"Yes, right here. And no, I'm not interested in how you found out. So if you don't have any important news, then just keep quiet." I said and closed my eyes without waiting for an answer. Feeling a brief nod, I pressed my forehead against my knee and began trying to fall asleep.

Of course, unsuccessful.

Finally get some rest

The sun has already slowly begun to rise from the horizon, illuminating the area. A couple of thestrals, appointed by me to patrol the city, passed by. And I couldn't sleep. Yeah.

Taking a slow breath, I looked around for the mayor. My right hand reflexively rose and grasped the nearest rounded object, gaining support. But unfortunately the mayor wasn't around. All I feel is maybe three or four ponies that have started to slowly wake up. We can only hope that one of these ponies is the mayor.

"Do you have to do this?" Asked Flying standing next to me.

I turned my head to him and realized that I accidentally put my hand on his head. For a second, I wanted to remove it, but then I grinned and replied: "Yes, absolutely. I don't need you to run away when the mayor comes."

"You already made me take off my armor and weapons. Where and how do you think I should run away? Flying asked, pointing with his wings on his chest, devoid of everything except fur.

" Where to? Into the forest. How? Legs, or in your case hooves and wings. Nothing complicated. I replied with a shrug.

"That was a rhetorical question." muttered Flying, looking at me like an idiot.

"I know, but I answered anyway to get you to talk. I don't want to look at an empty city until the mayor comes. And you?" I asked, loosening my grip on Flying's head slightly.

He sighed and answered, looking away: "I don't want to either. But I'd prefer the company of a non-near-psycho."

Don't think about it. Remember that his opinion doesn't matter. No one's opinion matters.

In response to Flying's words, I rolled my eyes and said, "Until I go to a psychologist and get the appropriate note, I will be considered mentally healthy. And just so you know, I'm not going to see a psychologist."

"It's better to change your mind about you. At least someone has to straighten your brain. " Flying replied with a stern look at me from under his forehead. Suddenly, I felt something. As if something is wrong. Something is wrong. It won't dock.

The stuttering thestral did not know who a speech therapist was. Why does Flying know who a psychologist is?

"How do you know who a psychologist is?" I asked, squinting at Flying.

"Didn't you think that different thestral villages have different levels of progress?" He asked instantly, looking at me like I was an idiot. Actually, no, I didn't think so. But this raises another question. . .

"Wait, did your villages live without communication with each other at all? Without, I do not know, any relationship?" I asked, genuinely curious.

"How do you imagine it in conditions of almost complete secrecy?" Flying asked rhetorically, raising an eyebrow. For a second I thought about the simple thousands of ways how this can be implemented. And then I remembered that technological progress here is some kind of fusion of the Middle Ages and the beginning of the industrial era.

I took a slow breath and reluctantly admitted, "No way, probably. Blunted, I admit."

For a second Flying looked surprised by my admission, but then just nodded slowly. I almost completely loosened my grip on his head, but I didn't take my hand off it. Looking around the whole street, I discovered several new details. Firstly, several people have already gone outside. And secondly, I felt the ponies start moving in some houses. The city is waking up. . .

The Mafia is falling asleep.

I chuckled slightly as this phrase popped into my head. Hearing my chuckle Flying asked curiously: "What's funny?"

For a second, I wanted to answer normally. But then I remembered that he probably just wouldn't understand. Sighing, I waved my left hand dismissively and replied: "Forget it. You wouldn't understand anyway. "

Initially, Flying opened his mouth and raised his head to tell me something, but changed his mind and looked at nothing. After a few moments, I felt someone approaching the town hall. Casting a glance in the direction of the approaching pony, I sighed in disappointment. It's not the mayor.

Suddenly Flying asked an unexpected question: "So what happened to that guy in the end?"

"What do you mean?" I asked, not quite understanding the question. The guy has a broken rib. The end of the story.

"You're not going to just leave him lying in bed and hope for a miracle, are you?" he asked with slight concern.

Realization flashed across my face and I answered instantly: "I told the other soldiers to keep an eye on the hospital and wait for it to open because it is closed at night. As soon as the hospital opens, they will have to take the wounded man there together. Or if something goes wrong, then let them contact me. Why are you asking? "

" Just curious. " Said Flying before falling silent and turning away, thus ending the dialogue. Sighing, I started looking around again in search of the mayor. The number of people on the street has not increased much. On the contrary, it has even slightly decreased. I woke up, ran to work and that's it. Probably, this is the way of life.

Suddenly I saw a coffee-colored figure in the distance. Squinting and waiting for the figure to come a little closer, my eyes discovered that it was the mayor. I put my left hand to my mouth like a loudspeaker and shouted, "Hey, Mayor!"

For a moment, the woman stopped and looked around sleepily until she focused her gaze on me. Slightly speeding up, she came closer and just stared at me for a second or two. During this time, I was able to see decent bags under my eyes. Hmm, it looks like because of the darkness, I couldn't notice them right away. In the end, the mayor asked: "Do you know what time it is now?"

For a moment I was confused by this question but then I shrugged and said: "I have no idea. And I don't care too much about that."

"It's four in the morning." She said with a completely blank look. Why talk about it at all? And why the hell is she looking at me like that?

Lack of sleep. Just put it down to lack of sleep.

"Okay. I didn't sleep anyway." I said with a shrug and rolling my eyes.

But when the mayor opened her mouth to say something, I took a step to the side and pointed at Flying with both hands and said, "Anyway, do you see this guy? This is a professional idiot and he professionally broke one of the pillars of the town hall yesterday along with the rib of one of my soldiers. Therefore, I thought that you would be interested in using it as a labor unit. Work as a punishment, do you understand?"

The mayor's eyes widened as she quickly turned her head almost losing her glasses and began to look around the state of the town hall. Unfortunately or fortunately for her, the only damage is the almost broken pillar of the town hall. Almost. Then she looked at the Flying which to my surprise slightly shrank like a machine under a hydraulic press. In the end, she slowly turned a calm and cold shark-like gaze on me and said, "Yes, I understand. I already have a couple of ideas on how to use it."

Cold, calm and wearing glasses. Eh, it's a pity that she's a pony. If she were human, I would at least think about some kind of relationship. Although the gray hair color worries a little.

I slightly waved my head to the side trying to distract myself from my thoughts and asked with a slight smile: "Great, do you have any questions for me or can I go further?"

The mayor nodded slightly and said: "Yes, I would like to know his name."

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that Flying looked annoyed and was about to say something, but I quickly interrupted him: "Flying Night. That's his name. "

The mayor nodded once again almost imperceptibly and said waving her head in the direction of the town hall: " Well, Flying, follow me. I have things to do for you."

Flying surprisingly showed no signs of resistance and calmly followed the mayor to the town hall. Slowly sighing, I jumped a little on the spot and warmed up and walked around the city. Some of the ponies were coming out of their houses and seemed almost unresponsive to me. At least there was no feeling in the air that everyone would run away now. And then the realization pierced me like a prick.

This. NOT. Right. And it shouldn't bother you in any way. It shouldn't be like this. You should be looked at like a monster and rushed wherever you look. The only way to convince a person is violence and fear. No half measures. It was the fact that you started taking half-measures that slowed down progress to Perfection so much.

Slowly, a tired sigh came out of my lungs. For the first time in a long time, if not in my whole life, something like this happens to me. Consciousness is perfectly aware of what needs to be done. But the feelings inside slow down any attempts to do what logic says. My main enemy is to be under the control of emotions. So long to put up with sadness, morality, any hints of sympathy and lust for the sake of it? For the sake of being driven by your emotions?

I stopped in the middle of the road and looked at the sun, which was taking an increasingly higher place in the sky. Then I sensed a squad of Thestrals passing very close by. And finally he looked at the snow under his feet. I slowly squatted down and grabbed a little snow with my hand before trying to roll some kind of ball out of it. As the process progressed, I tried to suppress the thought that I was behaving like a jerk. Having received a ball of snow, albeit crooked, I looked at a couple of thestrals ahead, who were discussing something among themselves without even noticing me. Maybe succumbing to emotions is not so bad?

Okay, crybaby, act like an idiot. But here you have to win and defeat. If they dare to answer, then you have to dodge. It's so good to dodge so that you don't get hit once. At least do that, you fucking crybaby.

Throwing my hand with the snowball far back, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Just calm down. No one will dare to judge you. And in general, almost everyone probably plays snowballs. It is ok. Inhale, exhale.

Throw! I excitedly opened my eyes wanting to see the result. The snowball, spinning in the air and losing snowflake after snowflake, quickly overcame the distance to the head of one of the thestrals. In the end, a snowball hit him right in the face, forcing him to close his eyes. His partner looked at me in surprise and then stared at me in shock. After a moment, the original Thestral also opened his eyes and looked at me.

Grinning, I took another handful of snow from the ground and began to stack the snowball loudly said: "What are you staring at and not doing anything? Even outnumbered, are you afraid to respond to aggression?"

For a moment, nothing happened on the street. Then the thestrals exchanged glances with each other, communicating nonverbally. Fortunately for me, they quickly gathered snow into wings and started making snowballs. Seeing this, I felt something strange and unfamiliar for a moment. Or long forgotten.

The sight of snowballs flying at me interrupted my thoughts and made me quickly jump aside. Using the respite, I quickly threw a snowball in the face of the second thestral, but unfortunately he dodged rolling to the side. The next moment, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a snowball flying at me from the left.

Just catch it in the air. The reaction is allowed.

For a second, I wanted to succumb to temptation, but decided that it was not worth showing too much dominance now. I quickly lay down on the cold ground and saw two snowballs fly right over my head. I put my left hand under the snow and then with a sharp movement threw it into the air. As a result, for a couple of moments, the thestrals did not have the opportunity to throw snowballs at me. Taking advantage of the opportunity, I quickly rolled to the left after grabbing two handfuls of snow in each hand. I slightly clenched my hands into fists, giving the snow some kind of shape and got down on one knee, preparing for the shelling. My face broke into a grin when my eyes saw that the thestrals had been looking at the place where I lay down on the ground all this time. Looks like I'm too fast for them.

Keeping a grin on my face, I threw two snowballs at one thestral at once. The snowball from the right hand just fell apart in the air, but from the left could successfully hit the target. A note for the future: do not try to stack snowballs with one hand. While the thestral was confused, I quickly made another snowball and, timing the moment, threw a snowball right in his face, disorienting him. The smile has already grown to the point that the jaw is slightly sore, but I started to make another snowball. Took a breath. I swung.

And I felt something collide with my chest. Slightly lowering my head down, I saw a snowball break right on my chest, pelting my coat with snow. It looks like I was so focused on throwing snowballs at one that I forgot about everything else.

Loser.

Taking a deep breath, I raised my hands and got up from my knee. Another defeat erased the smile, turning it into an absolutely indifferent expression. Taking a slow breath, I threw a snowball on the ground and said: "Okay, you two have won. I lost. If you want, you can choose two lucky ones to replace you today and you can go to rest if you want. You have my permission."

The Thestrals looked surprised at such generosity, but quickly gathered their strength, nodded and smiled slightly. Waving my hand in farewell, I turned away from the thestrals and walked further forward through the city. As we moved, the pastry shop got closer and closer. And then I stopped on the spot asking myself a question.

Why should I go to the garrison? Rising will somehow be able to cope on its own. Even in the worst case scenario, what can happen? Will the change of soldiers last a little longer? Well, that's fine.

Standing in the middle of the street and making a decision, I began to think where to go. I left the map at the garrison, so if you study the city, you will have to go there. Although I think it will be more interesting to complicate the task of navigating blindly. Given the size of the city, it will be very difficult to get lost here.

Suddenly I was called by a squeaky annoying voice saying, "Hey, Dani!"

Without turning to the source of the irritation, I felt an earth pony jumping towards me. It is jumping and not walking. An annoying voice and an earth pony. Yes, it's pink.

Taking a deep breath, I asked without turning to Pinkie: "What do you want?"

She laughed a little and hit me on the shoulder in a jump and said: "Oh, don't be a bore, Dani. I saw you playing snowballs. And I saw how much fun you had!"

Do you think surveillance is considered a crime in Equestria? It would be necessary to read the local code of laws. It's high time to do it, actually. This will come in handy as the plans are completed. Which someone is putting at risk.

I turned to Pinkie and crossed my arms and asked, "Yes, I was playing snowballs and what? It's winter outside and there's snow everywhere. And in general it was a one-time action."

Pinkie giggled a little in response and continued to jump answered: "This means that you can be amused! To be honest, I started to think that it was impossible to cheer you up, but you showed the opposite. I am so glad that I saw you, my friend, happy! And your smile! Your smile is just like a real star. Just imagine how often you would smile if you recognized others as your friends. Just imagine!"

How are we going to kill? By biting her neck? By cutting off the head? Or by ripping out the heart?

I put my hand to my chin and began to think which option would be better. All three are very tempting. But unfortunately they lead to rapid lethality. Hmm, a difficult choice. While I was thinking, Pinkie started telling me something in her annoying voice. What a pity that I didn't care.

Thinking about the choice, I put my hands on my hips and began to look at Pinkie, who was telling something while continuing to bounce. Looking at how actively her tongue moves and how meaningless words fly out of her mouth, an interesting option came to my mind. What if instead of killing her, I just cut out her tongue? Or the vocal cords in general?

No, we don't have enough medical skills to keep her alive after such maneuvers. As a result, we will simply spend more effort with the same result.

I nodded to myself, understanding the nuance of the idea and began to think about other options. At first, I came up with the idea to do something with her teeth. I nodded to myself again when I realized that it would just be too long and monotonous. Continuing the flow of ideas, I put my hand to my chin and nodded periodically, studying Pinkie with my eyes.

"And that's why we decided that you should talk to Fluttershy face to face! Don't worry, she's already agreed!" Pinkie said excitedly and loudly, bringing me out of my thoughts. For a second, my sleep-deprived brain tried to process what I was told.

Then my eyes widened and I said: "Repeat the reason again."

"Oh, you're funny, Dani! But I'm sure that such a wonderful listener as you didn't miss a single sound. " Pinkie Pie said in an even more upbeat voice than usual. It looks like she counted my nods and studying gaze as attentiveness.

No one listened to you and is not listening.

"I wasn't listening. I just have a habit of nodding when I think about my thoughts. So just briefly repeat the reason why you want me to go to Miss Manipulator." I said, looking down at Pinkie.

She looked upset for a moment but quickly returned in high spirits and replied: "Okie Doki. Let me take you to Flatty's house and explain everything along the way! "

Without waiting for my answer, she jumped past me to her friend's house. I took a deep breath and said making Pinky hang in the air: " No. You put the reason in one sentence right now and I'll decide whether I should go or not. And even if I say yes, we will walk in silence. "

Pinkie continued to hang in the air for a few moments. Just try not to think about it, Daniel. Then she landed on the ground and said in a slightly offended tone, " Fluttershy is the only one of us who didn't fight you during your first appearance in Ponyville."

I thought about it seriously for a moment. Yes, I was fighting five ponies back then. And I don't remember anyone yellow. If she wasn't a nasty manipulator, I would treat her almost neutrally. But so?

He can count on quiet contempt at best. However, it will be beneficial to convince them that I am not the enemy. You just need to be on your guard.

Taking a deep breath and reluctantly said: "Okay. Take me to Fluttershy."

"Really?" Pinkie Pie asked excitedly, starting to jump up and down very quickly.

After my reluctant nod, she jumped high into the air and hovered there for a few moments. A note for the future: ranged spells will come in handy if you fail to kill in one move and it comes to a fight. In the end, Pinkie Pie landed on the ground with a big smile on her face and before she started walking, she said, "Okie Doki, Dani! Follow me."

Restraining my irritation, I reluctantly began to follow Pinkie with my hands in my pockets. My hands groped in the left pocket of a long-discharged phone and in the right a knife. I wonder why I carry a phone with me and take a risk if I can just throw it somewhere. Damn affection.

A sigh of exasperation escaped from my lungs and I looked up slightly to see where I was being led. Pinkie had already taken me outside the city and continued walking along the trees. A manipulator living in the forest? I think they call it a witch. It seems to be the Middle Ages here, but it looks like witches are not burned.

Oh, I so wanted to see it live.

"Hey, Dani." "Pinkie said, turning her head to me. And I was so hoping that everything would pass in silence.

I barely restrained a groan of irritation and asked, raising an eyebrow: " What do you need? "

" Do you like anything? Anything other than meat? Just think about it a little bit, please." she asked with an expectant expression on her face. It's like he's collecting dirt.

Don't tell her about the love of hunting.

"I like music, mostly electronics. I also have a very tolerable attitude towards nature in general. This applies only to plants. I don't take animals into account in forming my opinion. Are you satisfied? I asked, hoping that this would satisfy Pinkie and she would leave me alone.

" What about. . . Oh, we've already come! " Pinkie said, distracted by the house in front of her. I looked ahead and saw a house in front of which there were many birdhouses. The house itself had a roof with a seemingly grass roof, and in front of it was a small bridge under which a stream flowed. Probably the first house in Equestria that I am ready to recognize at least partially beautiful.

Taking a deep breath, I turned to Pinkie and asked: "Is this Fluttershy's house?"

Pinkie nodded vigorously in response to which I sighed and looked back at the house. I took a step towards him and said: "Okay, I'll talk to this Fluttershy. I hope after that you and your accomplices will leave me alone."

In response, my ears only heard a giggle that my mind was trying to ignore. Slowly, step by step, I started walking towards the house and felt the birds in the birdhouses staring at me. Without thinking about them, I went to the door and made three sharp, strong knocks on it.

"Please wait!" A voice shyly shouted from the other side of the door. I felt that there was a real zoo behind the door and a pony in the center of it. Animal lover? She won't be lucky if the conversation comes to my passion for hunting craft.

Why not tell about it right from the doorstep?

I thought about it for a second. If as soon as she opens the door, she hears it, then the conversation will end quickly. And I won't have to waste time on her. I will even have the opportunity to see the contents of the books I took from hell. Although in my current state, it will be problematic thinking. Hmm.

Slowly, the door opened slightly and a yellow muzzle looked at me. It was clear that her manipulative fuse was exhausted and now she looks very nervous and modest. I took a step forward and looked down at Fluttershy and asked: "Are you going to talk to me on the street or in the house?"

For a moment she looked down in confusion, but then she looked at me and, making way for me, quietly replied: "Come in, please."

I took a step into the house and quickly began to look around it for a sign of useful details. To my left I saw a staircase up and a birdhouse. Right in front of me was a green sofa, an armchair of a similar color and a small table on which there was a tea set. There was a passage somewhere to my right. I felt that there were many different animals in this passage. I've never understood the point of having or even taking care of animals. What can they give in return for huge financial expenses?

Probably people are sitting on aesthetic pleasure as heroin. It's a bit of a pity that there are no treatment centers for them. Well, perfection will create it.

Nodding to myself, I slowly began to take steps towards the chair, assuming that the tea set on the table was not for nothing. Suddenly, a rabbit ran out of the room on the right and jumped onto the chair as if claiming ownership. In addition, he stuck out his tongue as if he was teasing me. Rolling my eyes, I took a few more steps to the chair and grabbed the rabbit by the ears with my hand before sitting down on the chair. The rabbit at first looked shocked by my attitude and then started punching the air in an attempt to hit me. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that Fluttershy was just staring at me, trying to process my actions.

The knife is in the right pocket if anything.

Sighing, I opened my hand, which caused the rabbit to fall to the floor. He lightly rubbed the place where he landed and looked at me seriously before running to the hostess. I rolled my eyes again and propped my head on my fist, waiting for what Fluttershy would say. If he says anything at all.

Having reached his mistress, the rabbit began to squeak something and wave his paws as if saying: "Get this bully out of here!"

Fluttershy came to her senses and shook her head and whispered something to her rabbit. Eh, Flying would be useful here. He could have eavesdropped. Sighing, I looked in front of me and saw that Fluttershy was walking towards me, accompanied by a rabbit. After a few seconds, she sat down on the sofa and the rabbit was standing next to me watching me. Fluttershy forced a small smile with difficulty and pointed her hoof at the tea set and said, "I hope you like tea."

Sighing, I took a cup of tea and before drinking it in one gulp, I said: "Liquid is liquid. Thanks anyway."

I raised my voice and held my breath trying not to pay attention to how warm the tea was. In the end, I put the cup on the table and wiped my wet lips with my sleeve. Seeing how I quickly emptied the cup, Fluttershy raised her eyebrows in surprise and asked: "Don't you want to enjoy the taste?"

In response, I raised my eyebrows and asked: "What is the point of enjoying food and liquids if the task of these things is to satisfy the needs of the body?"

"Um." Muttered Fluttershy, being knocked out of Calella by such a question. The simpler the question, the more difficult the answer. Ha, I can generate the simplest questions endless.

Fluttershy took a mug of tea with two hooves and taking a small sip asked: "Anyway, my friends decided that I should talk to you. And here we are."

"Let's get to the point." I said, wanting to finish this as soon as possible. Suddenly, I felt something hitting my hand. Looking down, my eyes fixed a rabbit that started hitting me on the leg with its paws. My hand instinctively reached for the knife in my pocket and my tongue licked my lips. Suddenly, my stomach rumbled. I wonder when was the last time I ate?

The last time you ate was a minute later.

Suddenly, I felt something slightly increased the load on my knees. Looking away from the rabbit, I looked at my knees. On them sat a large cat with gray fur, black spots on the forehead and a tail with black stripes. His ears were small in size and were widely spaced. He looked at me with his round eyes, keeping a dissatisfied face. When I saw it, I just looked at him, not understanding how to react.

This.. . animal. . . sitting. . . I have. . . on my knees. It's simple. . . just wrong.

I carefully looked away from the animal and asked turning to Fluttershy: "What is this animal doing on my lap?"

Fluttershy was silent for a few moments before chuckling slightly and replying, "It's not just an animal. It's manul! His name is on Tabby. And he seems to like you. "

When I heard the answer, I tensed up a little more and asked: " Manul? I thought these cats couldn't be tamed. They don't seem to live in packs and, accordingly, they don't like someone else's company. "

" Well, manuls are hard to tame. But I did it. " Fluttershy said with a small smile of pride.

I asked, raising an eyebrow slightly and trying not to pay attention to the cat on my lap.

"Well, that's what my cutie mark says. Look." Fluttershy said, turning slightly on the sofa and pointing to the side of her backside. I basically shifted my gaze to the cat. It's better to look at an animal than at a pony's ass. Even if it's the side of the ass.

I've been thinking about something. If you give up Perfection, crybaby, then you will have to give up self-discipline along with it. How are you going to fight lust? This issue will become especially acute if you not only give up Perfection, but also do not find a way to return to Earth. So I recommend you not to sabotage the progress towards Perfection.

Taking a slow breath, I pulled my left hand out of my pocket and put it on manul's head. His face still looked sullen, but he didn't seem to mind being touched. I felt someone's eyes on me and finally said: "Okay, I wasn't that interested. Anyway, let's finally get down to business. "

I felt Fluttershy's cautious nod and heard her say: " Why are you so against it.... almost everything? "

" Because almost everything contradicts my ideals and standards. " I answered almost instantly. This is the foundation of the basics.

Get ready. Now she will shake the column.

"For example?" Fluttershy asked politely. Clearly, he wants to find the object of the dispute. Very good. So be it.

"Morality. " I answered almost instantly. In this topic, she does not have a single chance.

"Morality?" asked Fluttershy cautiously. I was about to answer, but I was distracted by the movement of the cat. He carefully moved from a sitting position to a recumbent one and snorted softly.

I lightly stroked the cat causing him to snort and said looking Fluttershy in the eyes: "Yes, morality. Let me briefly explain my position. Any moral rules do nothing but meaningless restrictions. Adhering to moral norms is the same as believing in ghosts. The same varieties of nonsense. It is this nonsense that suppresses the real personality of people. As a result, there are several billion people on the planet and there are two or three opinions on some issues. There is not even a word about personal philosophies or morals. And don't tell me about the gray morality. I know and I've seen that most people talk about it but don't understand."

Fluttershy bit her lip and looked away, trying to process the information. I turned away from her and looked at the cat lying on my lap. His eyes were closed and periodically he snorted softly. He doesn't seem to like this conversation. I lightly stroked the cat's head and in response he leaned slightly towards my hand. Seeing this, a small grin appeared on my face and I leaned over to the cat's ear and said softly: "Don't worry, animal, this conversation will end soon."

Why the hell are you talking to an animal?

Fluttershy cleared her throat, forcing me to turn to her and seeing my attention, she asked quietly: "If you don't believe in morality, then what prevents you from harming any pony you meet, for example?"

"Believe me, if it weren't for my philosophy, this city would have already been wiped out along with all its inhabitants. " I said, shifting my gaze back to the cat. It's more interesting to look at him.

" Can you tell me a little bit about it? If you don't mind. " Fluttershy cautiously asked after a moment of silence. Taking a deep breath, I began to think how to answer this question. You can dump everything on her with a blow and possibly morally crush her. Then maybe I can replace her beliefs with mine. Although it is very unlikely. Or I can just brush it off.

Answer briefly. Let's see her reaction.

"All you need to know is that without philosophy, nothing will balance me anymore. Goals will fall apart and only skills in alliance with hatred will remain." I said in an almost emotionless voice.

"If it's not difficult, can you tell me what exactly hatred is?" Fluttershy asked very carefully and slowly. Looking at her out of the corner of my eye, I saw that her hooves were shaking with tension.

"To almost everything. To morality, democracy, a long-term social attitude, and so on. The list can be continued almost indefinitely. Although who cares about an individual now until he or she starts acting big?" I asked rhetorically, shrugging my shoulders.

Pull yourself together, crybaby. You're already on the edge. Find a way to get out of here and get back to the garrison. We need to be quiet and stabilize. Maybe make adjustments to the plans.

"I care." Fluttershy said gently, putting her hoof on my hand. I froze for a moment and slowly shifted my gaze from the cat to her. There was a tiny, barely noticeable smile on her face. Slowly, my brain tried to process it. Does she care? No, it's just typical nonsense imposed by morality. But it looks and sounds so sincere. Is it that natural? Maybe she's telling the truth?

No. Mistake. Impossible. It has no excuses and no grounds. It doesn't matter.

With a sharp movement, I threw back Fluttershy's hoof and picked up the cat with both hands. He hissed and bared his claws, but did nothing. Slowly, I lowered him to the ground and got up from the chair, shaking the wool from his trousers. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that the cat began to run away through the open front door. Slowly, my feet began to follow his route to the exit.

But before I left the building I said: "Thanks for the tea, Fluttershy. However, I don't need your help. And don't even think that I believed you. Recent events show that it is not worth believing anyone. This conversation is over."

Without waiting for her answer, I carefully closed the door behind me and looked at the city with a sigh. From this place, my eyes could not see any Thestrals or any living creatures at all. Suddenly, one detail hit me. Invisible lines curved in such a way as to create a hole the size of half a Ponyville. Damn.

There was a similar hole when Celestia and Luna were nearby. Did they decide to make a check or what?

Shaking my head in disappointment, I walked towards the city at a fast pace, already waiting for me to be reprimanded. Or they won't. I shrugged my shoulders thinking about it. Who knows what they will consider more important? Assistance to city residents or temporary transfer of duties to a subordinate?

Approaching the outskirts of the city, I looked at the hill where the squad of thestrals was supposed to be. But there was an absolute emptiness. Hmm, probably everyone gathered to see the princesses. Or something like that. Sighing, I started jogging towards the garrison, thinking about how much I was late. How long did my conversation with Fluttershy last anyway? Fifteen minutes? Half an hour? An hour?

There's nothing to worry about. What serious can these princesses do? Scare you? Condemn? Don't make me laugh.

Slightly grinning, I continued to run to the garrison and periodically looked around. There were no lights on in the windows and there was no soul on the street. When I ran past the pastry shop with a little tension, a shopping area devoid of any soul appeared before my eyes. Looking forward, I saw a figure towering over the thestrals surrounding it by one and a half times. Because of the distance, it was not possible to determine who it was specifically. But judging by the height, it should be Celestia. Well, it looks like I won't have to fight on two fronts today.

After a few steps, I was able to make out a detail that, to put it mildly, alerted me. This creature stands on two legs. Taking a slow breath, I clenched my hands into fists and slowed my pace trying to get a closer look at the promising threat. As I got closer, my eyes picked up one detail after another. In his hands was a staff that looked like the skeleton of some animal with two red crystals inserted into it. The arms looked like enlarged eagle claws and the legs looked like a lion's hind legs. The rest of the body was covered with pieces of trees tied together with vines like a rope. The head looked like a miniature version of a dragon's head devoid of horns. It's as if the body was made from parts of different creatures.

We pull out a knife and hit in the neck until we noticed. Judging by the lines, he is very dangerous. We don't have the time and energy to fight a full-fledged battle. Lack of sleep and an almost completely depleted supply of magic are too serious problems to ignore.

Taking a quiet breath, I pulled a knife out of my pocket and took it in my right hand. As I approached the awkward creature, I managed to hear what he said in his hissing, snake-like voice: "I repeat again. I'm looking for a creature with a similar appearance to a hairless monkey. Right now I only need him. Where is he?"

As they approached, one thestral after another opened their eyes wide at the sight of me. I imagined two fingers to my lips telling them to be silent. As I continued walking, I began to feel pressure pulling me closer to the ground. So that's why they're not trying to attack him. They just can't fit. Well, I'll do it.

"I'm waiting for an answer, you damned creatures. And know that you know better because my patience is not eternal. The creature said arrogantly while holding its staff. There are only a couple of steps left to a convenient distance to strike. Suddenly I heard a deep breath and noticed out of the corner of my eye that a thestral with light fur pointed at me. The one who stutters. What a traitor.

Seeing that the creature began to turn around, I sharply swung the knife and tried to stab him in the neck. But he turned around abruptly and hit me in the liver, with his staff, interrupting the attack. In the next instant, two crystals on the staff lit up and I was thrown several feet back. Having braked, I was about to make a dash to the enemy, but the sharply increased pressure stopped me on the spot.

I looked up at the creature and saw that it began to walk slowly towards me, tapping the ground with its staff. As he approached, he began to speak in his hissing and arrogant voice: "I am grateful to you for my release, creation. However, the actions generated by your inherently cursed mind are NOT forgotten. Therefore, I grant you release from the curse. Stand still and don't think about anything."

Gritting my teeth, I began to inspect the semicircle of thestrals for the one who gave away my location. He was never discovered. Looks like he's hiding somewhere. However, another even worse detail was noticed. There were only thirty-two thestrals in the whole crowd. Eighteen is not enough. Most likely the traitor hid, and I hope Flying is still with mayor. That leaves only sixteen. That's how many thestrals are patrolling the city every day. And judging by the complete emptiness in the city itself, this can mean only one thing.

I started to feel my heart starting to beat faster and faster. His teeth clenched so hard that they began to hurt and his hands involuntarily clenched into fists. I am a mixture of feelings that I haven't felt for a long time. It's like I've lost something really important.

Don't freak out. They don't matter. There's no point worrying about the dead. Stand still and think how to win. Stop acting like a child. You've already passed this stage.

Seeing my reaction, the creature began to speak as it approached me: "This fiery rage is just one of the effects of your curse."

He took another step closer and continued his speech with the words: "You don't have to worry about others, damned. "

The second step and the next continuing with the next disgusting words: " Their release was almost painless. "

After taking the third step, he slowly began to pull his hand towards me and said: " Now let me free you from your curse as a reward for rescuing me from the shackles generated by an unholy force. It's time for you to free yourself from the curse."

Instantly, my right hand flashed with black fire and with a knife rushed into the opponent's face. He blocked the blow with his staff, causing the knife to leave several cracks in it, but I quickly kicked him on the knee, causing a crunch. Growling, I grabbed his face with my left hand and was about to drive him into the ground. But at the last moment, the creature's staff lit up again and threw me back with great force. My knife remained stuck in his staff.

By braking myself with my feet and hands, I was finally able to stop at a distance of a few yards from the enemy. All the way that I slid along the ground was highlighted by a strip of land devoid of any snow and replaced by steam. Seeing that my opponent opened his mouth to say something, I growled only harder and rushed to him pushing off the ground with all my limbs. Faster than he could do anything, I closed the distance and took his staff with my right hand to strike.

My fist collided with the creature's forehead, but surprisingly did not cause much damage. In response, he kicked me in the chest, knocking the air out of my lungs and pushed me back with a second blow. Having lost the close distance again, I quickly shook my head, relieving drowsiness and looked at the opponent. The air was filled with the smell of burning and smoke was coming from some parts of the creature's body. Looking at this, I just growled once more and prepared to launch another attack.

"Very good, creature. If I have to damage this weak temporary body to free you, then so be it. " Said the creature in a calm voice before abruptly pulling away from the place to me. When he approached and swung his left hand, I prepared to answer. At the last moment, I ducked and kicked him back with a sharp kick. While his belly was slowly smoldering, emitting smoke, the creature took a few steps back, holding the balance with a staff.

Making a dash forward, I swung, preparing to hit the creature in the temple. But he abruptly grabbed my hand with his claws and presented the staff to my head as a pistol. Assuming the worst, I quickly ducked and using both hands began to bring down a flurry of blows on his stomach, hoping that his arrangement of his organs is similar to human ones. The first blow to the liver. Second and third on the kidneys. Unfortunately, my series was interrupted by another wave that pushed me back. This time I landed on the ground on all fours.

Standing on two legs again, I took a sharp step forward, putting all my weight and hit the opponent right in the face. He tried to raise his arms to block the blow, but he was too slow. As a result, he lost his balance and fell to the ground a few feet away from me. I quickly took a few steps and was about to start beating the prone man until he turned into a bloody mess.

But suddenly the ground started shaking and doing it so hard that I almost fell. Suddenly, the ground under my feet began to bend until with a sharp jerk it imprisoned me in a sphere. With a tremor, the sphere began to slowly shrink. Not a single ray of light penetrated into it, which is why I had to focus on the sound. I heard a painful cough and groans right in front of me. Gotcha, you bastard.

I pulled my arm back and, together with the exhalation, struck. My fist broke through the earth sphere without any problems and opening my hand like a claw, I grabbed the opponent by the neck. While he was wheezing in an attempt to breathe, I was expanding the hole in the sphere with my left hand. The sphere has stopped shrinking and most likely due to the fact that its creator does not have access to oxygen. Slowly chipping away stone by stone, I freed myself a front-row view of the bastard's suffering.

He barely grabbed my arm trying to stop the strangulation. He clenched his claws with all his might, letting a stream of blood flow from my hand but not stopping it. Slowly, with each painful wheeze of the bastard, a sadistic smile grew on my face. It would be nice to know where he left the corpses.

"Where are the dead?" I asked hoarsely, lifting the creature to the ground.

In response, the creature's staff began to glow very brightly and I felt exponentially increasing pressure. Initially, it became difficult to keep the enemy above the ground. Then it became almost impossible to just hold my hand outstretched, which is why I had to loosen my grip and step back a few steps. In the end, I was pressed into the ground and with great difficulty was able to continue to maintain eye contact with the opponents.

He didn't look very good either. Smoke was coming from various parts of his body, and in some places his skin even started to burn to black. And like the cherry on the cake, he periodically coughed up blood. Coughing up blood once more, he said in a slightly trembling voice: "I am obliged to honor you, creature. However, this is where the era of your existence in the curse ends. Soon your brain will be. . .will be compressed into nothing. As it should be."

Hearing this, I only growled in response and began to crawl on the ground approaching the enemy. With each passing second, I began to feel more and more increasing pressure. My heart began to beat faster and each breath became heavier than the previous one. Then I felt blood spurting from my nose and began to fall to the ground drops. My head started spinning and my vision was blurry. In the end, when all I had to do was stretch out my arm to the opponent's leg, I felt my lungs contract while exhaling, but I was unable to inhale. My hand reflexively started tapping on my chest as if it could help me take a breath.

With great difficulty, I managed to take a short breath only to start coughing up blood right at the feet of the opponent. Barely looking up a little higher, I saw that he had barely pulled my knife out of his staff and was preparing to use it. Slowly, his shaking hand with the knife rose up in preparation for the attack. And suddenly, through a huge layer of rage, an idea came to me. Hiding my left hand under me, I began to create a blood rune with a thorn in it with difficulty. Applying maximum effort, I was able to keep the rune from disintegrating. When it was created, I shot it into the blood that I coughed up. Seeing a small glimmer of a puddle, I pushed back with my hand, dodging a knife thrust.

The creature's face reflected embarrassment, irritation and misunderstanding. The next moment, his eyes widened as he felt the effect of my rune. The blood I coughed up turned into a thorn that pierced the creature's right leg. Then, to my own surprise, the blood flowing out of his leg turned into a second thorn that bit right into his chest. I smiled at the sight of it and felt the pressure slowly begin to drop.

As soon as I could take a normal breath, I stuck out my middle finger and said, "Go to the hole you came out of, you bastard."

The creature tried to reply, but all that came out of its mouth was a river of blood. Making cough after cough, he raised his left hand and it began to glow with a small red color along with the knife. Abruptly, he cut off one of the thorns with a knife and pushed it out of his chest. He started taking breaths while coughing up blood and eventually he was able to shout, "I, Ahirata, cannot die here. You fucking damned creature! This is NOT over!"

After shouting this, the pressure completely disappeared and the crystals on the staff began to glow dazzlingly. Before I could even think to get up, with a flash of light, the creature disappeared. Slowly, the smile began to slip from my face and be replaced by a frown. Then I hit the ground with my fist, growling and gritting my teeth. That bastard killed sixteen soldiers, my soldiers! And he just ran away.

Enough. Calm down, crybaby. Lives have no value and never have. Or are you a hypocrite for whom the lives of loved ones are more important?

Leaning on my hands, I slowly sat down on the ground and looked down. Soldiers are my area of responsibility. And I failed. I couldn't even find out where their bodies were left. Sixteen of my men are dead. And I didn't even bother to remember their names. My fists clenched trying to restrain an unfamiliar feeling and the desire to cry. Another defeat. It's the same thing every time.

"Mr. Sir Boss?" A voice behind me asked quietly and anxiously. In response, I slowly inhaled air and exhaled trying not to cry.

Without turning to Rising, I asked trying to sound emotionless: "What?"

It wasn't until I started talking that I realized how tired I was. Linking just four letters turned out to be incredibly difficult. It's like I've forgotten how to speak. Damn it.

"Y-Your hand." Rising said in a trembling voice. I looked at my right arm and saw that it was unnaturally bent. By an effort of will, I could not make her look normal. Trying to move her left arm led to hellish pain. How could I not notice this during the fight? Was the pressure really that strong?

"Are you all right, sir?" Asked Rising forcing me to look at him. My eyelids began to close by themselves, and everything became more and more hazy. Everything that was behind Rising looked like strange spots to me. I wanted to ask where the snitch is. I wanted to say that I'm not okay. I wanted to ask where the heroes have been all this time when it would seem they are so needed. I wanted to say something. But keeping my eyes open was getting harder and harder, and the desired dream was getting closer.

"Sir?" Rising repeated worriedly, shaking me a little by the shoulders.

With difficulty, I took a breath and slightly lifting my hand removed the amulet bestowed by Chrysalis from my neck. Slowly holding it out to Rising, I said with difficulty, "No one should know about it."

He carefully picked up the amulet with two hooves and nodded. Before I lost consciousness, I put my hand on his head and said: "Don't worry. I'm just going to get some rest. Finally get some rest."

Awakening

Nothing. Dark. No smell, no sight, no sound. I can't even feel my own body. What was the last one? Games, conversations. Was it all good? Yes, it was good. I was even able to play snowballs and pet the cat. It was even... nice? But this devil ruined everything. And ran away. By killing sixteen of my soldiers. Another defeat.

Slowly, my perception began to awaken. The body is warm, the head is cold. It is almost impossible to breathe through the nose. The body refuses to move. The only movement of my body is a slow heartbeat and breathing accompanied by chest pain. I felt someone breathing next to me. Someone is holding my right hand. Holding a broken arm. Who! In addition, I felt two more looks at me. Very attentive and attentive. And who is this?

My eyes barely half opened and scanned the surroundings. A white ceiling, a window with curtained curtains and two chairs. Two muddy figures are sitting on two chairs. One is white, the other is almost black. No matter how hard I concentrated, the figures did not become clearer. Just muddy spots vaguely resembling something four-legged. Slowly, I shifted my gaze to the side of my hand that someone is touching. At the sight of who is doing this, my eyes widened in surprise.

Right next to the bed, clasping my palm with two hooves, Rising bent down. He lowered his head down as if he was mesmerized by my hand. Slowly, my gaze began to wander over her and over the whole body as a whole. The whole body below the neck was covered with a blanket and the entire right arm, except for the fingers, was in a cast. With difficulty, I raised my healthy left hand and put it right on Rising's mane.

Nothing happened for a moment. Then Rising slowly raised his head and silently looked at me. His eyes were very reddened and bags appeared under them. For a moment he just stared at me speechlessly, as if trying to figure out if all this was real. Then a few tears came out of his eyes and he let out a soft sob. The next moment, Rising stood on his hind hooves and abruptly wrapped his arms around my neck, trying to hug me without causing discomfort. And he almost succeeded.

Between sobs, Rising began to say, "Sir, I was so worried about you! Please, I beg you never do that again, Mr. Sir Boss! I won't survive if something like this happens to you again. I just . . . I just won't survive."

I was surprised by Rising's abrupt movements and his words. For a moment, my gaze was just directed at the blurry figures in the room that were not getting clearer. Slowly, I stroked the back of Rising's head and said, forcing a smile: "I will try not to let this happen again. And you know, don't just focus on me. I need you as much as you need me."

Don't kid yourself. This is a pure lie. You don't need him.

After a few moments during which Rising sobbed, someone cleared his throat slightly. I turned my head towards the sound only to see the black, muddy figure shifts slightly. I squinted and peered carefully trying to distinguish the figure. But I didn't fix anything except the black color and the shape vaguely resembling a pony.

After a few silent seconds there was a sigh and I heard the voice of the Moon who said: "Well, congratulations on your survival. And with the fact that you officially slept longer than you were in Ponyville."

My eyes almost popped out of their sockets when I heard a familiar voice. The distance between me and the moon is tiny. Counting on the throw a little more than half a yard. And at the same time I don't see anything but a blurry figure. Seeing my confusion Luna said in a surprisingly soft voice: "Let me give you a little insight. You've been asleep for a week. As you can see, your arm is broken. And you have burst several vessels. Your eyes were especially hard hit. So you probably already see the consequences."

I saw Luna's hoof move to the place where the mouth is supposed to be. Is she holding back her laughter? Is she kidding? Shaking my head slightly, I tapped the back of Rising's head telling him to stop hugging me. Reluctantly, he slowly stopped holding my neck and pulled back slightly. After taking a few breaths, I threw off the blanket with difficulty and sat up on the bed. Seeing my movement Luna spoke softly again: "You're surprisingly active for someone who's been sleeping for a week. That's very good."

"What happened to you? Why are you so soft?" I asked, trying to look into the eyes of the moon. Although given the blurriness, most likely unsuccessful.

Luna sighed and started walking slowly towards me. Along with her, a white figure began approaching me. As they approached, both became more and more distinct, and eventually I was able to make out Celestia in the white figure. Slowly, the two Princesses approached and sat down on either side of me. Celestia on the right, Luna on the left.

Having settled down next to me, Luna first looked at me with sad eyes and turned to Rising before saying: "I understand that you want to talk to your commander, but we need to talk to him alone. Please, dear Rising Moon, leave the room. Not for long. We'll call you back soon."

Rising bowed respectfully and quickly left the room. Looking after him, I was able to notice much more clearly the deterioration of my vision. The doors have a handle, right? Well, with my current vision, the whole door is just a square spot. I hope ponies can make glasses.

Suddenly, I felt Celestia and Luna touching each of my shoulders with a hoof. They both sighed and Luna said, "I think you've already remembered what happened."

Sighing, Celestia continued, "And given your guesswork, I think you've already roughly figured out what happened."

For a moment there was complete silence in the room as I looked down with my fists clenched. After taking a breath, they said at the same time, "One third of your subordinates are dead. The bodies have not been found and will not be."

They won't!?

"What do you mean the bodies won't be found!?" I asked in shock, looking at each other between them. It's one thing to say that the bodies will not be found. But the statement that they will never be discovered? It's too much.

Luna took a deep breath and looked at me with sad eyes: "You see, your opponent that you faced a week ago has a number of incredibly deadly abilities. Judging by what the eyewitnesses said, he used one of them. The spell that he used pours huge amounts of magic into the enemy's soul, overloading it, as a result of which the enemy's body is destroyed. Leaving nothing. To an outsider, it looks like a flash of light similar to teleportation."

"So not only did he kill a third of my soldiers, he also destroyed the bodies?" I asked while my hands involuntarily began to shake and clench into fists.

In response to my question, Luna only nodded her head slightly. Then, suddenly, hope flashed in my head. Who says I can trust them, especially in such matters? The shaking in my hands disappeared and a semblance of a grin appeared on my face before I said: "If so, tell me what's the bastard's name? I think if you fought with him, then given his manner of speech, he should have mentioned him."

Ahirata

"My sister and I fought with him. And more than once. But we are.... I don't remember his name." Said Luna, making my smile bigger. What a pathetic lie.

I stretched out my left hand and clenched it into a fist. Taking a deep breath, I said, "In that case, I'm sure you're wrong and don't know anything. There are bodies of soldiers and I will find them. I'll get to this asshole and before I finish him off, I'll find out where he hid them. And the dead soldiers will be buried in the best places in general. Relatives of the dead who are hooked on the needle of love, despite my disgust, should have the right to visit the graves. "

Luna let out a slightly exasperated sigh, but eventually said, " If it makes you feel better, then good. But how are you going to fight an opponent that you couldn't defeat even while he was weakened? With every minute he's hiding, he can gain power."

I spread my fingers so that I could point my little finger at Luna and my thumb at Celestia before saying, "It's very simple. You give me the money, the information I need, and you search for the asshole. I'll handle the rest."

"You do realize that after everything you've done, it's very difficult to trust you?" Celestia and Luna asked at the same time. Hearing this, my smile faded slightly. If I hadn't climbed into Tartarus, no one would have died. It's my fault. And therefore it is my duty to make amends at least with revenge.

"Yes, I understand. Let me explain. I already have a number of ideas what to do. In short, I'm going to find the best magicians, engineers and blacksmiths to create new types of weapons and armor. My primary task is to force myself to become stronger and ensure the maximum safety of my soldiers. If possible, I would use an improved army to fight the enemy. Of course, provided that they can operate from a safe distance. "

"And how are you going to do all this? Celestia asked, raising an eyebrow. Her face shows that she is not even impressed with the framework of my idea.

" It shouldn't fuck me. This will be the work of a team of unicorns, engineers and blacksmiths. Your job is to give me information from the archives. The results of any contests, fame or a certificate of who graduated from school and how. I do not care. My job is to get all this information and choose the worthy ones. " I said boldly and firmly. A clear plan, a clear sequence of actions and a clear role for each participant.

The main thing is not to screw up again, crybaby.

Celestia recoiled slightly from my boldness and impudence. In the end, she took a deep breath and said, "Okay. If you confer with us before making each decision, then this can be arranged. But the problem remains. Of a financial nature."

Show me the most important economist. I've had a lot of questions for him for a long time. "I said irritably, propping my head with my only good hand.

" She's right in front of you. Questions? " Asked Celestia, smiling slightly with mischief in her eyes. I stared at her blankly for a few moments. For a moment I wanted to slap her and tell her what I think.

But I took a deep breath, restraining my anger and said, "I have a request. Give the place of the chief in the economy to someone sensible. For me, for example."

Celestia covered her mouth and replied with a little giggle: "I doubt very much that you will be able to surpass me in the field in which I have been spinning for more than a thousand years.

An exasperated sigh escaped my lungs. Luna told me that she and her sister have lived for over a thousand years and control the moon and the sun respectively. Do I have to say how much I believe them?

After another breath, my face broke into an evil grin and I said, "Very good. In that case, can you explain the economics on sandwiches?"

"What?" Celestia asked, confused. Gotcha.

I cleared my throat and started to say, "Oh, I need to teach you everything. Okay, I'll explain. Imagine that you have two sandwiches with which you came to school. I don't care that you probably don't have any education, just imagine."

After my remark about the lack of education, Celestia lightly hit me on the shoulder and said resentfully: "Hey!"

In response to this, I rolled my eyes and cleared my throat before resuming my lecture: "In any case, you came to school with two sandwiches. You ate one and the second one was politely asked by a local bully in exchange for your peace of mind today. Then a guy from a poor family comes up to you and asks for a sandwich. But it's hard for you, as a morally correct person, to refuse him. But I don't want to lie either. So you promise him a sandwich or even two tomorrow. Then a friend comes up to you and reminds you that yesterday he shared a sandwich with you and how to repay the debt. You don't have any sandwiches, so you have to ask him to wait until tomorrow so that you repay him the debt and preferably with interest. As a result, tomorrow you need to feed yourself, bribe a bully, do charity work and repay the debt."

Celestia interrupted me for the second time with a loud mumble and tapping her hoof on her chin. Then she said with a small grin, "It's certainly not bad. But you're not taking into account any very important details. For example, the fact that real friends never demand to return such small things as a sandwich. "

"The sandwich economy doesn't give a damn about such things as what friends do and what they don't. Any more questions or can I finish the lecture? I asked, getting more and more annoyed.

Seeing my mood, Celestia slowly nodded, allowing me to continue. Clearing my throat again, I said, "So that's where I left off? Oh, yeah. As a result, tomorrow you need to feed yourself, bribe a bully, do charity work and repay the debt. In total, you need at best more than four sandwiches. I'm too lazy to consider how high the debt interest is, so let's stop at more than four sandwiches. What does it take to do all this? Increase the production rate of sandwiches or print new ones. Option one assumes that you go to your mother, and since she's a weak-willed bitch, she agrees to make twice as many sandwiches as usual. But suppose the mother refused or you are ashamed to ask her to try twice as hard. Then there's a second option for you. The second option assumes that you split your two standard sandwiches to get four or more. Yes, it will be more than four sandwiches. But the caloric value has dropped. Inflation. "

For a few moments, Celestia just stared at me, thinking about something. On the other hand, Luna was tapping her hoof on her chin as if she was really analyzing my words. In the end, Celestia took a deep breath and replied by placing her wing on my back: "Daniel, I understand that you want to avenge the lives of your soldiers. I really understand. But you're taking on too much. And you overestimate yourself too much. You've already tried hard enough. Let us. . .

I abruptly got out of bed with a slight stagger and turned to Celestia and said, "Listen here, you fool. I'm going to kill that bastard. I will tear his body to pieces while he begs for mercy. I'll break his body into mincemeat with my fists and serve it for lunch. I'll rip out every organ of his and cook dishes out of them. And this Swiss table will be enjoyed by every surviving soldier soldier. And not YOU, not anyone else, dare not interfere with me. I have just ONE question for you. Will you provide me with what I need or not?"

Luna stared at me in amazement while Celestia sighed in disappointment. For a moment, they looked at each other as if they were nonverbally discussing what to do. In the end, Celestia looked at me again and said, "Okay, I'll try to allocate funds from the treasury for your ideas. I warn you in advance that it will be a little money. But all this is only on one more condition besides the fact that you will confer with us. "

Celestia turned her gaze to Luna and told her something with a slight nod. After a second Luna sighed and said: " Provided that the elements of harmony participate in the battle."

These cowards?

"National heroes? You're welcome! In a good way, I would like their reputation in the world to fall to zero. Allow to restore the image? NEVER." I said harshly, waving my left hand.

Luna sighed again and asked sternly: "Believe me, we are also disappointed that they were afraid to engage the enemy. Although what should they have done considering that their elements are stored in Canterlot? "

I rolled my eyes and replied in a mocking tone: " Of course heroes are those who come and win at moments when they have a hundred percent chance of winning. Oh, how stupid I am. I always thought that the task of heroes is to throw their lives into the landfill so that everyone will admire them later for their self-sacrifice. Thank you for enlightening me. Now I know that heroes are not suicides but lucky freeloaders. My picture of the world has radically turned upside down. "

Luna put a hoof to her mouth, stifling a giggle at my introduction, but eventually became serious again and said: "Let me explain one more thing to you. The main ability of your opponent making him so dangerous is under the control of souls. At one time, he absorbed so many other people's souls that his own became heterogeneous. Because of this, the power of the elements of harmony are not able to send it very far or turn it into stone. They just don't understand what to do. All the elements are capable of when interacting with it is to weaken it or almost paralyze it. Therefore, you will be able to satisfy your own . . . desires. The elements of harmony are needed simply so that everything is safe. No one needs extra deaths. "

I took a deep breath trying to contain my irritation and not offend Luna. Remember the contract. You treat her politely, and she doesn't get into your dreams. Don't let her beat you. And what does she know anyway? Most likely, she is just crucifying herself to sound minimally convincing. What for? I shook my head, dismissing the question for later and answered with my palm to my face: "Okay. Let the heroes take up heroism. The main thing for me is to destroy the bastard. I need another reward."

"Thank you for understanding. Now I need to ask you a few questions. Luna said as a frown slowly grew on her face. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw that Celestia got up from her seat and walked out of the room. I didn't look after her because I knew that in a few steps she would turn into a soap figure for me.

As soon as Celestia left the room, Luna let out a sigh and shot me an angry look. After making sure that I noticed that look, she said gritting her teeth: "Let's start with the obvious. Why in God's name did you climb to the lower levels of Tartarus!? And most importantly, how did you manage to open the gate there?"

I sighed and slowly sat down on the bed again, looking down. After a few seconds, I quietly replied: "I was studying a castle in the woods near Ponyville. There, I accidentally managed to find a large key. Soon I found the entrance to Tartarus, defeated Cerberus and found the gate. What was all this for? Well, you know the terms of our deal. "

"We will help you become stronger, but in return you will not touch the pony and will follow your orders. How is this related?" Luna asked, confused.

And really how do you connect it? Are you sure your head isn't damaged?

"I was looking for a way to become stronger. The forbidden fruit is useful, I thought when I climbed there." I said, correcting an unpleasant phrase.

"Are you trying to take all responsibility off yourself again?" Luna asked irritably, forcing me to inhale slowly.

After a few seconds, I exhaled and said, "No. And you know what? Forget everything I said. I'm acting for no reason. I created a danger that killed a third of my soldiers simply because. Just because I'm a fucking loser who compensates for it with nihilism bordering on schizophrenia and psychopathy. Call me whatever you want. A monster? Little bastard? A disappointing piece of shit? Or something completely new? Choose. I don't care. Accusations of me in all mortal sins are already so frequent that they are probably true. "

Luna lightly stroked my back with one of her wings and whispered something softly. Nothing concrete was said, but she seemed to be trying to calm me down. After a few seconds of stroking, she retracted her wing and said in a slightly less stern voice, "Okay. Just calm down. Now I'm going to ask you one more question. Knowing you, you probably didn't do it on purpose. So just answer the question. "

Her horn began to glow slightly and the glow shifted to the bandages on my chest. Slowly they began to untie, exposing the sphere in my chest that once belonged to the alpha wolf. Luna sighed and slowly asked, " How and why did you insert a golem core into yourself?"

I raised an eyebrow in embarrassment and asked with sincere curiosity: "The core of the golem?"

Luna put her hoof in her mouth and just stared at me in silence for a moment. After a few seconds, she slowly began to explain, "Let me explain something to you. Golems used to be very common in Equestria. Unfortunately, the distribution of art turned out to be prohibited. Allegedly, this is a crime against nature. You see, the core of the golem was an experiment to give them a full-fledged mind, or at least the ability to act automatically. And yes it worked. Golems with cores are able to distinguish their owners from enemies and even automatically patrol a certain area. It was a real breakthrough. Alas, the cores tend to break and often. It took a lot of effort and enchantment to make such a strong core that you have in your chest. As a result, the idea was curtailed and the golems were thrown into the forest."

"Wooden wolves?" I asked, wanting to confirm my assumption.

Luna nodded in response and silence reigned in the room as if she was waiting for an answer to the original question. Another question appeared in my head and I quickly asked it: "You said that golems with a core can patrol the area, but how can they do it if I only feel living beings?"

Her eyebrow twitched in embarrassment and she carefully peered into my sphere. After a few moments, she said in a slightly upset voice, "Oh, it looks like the crystal inside is slightly cracked. In a good way, you should feel even the smallest particles of natural magic that are contained in any materials. It looks like the crystal has been damaged and you feel only natural magic floating in the air. And then not all of it. Probably the biggest clusters."

"Not all of it? Can you explain how it all works?" I asked, succumbing to curiosity.

"Do you need an hour-long lecture or is a brief explanation enough? Luna asked with a sigh. I put my good hand to my chin and looked at the blurry wall thinking. On the one hand, it would be nice to learn more about the thing in my chest. Especially to learn how to get rid of a headache. But on the other hand, I don't think I have the strength to listen to the lecture carefully.

"Let's be brief." I said, turning to Luna and propping my head on my fist.

"In short, the core consists of a crystal that can notice natural magic and a shell in which this crystal is stored. In golems with cores, this replaced vision, and gave a kind of semblance of intelligence. But how does it feel for a full-fledged being like you? " Luna asked, looking at me expectantly. As if she needed this information to answer my question.

For a second, I just stared blankly at Luna because I was listening to her too closely. Then realizing that a couple of seconds had already passed, I quickly shook my head and replied: "For me, it feels like invisible lines in the air that encircle all living beings. At the same time, the lines do not react to inanimate objects in any way. "

Hearing this, Luna put her hoof to her chin and mumbled thinking. After a few moments of pleasant silence, she turned to me and said: " This is just a theory. We would even say hypothesis. But we think that the crystal inside the core has been damaged or worn out to such an extent that it is able to fix only the densest accumulations of natural magic. Or you're just very inattentive. But for your own safety, I would like this core to be removed from you. "

No. Who knows what might happen? And why give up the ability to fix promising opponents without looking?

I squinted slightly and said, covering the core with my hand: "No. It stays with me. Period."

Luna sighed in disappointment and shook her head and said: "We will discuss it later. Anyway, you still haven't answered my question."

I was silent for a moment, trying to remember the question. But new information supplanted all that. Sighing, I scratched my head and asked: "Please remind me what the question was."

For a moment, Luna's eye twitched as she stared at me. After a few seconds, she shook her head and repeated as clearly and slowly as possible: "How and why did you insert a golem core into yourself?"

It is itself. In short, I was relatively recently pierced in the chest with a two-handed sword. And my body independently took and inserted this core into the hole. That's it. " I said, starting to awkwardly tap on my knee.

It seemed like forever, Luna looked at me analyzing. In the end, she let out an exasperated sigh and said, raising her voice a lot, "It didn't give me anything. But I think this will also have to be postponed for later. So there is one last question. How did you manage to release such a huge amount of magic in less than a week so that two of your claws were soaked with dark magic to the ground!?"

Not claws, but fingers.

Deciding not to correct Luna, I took a deep breath and answered firmly: "First of all, calm down. Secondly, my little finger turned black even when I got drunk. I'm surprised you didn't notice. Third, I've discovered a way to cast magic along the lines I told you about earlier. And it's expensive for magic, to put it mildly. "

Luna's eyes widened and she looked at me incredulously. After a few seconds, she asked with great skepticism: " Have you learned how to let your magic run through natural clusters?"

"Well, yes," I replied, scratching my head in embarrassment. What are these questions?

"How?" Luna asked instantly, continuing to look at me. Her face looked so serious and focused that it was, to put it mildly, stressful.

In the end, I gathered my strength and answered: "If you concentrate a lot of magic in one small point, the lines will start moving quickly. And as soon as one comes into contact with the other, you can perform your magic. As practice has shown, this is not very effective. The lines always go around all living things. "

Luna stared at me intently for a few seconds, remaining skeptical. In the end she grinned slightly and hit me on the shoulder with her hoof and said: " I have to admit, I'm impressed, Danielle. Natural magic has remained an almost complete mystery for a long time. All that was known was that ordinary magic repels natural magic and that natural magic is too fragile to normally interact with ordinary magic. But apparently your recklessness turned out to be at least interesting."

As soon as at least a semblance of a smile appeared on my face, Luna became serious again and said, "However, never do that again. This is an order. You are forbidden to do this without my personal permission."

A contract is a contract.

I rolled my eyes and reluctantly waved my good hand and answered: "Yes, yes. I obey or something like that."

Luna nodded slowly and got out of bed. She took a few steps towards the door and slowly began to get more and more muddy. But then she stopped in place and said with a little amusement in her voice: "By the way, I found your drawings and things taken from Tartarus. The cube you drew is a very interesting idea. And the situation is serious, we are forced to give you limited access to the forbidden books taken from Tartarus. So tomorrow I will make sure that you don't learn something superfluous. Once alive, you can work! Consider that your training starts again! This time with a firm focus on magic!"

After chirping, the last part, Luna giggled slightly and left the room. Outside of it, some discussion began, but I didn't hear anything but inarticulate muttering. Slowly, I leaned back until my back hit the wall, leaving me in a half-sitting, half-lying position. After a few seconds, the mumbling subsided, foreshadowing something. The next moment, the door was slowly opened by the figure of a pony significantly shorter than the Princesses. The figure began to walk cautiously but with a certain optimism towards me. When the figure was almost at point-blank range to me, I saw that it was Rising.

When he saw that I was watching him, he smiled awkwardly and asked: "Can I sit next to you, Mr. Sir Boss?"

I nodded slowly, but at the same time I pretended to frown and said in a fake voice: "I told you not to abuse that phrase, Private."

Rising looked scared for a moment. But when, after a few seconds of silence, a grin appeared on my face, he realized that this was a joke. After that, Rising pulled a chair closer to the bed and sat down on it and looked down. I waited a few seconds for any actions or words. But receiving only silence in response, I straightened up and put my hand on Rising's shoulder and asked: "Is there something you want to tell me?"

He looked surprised for a moment, but then he nodded slightly and muttered: "Yeah."

After that, he fell silent again, as if trying to formulate a thought. I took my hand off his shoulder and calmly looked at him waiting for some words. Several times he raised his head, opened his mouth, but said nothing and looked down again. Finally, he took a deep breath and slowly looked at me. His eyes were filled with many feelings. Fear, determination, anger, sadness and more.

Taking another deep breath Rising quickly blurted out: "I'm an orphan."

My eyes opened wide, and for a few seconds I just blinked in shock. Rising, seeing my reaction, began to rapidly lose confidence and slowly lower his gaze down. I put my hand on his shoulder again and cautiously said, "Well done, go on. Tell me more. If you want, of course."

Upon hearing my comment Rising sobbed slightly and continued: "I never knew my parents. As my first educator told me, I was found on the doorstep in a blanket with a pattern in the form of a rising moon. There wasn't even a note with a name on it. No one in the village confirmed the relationship. Most likely, after I was dropped off, my parents ran away without leaving a trace. Or maybe they even came from another village. Am I really that bad?"

Having asked his question, Rising put me in a stupor without even allowing me to analyze the information normally. How to respond to this? Why ask this question? What does he want to hear? With every second of my silent reflection, Rising sobbed harder and his eyes filled with more and more tears.

Tell him to stop crying. It 's annoying .

Taking a deep breath, I removed a couple of tears from his eyes with my thumb and finally answered: "No one has the right to say that you are bad. Even me. If you're interested in my opinion, then so be it. You completely satisfy all my hopes for you. Well done. You're not bad. And you know, somewhere deep down, I really appreciate you. "

I took a breath, taking a breather, and looked away while I tried to collect my thoughts. During a second of silence, Rising wiped away some of his tears with his wing. In the end, I continued: "I have problems with all personal conversations. When I played in the drama club, I always had problems with creating or at least imitating emotions. But just know. Deep down, I can't imagine my day without you anymore."

Hearing this, Rising looked at me for a few moments. Then suddenly he stood on a chair and quickly jumped from it to me. In the next moment, Rising hooked his hooves on me, thus hugging me and catching me in the middle. When he did this, I froze in place, not knowing what to do or say. In the end, my good hand rested on his back and lightly stroked it. After a few seconds of stroking, I gently asked: "Is there anything else you want to tell me?"

Continuing to hug me, Rising nodded slightly and taking a deep breath began to say: "I was treated badly in the orphanage. The educator are strict and other children humiliated me. They had at least the names written on the note when they were planted. What about me. . . I was named after the pattern on the blanket. As I said earlier. But there was one exception. My first educator. She was like that . . . so kind, gentle. To be honest, I thought for a very long time that she was my real mother. And I still want to believe it even though I know the truth. But one day she just didn't show up. They just disappeared. And in her place came an evil, cruel old woman."

Probably died. And in general, there is a possibility that the child's brain has embellished the image of the first teacher.

I lightly patted his back with my palm telling him to break the embrace and said in his ear, "It's okay. The main thing now is that you are alive and whole."

Hearing this, Rising nodded slightly and reluctantly broke the embrace. When he got off me and stood on all four hooves, I grinned slightly and said: "Okay. Enough sentimentality. Don't think I'll always be so gentle. Got it? "

At first, Rising looked a little offended, but after a few moments he nodded. Seeing this, I sighed, trying to ignore the small but annoying pain in my chest. Slowly I threw my legs back on the bed and put my head on the pillow and said: " Are you able to answer my questions now?"

Hearing the question Rising smiled slightly and answered sitting down on his chair: "Of course, sir. Always ready."

Taking a deep breath, I asked: "What happened to the traitor?"

At the mention of this, his face darkened and he looked down. After a few seconds, Rising replied with anger in his voice: "The Princesses ordered him to be locked up. They said he had committed royal treason. Serves him right."

For a moment I wanted to agree. But then I got to thinking. The bastard was standing in front of a whole line of Thestrals, and they definitely felt the pressure. Both mental and physical. And this is not to mention the fact that there is a possibility that some of the thestrals were killed right in front of the rest. Sooner or later, someone would just crack. And he became a stutterer.

The weak link. Do we need one under command?

Sighing, I said, "Tell Luna to take him to me tomorrow. I want to talk to him face to face. And only then discuss his fate."

"But . . ." Rising tried to object but was abruptly interrupted by me.

"It's not up for discussion. I WANT to talk to him one-on-one. Understand? " I asked, slightly annoyed.

Rising looked scared for a moment and quickly nodded. I sighed and put my hand to my face and said: " I'm sorry for being so rude. It's hard to control yourself when your chest hurts with every breath. Anyway, let's move on. Where is Flying? "

He was silent for a few seconds, tapping his hoof on his chin. In the end Rising answered thoughtfully: "He came in a couple of times while you were sleeping. But the princesses ordered all of us to stay in the castle and leave it only with their personal permission. To be honest, we all periodically came to visit you."

Not happening. Lie. Do not pay attention.

Shaking my head to dismiss unpleasant thoughts, I asked the last question: "Any idea where the bastard who killed my soldiers might be?"

For a few seconds, Rising looked confused and confused. As if something in my words had confused him. In the end, he shook his head and said in frustration, "No, sir. They didn't find him. The princesses said they would find it. "

In response, I looked at the ceiling in disappointment and said: " Okay. I have a request for you, Rising. Go to someone and ask them to give me food. Now I'm ready to eat anything. Except sweet. "

Rising reluctantly nodded and got up from his chair and headed for the door while I continued to stare at the ceiling. After a few seconds, he cleared his throat and asked: " Can I please stay with you when the food is brought to you?"

At first, I shifted my gaze to him in embarrassment, hoping to learn something from his facial expression. But he's already gone far enough to turn into a blur for me. Restraining my irritation due to my deteriorating eyesight, I replied: "Okay, stay."

Upon hearing this, Rising quickly left the room, carefully closing the door behind him. Who knows, maybe he smiled before he left.

You'd know that for sure, crybaby, if you weren't distracted from perfection and were strong enough to win a quick victory. Maybe, even no one would have died. But YOUR laziness has ruined everything.

I sighed and closed my eyes, trying to calm down. I was wrong. This is indisputable. I was defeated. But I have a chance to at least report to myself. You just need to... simple.

An exasperated sigh escaped my lips as I tried to find the right word. In the end, before I tried to fall asleep, I quietly said to myself: "You just need to win. Once."

Preparation for the jerk

Breath. Everything is fine. Exhale. There is no pain. Head. . . does it hurt? Wait, there's something wrong here. The lines are also not felt. Definitely not. It's time to wake up. Wait, when and how did I fall asleep?

Slowly, I opened my eyes and saw the already boring picture of a dream. Blue sky, clear water below me and black columns rushing far into the sky. But something has changed. Previously, there were very few columns and they were much thinner. Now they form an almost complete semi-wall around me. Why the hell have I been seeing different variations of the same dream since I arrived in Equestria? And in general, why do I realize that in a dream?

Slowly I got to my feet and looked around for additional details. As I examined it, I noticed that my vision was normal here. Dream Ahead of a row of black columns between which there was from a very small distance. To the left and right, the row of columns continued before abruptly ending. Behind me, I saw a territory free of any columns, filled only with a pleasant blue color in the sky and the water under my feet. Looking down, I saw that there was no core in my chest. Again, a Dream.

"Heeey, Dani!" A vaguely familiar voice behind me said playfully. I was silent for a few seconds, trying to remember who it was. Oh, yes, Discord.

The last time you promised that the next time he shortened your name, you would beat him. Are we executing or are we returning to the state of fat patience?

I stood there for a few seconds, waiting for Discord to come closer. Ideally, I hope he thinks I can't hear him. After a few seconds, he put his clawed paw on my shoulder and slowly said in my ear, "Heeey, Dani. Not for a long time"

Hitting him in the face with the back of my hand, I interrupted him and looked at the effect out of the corner of my eye. Discord's head started spinning like a bundle as he raised his paws in an attempt to stop the rotation. How stupid.

In the end, Discord stopped the rotation of his head with two hands and grinned and said, "Mmm, you've become a little stronger, Captain Daniel. But I'm afraid to upset you. Please don't cry. "

Discord put a lion's paw to his chest and pretended to sadly tilt his head down and said: " I'm very, very sorry, but this is not even close enough to defeat me. Even in a dream."

Sighing irritably, I wrapped my fingers around the bridge of my nose and asked: "Why did you come here?"

Suddenly Discord teleported behind me and hugging my shoulders asked resentfully: "Why do you ask? Aren't you glad to see me?"

With a slight movement of my shoulder, I threw his paws off me and looked into his eyes and answered: "" Of course I'm not happy. You annoy me. You and I made a deal. I don't touch the heroes, you're doing an almost useless thing. This may be the end of our interaction. "

Discord rolled his eyes in response and crossed his arms resentfully: " I get it. You're boring and I won't play with you. You need to be more cheerful. Especially for a creature that creates so much chaos."

After looking around, I reluctantly asked: "Why am I dreaming now? I haven't even been able to sleep properly lately."

"Oh, I did it. Don't thank me. But if you really want to, then so be it. You can thank Uncle Discord." He said putting his paw to his ear.

Taking a deep breath, I said, "There will be no thanks. Until you explain how and how you were able to put me to sleep. The last time I checked, you were a little not a little immobilized. "In response, Discord frowned slightly and crossed his arms.: " I'm a chaos spirit, you know? Considering all the chaos you've created over the last couple of weeks, I could get out. But as you can see, I treat you so well, my favorite actor, that I decided to give you a dream."

A small growl came out of my mouth and gritting my teeth, I said: "I am not an actor and never have been. The last time I attended a drama club was at the age of fourteen. And I've never had a major role."

Discord chuckled slightly and said: "Well, I don't even know. You played the clown so well a long time ago. It seems so good that I forgot to get out of the role. Bravo! "

With a sharp movement, I positioned my foot right under Discord's groin and the next moment struck. There was a sound of metal hitting metal and Discord grabbed his groin with two paws, gritting his teeth. His eyes started spinning and he said with difficulty, " Oh, my, me, did you hit Danielle there? Well, I have to say that you are a very naughty boy and that this blow. . . "

Discord straightened to his full height and said with a grin: "It was absolutely not painful." What were you hoping for at all?

Sighing irritably and restraining the urge to hit Discord again, I ignored the question and asked: "In any case, you definitely have something to do."

Discord took a dramatic breath and putting his hand to his chest asked: "Me? You're welcome! I just wanted you to get a good night's sleep. And maybe I wanted to talk to you. Don't you believe me? "

" No. Not a drop. "I replied, looking Discord in the eye very carefully.

He slowly removed his hand from his chest finishing his stupid theater and rolling his eyes said: " Okay. Considering how much chaos you're creating on purpose, I had an idea. What if I make a deal with you again. How about you create maximum chaos and in return I'll make you a mmm junior chaos spirit. Imagine how much you could do. For example, to return home. But it's just an idea. I'm absolutely not suggesting anything."

Do we trust him? No. Do we want to create chaos? Not really. Will it be profitable for us? Perhaps. Conclusion?

"Fuck you," I said, sticking out my middle finger on my left hand and showing it right in front of Discord's face. He opened his eyes wide, staring at me with his jaw slightly open.

After a few seconds, he teleported behind me again and leaned into my ear and whispered: "Just think, Daniel. You will become a junior chaos spirit. Just by clicking your fingers, you can do anything. To become the Perfection you've been striving for for so long? Makes the world as free as you imagine it to be? Go back home? Rebuild the past so that Grandpa survived? Stop being afraid of sweets? All this can be obtained with just a click of your finger if you agree. "

For a moment, his words made me look down. Yes, all this would be very good. Even great. Maybe it's really worth agreeing? As he said, so I create chaos without trying. So it won't be too difficult to do it on purpose.

No, crybaby is not our approach. What is the point in all the struggle against parasites and lucky people over the past years? Let me remind you, crybaby. We do this to create fear that will eventually turn into respect and submission. How do you imagine getting it instantly? Mass hypnosis? Then it will not be an exemption from all restrictions. Neither Discord nor anyone else will be able to provide this in full. Only you. Against everything.

Turning sharply, I struck on Discord's head, burning with the desire to finish him off. Surprisingly, he took a step back and fell silent. Confidently standing up, I pointed my finger at Discord and said: "No means no. Even if you were telling the truth, I still wouldn't agree. I am not interested in the result obtained instantly without any effort. The real result is born of sweat, pain and blood. Or by a fair deal. Your deal offers too much. Even if you reduced your services to one wish, I wouldn't agree either. You're offering too much for too little, Discord. You're too profitable. "

"Says a man who has twice become ten times stronger almost for free. " Discord replied irritably, rolling his eyes.

"For free? I kept my soul in my body by sheer force of will. Everyone says that very few people can fulfill the test of will. I literally pulled myself out of the clutches of death by sheer force of will. Would you be able to do that, Discord?" I asked confidently, continuing to point my finger at Discord's previously smug face.

Discord looked surprised for a moment. Then offended. Then uncertain. In the end, he turned away and rising above the ground said irritably: "Okay. Rejoice in the lack of sleep and unbearable boring work, you bore. I'm leaving. Pray that I forgive you, Dani."

Snapping his fingers, he evaporated and slowly the dream began to fall apart and brighten. At first, the sky became pure white. It was soon followed by water. The columns continued to stand firmly without changing color in any way. When the white light became insanely dazzling, I closed my eyes and the dream finally ended . . .

With a sharp jerk, my body unconsciously jerked forward, tearing my head off the pillow. Breathing again began to create an irritating pain in the chest. The plastered right arm began to ache slightly from sudden movements. And of course, the vision became blurry again.

Slowing down my breathing, I slowly put my head on the pillow and stared at the ceiling. The room was surprisingly bright compared to the last time. Turning my gaze to the window, I saw that the curtains were removed to the sides and let in bright sunlight. Early morning, of course. Seeing this, I reflexively yawned, causing a strong tingling in my chest.

Closing my mouth, I scanned the room looking for someone. Surprisingly, even Rising wasn't in the room. I frowned slightly when I saw this. The last time he was around. Even while I was eating the soup provided by the nurse. Okay, that's no reason to worry. A person has the right to rest.

I stared at the ceiling for a while, waiting for someone or something. It would be nice to see an optometrist who will evaluate my eyesight and make the glasses. Or at least Luna, which will lead me to him. I hope the pony has an optometrist at all. If not, then why will we fight with our eyes closed. There are ears, what else do you need?

When the door creaked, I quickly turned my head to the sound and focused on the lines. The lines diverged extremely far so quickly that I could not even immediately realize it. The door opened a crack and a dark figure entered the room. After walking a few steps, it stopped on the spot, turning its head at me. After a few seconds, the blurry figure took a few steps and spoke in a familiar female voice: "Young Thestral gave me your message. And to be honest, we are extremely surprised and confused."

Recognizing Luna's voice, I slowly raised myself with my left hand and sat up in bed and said, "Any questions? Or will you just let me talk to my soldier?"

" He's not that anymore. From now on, he is a criminal who has betrayed the kingdom. " Squinting, Luna answered, stopping a couple of steps in front of me.

Okay, she's adequate. She can be persuaded by pure logic. No senseless emotions and performances.

Taking a deep breath, I quickly went over all the arguments in my head and said: "Listen, you probably already know that one of my soldiers broke a rib, right?"

Luna nodded slowly and opened her mouth to say something, but I stopped her with a gesture of my hand. She reluctantly closed her mouth, giving me the opportunity to continue. I smiled a little and said, "Do you know who reported to me about the wounded when everyone didn't want to? Exactly who you call a criminal. In other words, he is executed, honest and disciplined. Is it possible that such a valuable specimen can be deleted from an already diminished army?"

"You forgot one more detail. Unreliable. " Luna said with a little annoyance.

Listen, I just had a great idea. Repeat after me.

Snapping my fingers, I smiled slightly and said, "Listen, Princess, I have a great idea. How do you like the idea of creating a new type of troops called shock brigades?"

Luna raised an eyebrow with a little curiosity and offered to continue with a hoof gesture. Smiling even harder, I said, "The shock brigades will consist mainly of murderers or other serious criminals. The killers will be formed into separate large detachments under the control of normal soldiers who are guilty of something. And now the main feature. Shock brigades will be sent to the most dangerous tasks first with a minimum amount of equipment. Give in the hooves everything you can beat or cut. Of course without armor. Arrange reconnaissance by combat, let's say. If they die, fine. If they survive perfectly, they can go on another suicide attack. Hellish work, pain and existence on the verge of death will be a worthy punishment."

Don't worry, crybaby. We didn't say just one small detail. We will not send shock brigades into battle. Yes, they will say everywhere that their task is about suicide attacks. But in fact, they will just guard the rear. That way we'll get our guy out of jail and keep him alive.

Luna looked at me intently for a few moments. Then she sat down on the nearest chair and put her right hoof to her chin, looking at the ceiling. I looked at her attentively, continuing to smile slightly. How can you give up such a great idea? And the excuse in the form of money will not work. You can also beat with sticks. And there are a lot of them in the forest.

Eventually Luna looked at me again and said: "I admit the idea is not the worst. However, you are not taking into account some details."

After hearing the last part, my smile faded slightly and a small frown appeared on my face. Seeing this, Luna sighed and said, "At least that Celestia would never agree to send her little ponies on such an adventure. Even if these ponies are traitors and murderers. To be honest, we don't really want that either. And in general, don't you think that throwing unprepared and unfaithful soldiers into heavy battles will bring zero results?"

Yes, I thought about it. Therefore, they will guard the rear. Just, shh, don't tell anyone.

I crossed my arms and answered confidently: "No, I don't think so. Their task is reconnaissance by combat. They came, got slapped in the face, lost half of the personnel and returned. Then the normal army will do it. If the shock brigades don't get hit in the face, then it's fine at all. "

" You talk about it very simply for a man who recently almost lost his temper from the death of his soldiers. Luna noted with a tiny grin.

No tears, no snot and a lot of resentment.

"The shock brigades will not be my soldiers. I made the mistake of getting attached to the first fifty. It won't happen again. The members of the brigades will be perceived as dirt, coal, garbage. No attachment. Only maximum re-education in the shortest possible time." I said, looking at Luna with a slightly irritated look. It's time to agree already.

"And how are you going to do that?" Luna asked cautiously, raising her eyebrow slightly.

"I would like a whip with spikes. Or just a whip. Or at least a belt. To raise suicide bombers as beloved children, you know?" I asked, wanting to convince.

For a moment, a grimace of disgust appeared on her face. Then Luna took a very deep breath and exhaled slowly before saying, "I don't have the strength to talk to you. And I have no desire to try to find reason in you again. So be it. I will come to my sister and discuss this proposal with her. Of course, with the final receipt of the refusal. And if that's what you want, I'll tell the guards on the way to take the traitor to you. But don't hope for any result."

In response, I nodded a little and swung my legs off the bed, preparing to get up soon. Luna slowly got up from her chair and headed for the exit door, becoming more blurry with each step. Before leaving the room, she turned her head to me and said: "I'll be back soon. And as soon as that happens, we'll take you to the optometrist. But don't worry. Your vision problems won't stop me from teaching you again. In any case, it will take time to make your glasses. Standard glasses won't work for you. We'll have to do unique ones."

Having said that, she turned away from me and left the room, closing the door behind her. The lines began to slowly flatten out and take on a more normal appearance. And with them, the eternal headache returned. Sighing, I closed my eyes trying to meditate and pass the time. Breath. Pain, tingling in the lungs. Exhale. Relaxation, pain subsides. Slowly, all the pain began to decrease and the flow of thoughts slowed down.

"Wake up." A voice was heard sharply and with it I came out of meditation with a sharp blow. A tremor comparable to swimming in an ice hole went through the whole body. Looking around, I couldn't find anyone. My eyes began to wander through every crevice and shadow, wanting to find at least something alive. Finding nothing, I focused my attention on the source of my headache. Judging by the lines, the creature closest to me is a bird outside the window. Wait a bird? At this time of year?

With difficulty, I pushed off with my left hand from the bed and staggered almost falling. Grabbing the edge of the bed with my left hand, I managed to maintain some kind of balance. Sighing, I began to walk slowly to the window, periodically losing my balance and grabbing the nearest objects. As I walked, my eyes noticed an important detail that I hadn't noticed before. I'm not wearing any clothes except underpants and bandages on my chest. I wonder why my underpants didn't burn from the test of will?

Shaking my head, I took the last step and, clinging to the windowsill, looked out into the street. The sun was just starting to rise creating a beautiful orange dawn. Squinting, I began to look outside in an attempt to find the bird. But because of my deteriorating eyesight, it was certainly unsuccessful. Maybe I confused the silhouette of a bird with something else? No, it couldn't have happened.

Have you ever thought that someone might have poultry?

For a second, I just stared emotionlessly at the blurry landscape. Then, sighing, I put my hand to my face and shook my head. How could you not have guessed right away before? God, what a shame.

Feeling the approach of three ponies, I took my hand away from my face and sat down on the bed, preparing to meet the guests. My hand grabbed the blanket and threw it over my legs to look a little more decent. In an attempt to comfort the pain in my head, chest and arm, I closed my eyes. While they were closed, I felt that the three ponies stopped right in front of my door. Two pushed the third forward, urging him to go through the door.

Hearing a creak, I opened my eyes and glanced at the entrance to the room. A thestral of a light gray shade came into the room from the slightly opened door. That's the traitor. From where I was sitting, I couldn't see a single detail of his face, but judging by the lack of movement, he was nervous. Taking a deep breath, I looked at him pretending to see him normally and asked: "You know why you're here. So before we start a serious conversation, I'd like to know your name. I have a bad memory for that, but tell me anyway."

For a few seconds, the Thestral just stood next to the door doing nothing. Finally lowering his head down, he reluctantly said, "R-Report Stutter."

Wait, his last name is Stutter? So it's not an offensive nickname, but everyone called him by his last name? Well, well.

Deciding to postpone stupid questions for later, I beckoned Report closer to me with a hand gesture. Slowly and carefully, with a jolt in his hooves, he began to walk forward. As I got closer, the view of the Report became more and more clear for me. At first I saw traces of dirt on his fur. Then, a tangled mane. And in the end, sleep-deprived eyes filled with stress.

Having finished analyzing his appearance, I looked him clearly in the eyes without emotion and slowly asked: "I'll let you act as your own lawyer. So I recommend that you make your excuses while you have the opportunity. Because then there will be no such opportunity."

To my surprise, the thestral slowly shook his head from side to side and said more or less confidently: "I h-have n-n-no excuses. I am a t-traitor who h-has no r-respect for h-his comrades and does not d-deserve to be given the title of Night Guardscolt. T-There is no p-p-point in apologizing and m-making excuses. Actions s-speak louder t-than w-words, and to be h-honest, I can't p-p-promise that it w-won't h-happen again n-next time. "

I was silent for a few moments trying to process the information. You could expect anything, all kinds of excuses, but a quick admission of guilt? No, that's not what I expected. Maybe someone was hammering it into his head hard?

In the end, I took a deep breath and trying to keep a firm tone asked: "Do you consider yourself the weak link of the guard?"

Report seemed paralyzed by such a question and didn't know what to say. After a few seconds, he nodded slightly, causing a small grin on my face. I straightened up a little and asked in a slightly more casual tone: "Would you like to continue to benefit? Or is it preferable for you to rot in a dungeon?"

Report just stared at his hoofs for a few seconds before answering quietly: "I w-would r-really like to r-return to the r-ranks. But as a t-t-traitor and a w-weak link, h-how can I even h-hope for that?"

Smiling slightly, I asked, almost completely losing my seriousness: "You can. I offered the princesses one suggestion. And if they agree, then you will be released from prison. "

He raised an eyebrow curiously and asked, confused: " W-why are you telling me t-this if the p-princesses h-haven't accepted t-the offer yet?"

By the way, yes. Why do you give a person hope if you know that this hope can be lost?

For a moment I hung there, not knowing how to answer my own question. After a few seconds, my left hand started rubbing my chin reflexively. In the end, I looked at the Report again and replied: "Look, basically your betrayal is my fault. Of course you're still to blame. But I think I should have noticed and paid attention to your infidelity earlier. Therefore, if the first offer for the princesses does not work, then the second one will. After the second third. Anyway, I plan to get you out of jail. "

Report looked at me in surprise and shook his head in disbelief. After a few seconds, he found the strength and briefly asked: " W-Why?"

I took a deep breath, gathering my thoughts. There is an unpleasant tingling in the chest. I constantly forget that it hurts to take deep breaths. Exhaling and maintaining eye contact with Report, I replied: "Because all the soldiers are in my area of responsibility. And you are no exception. I don't give a damn what princesses think about who you are after what you've done. You're still my responsibility. And you know what? This is a rare case when I'm ready to lay. Even if it's just for the princesses to accept one of my offers. "For a few seconds, Report looked at me being absolutely amazed and shocked. In the end, he smiled faintly and said with gratitude in his voice: " T-Thank you, s-sir. "

In response, I nodded slowly and was lost in thought for a while. If this sentimentality becomes permanent, then a lot of problems will arise. You can't win a chess game without losing pieces. Clearing my throat, I said, deciding to distract myself from my thoughts: "Okay, the conversation is over. I assume that someone escorted you here. Go away and go back to where you were told to stay. Wish yourself luck."

Report reluctantly nodded and turned around before walking out. Stopping a step away from the exit, he turned his head to me and said, "N-No, s-sir. I should w-wish you g-good luck. Y-You d-deserve it. Especially w-with a t-traitor like me."

Without waiting for my answer, the Thestral left the room, quietly closing the door behind him. Outside the door, I felt that two other ponies stood next to Report from two sides so close that he did not have space for any maneuver. Slowly, the three of them headed somewhere to the left along the corridor. Most likely to jail.

With a slight sigh, I threw the blanket off my knees and looked around the room for something with which to kill time. Do I have to say that there was nothing but blurred spots with my vision? I reluctantly got out of bed leaning on my left arm and started walking around my ward wanting to somehow kill time. As I walked around the territory, my eyes noted the nearest things that could help. At first I focused on the window. You can admire the view. Oh, yeah. Turning away from the window, I continued to walk around the room while the frustration grew more and more. All I have at my disposal are three chairs and a bed. Wait, three chairs. Hmm, I can think of something with this.

Oh no, not again. Remember what happened the last time you started acting like a kid?

Thinking about this, my left hand, reaching for the chair, froze. For a few seconds, I'm just a table in the center of the room paralyzed. Yes. If I didn't do useless things, then no one would have died. Or at least the number of victims was significantly reduced. All I had to do was stay alert. If I had refused to go to Fluttershy and stayed in the city, I would have felt the presence of this bastard earlier.

When my mind started to accelerate, I carefully sat down on a chair and put my hand to my forehead. What if these heroes are on his side? That's why they didn't fight against him. That's why they lured me to the outskirts of the city. The motive is elementary. This is a reaction to my unsuccessful attack. Most likely, they assumed what kind of threat I pose to them. No, wait. There was no way they could have known about Ahirata's approach. It's just paranoia, nothing more. Right?

No, no, that's the truth. All the facts converge. Everything works too well. Besides, we don't have surveillance on them. They can have any sources of information. Are you really going to write off such a theory with such facts as paranoia just because you don't know how the heroes could have found out about this bastard? Well, well, crybaby. Everything is very bad.

Sighing, I shook my head and closed my eyes trying to calm down. Now it will not be possible to get additional information. And I don't have the ability to follow the "heroes" to get more information. Now the theory just needs to be remembered and possibly written down. At least until I find a way to keep track of the "heroes".

Propping my head on my hand, I looked towards the door while I was thinking how to create surveillance. Maybe ask one of the soldiers? I shook my head dismissing the idea. There are too many details and problems. It will be difficult to come up with a reason why to send someone to Ponyville. Moreover, there will be a lot of problems if the soldier is caught. Hmm.

The feeling of the rapid movement of the lines knocked me out of my thoughts and focused on the door. The lines began to actively bend like tidal waves and move further and further away. At some point, it dawned on me that they had gone so far that I could no longer feel them. Assuming who it was, I got up from my chair and began to walk slowly to the door, leaning my left hand on the wall. When the door was only a few steps away, it swung open and I saw who I expected. Luna.

Her blue eyes widened slightly at the sight of me on my feet and opened her mouth to say something, but was interrupted by me: "Let's skip the boring part, please. What did Celestia say?"

Luna sighed irritably and lightly hitting the floor with her hoof replied: "Wait, Lulu. I need time to wake up."

I chuckled a little when I heard this while Luna continued to speak with a slight irritation: "Oh, the stars! Of course I love her, but sometimes my precious sister becomes really difficult to tolerate. The discussion of such a thing as your idea cannot be postponed for later! Especially when a refusal needs to be received as soon as possible. "

Rolling my eyes, I looked at her and asked, continuing to keep a grin on my face: " Why are you telling me this? "

Luna froze in place for a moment, staring at nothing. In the end, she quietly asked without meeting my eyes: " Did we say that out loud? "

Stifling a laugh, I covered my mouth with my hand and answered: " Yes, you said."

Luna looked confused by this and looked away. After a moment, she cleared her throat and said: "Anyway, follow us. I'll take you to the oculist. And then I'll take care of your training again."

With a slight nod, I motioned Luna to go ahead. She nodded back at me and turned around on the spot before slowly walking down the corridor. Continuing to hold on to the wall, I began to follow the moon, trying to keep up. Despite the fact that she was walking very slowly, it was not an easy task. My legs feel so sluggish. How did I get up so quickly yesterday?

As I progressed, I remembered an old question and asked: "Are there speech therapists in Equestria?"

After my question, Luna just kept silent and kept going. When I was about to repeat the question, she said: "Doctors who treat speech disorders? Yes, they appeared relatively recently. Why are you asking?"

Directness, truthfulness, independence.

"If my offer is accepted..."

"Which won't happen. Luna interrupted me in response to which I irritably threw my gaze at the back of her head. After a few silent seconds, she chuckled slightly but didn't say anything.

Sighing, I cleared my throat and continued: " Then I would like your so-called traitor to get rid of stuttering. It's hard to listen to him. "

" We thought he was just nervous," Luna commented with a shrug and continued walking forward.

" As he said, it is precisely a speech defect. And family. Do you know what his last name is? " I asked, trying hard not to grin.

"I don't know. Which one?" Luna asked without much interest. At the same time arousing my curiosity. Did she really not bother to find out his name? Although considering that I didn't even bother to remember most of the names of my soldiers, I have no right to condemn her.

In the end, I shook my head from side to side and slowly replied, "Stutter."

For a moment, Luna just kept going forward while I hobbled after her. As the movement and the silence continued, it became increasingly difficult for me to restrain a grin. In the end, Luna giggled softly, barely audibly. In a second, a little more. In the end, she took a deep breath and calmed down with a last laugh.

After a small positive moment, the conversation ended and we continued walking forward in complete silence interrupted only by the sound of footsteps. After a few turns along the corridor, past various windows, plants and doors, we came to a door on which there was a strange image. It looked like a child's drawing of a pony with one eye closed and a lens next to the other. Luna stretched out a hoof to the door, but I stopped her by grabbing her shoulder. She stopped in place and turned her head to me and raised an eyebrow.

After taking a breath, I politely asked: "Can we don't enter right now? At least five minutes?"

Luna raised her eyebrow even higher and asked: "Why? We'll start earlier and finish earlier."

I took my hand off Luna's shoulder and awkwardly rubbed the back of my head and confessed: "I don't really want to go to the optometrist. And especially since I'm going to have to wear glasses soon. I just don't want the doctor to unconditionally show on simple tests how much my eyesight has deteriorated. "

" Why? " Luna asked with a slight concern in her voice. As if she's really interested.

Which of course is not true.

Sighing, I tried to find a decent and logical answer. But my brain couldn't think of anything. Nothing but one phrase escaped from my mouth: "I just don't want to."

Before Luna had time to say anything, I stretched slightly and reluctantly said: "Okay, forget it. This is an unworthy excuse. Open the door. The best in the world should get to work as soon as possible."

Luna smiled slightly when she heard what I called myself and opened the door with a hoof before taking a step to the side. In the room, I saw a pony in a white coat sitting at a table. At the opposite end of the opened room, I saw blurred black letters, among which only the uppermost ones were barely distinguishable. Sighing, I took a step forward, preparing for humiliation. Every moment I was replaying just one thought in my head.

In order not to fail on all fronts like last time, you need to make a sharp comprehensive leap. These few days will be nothing more than moral preparation. Preparation for the jerk.

On different sides

POV Ahirata

Humiliation. Disappointment. Pain. Rage. It's a creature. It broke into my abode and brought only destruction. Stole one of my mighty eyes by shaming me in such a despicable way. He also had the audacity to refuse to remove the curse!

Reflexively, my new paw, taken from a random griffin, clenched into a fist and hit the wall of the cave. I looked at the wall out of the corner of my eye and sighed in disappointment. The new body is incapable of anything. It's slow, weak, humiliating. The only way to compensate for this is to strengthen the muscles with magic. And then with such a load, the new body literally burns up. It is not even able to accept my native eyes normally. It was necessary to take away the habit from the inhabitants of Tartarus. However, as well as the rest of this pathetic body.

I rested the back of my head against the wall of the cave in which I am and replayed the latest events in my head. For an eternity, I was paralyzed and chained to my throne. All I could do was feel my body slowly decomposing into pieces and at most look around. Then I felt the presence of the creature. And my greatest creation, Tartarus, reacted to the threat despite the fact that I did not want it. In the end, the creature got to me, and despite all my attempts to stop it, nothing happened. However, the creature performed the greatest heroism possible. From the remains of the inhabitants of Tartarus, I was able to assemble a body and move my soul into it. And then. And then I was defeated. And for the last week I have been doomed to wander and hide in caves.

The look of my new useless eyes fell on a kind of staff. It was made from the skeleton of a snake that I found dead in the woods near my property. Just a natural death. Without the excuses of the damned in the form of justice or ideology. Killing for survival. My native eyes were inserted into the eye sockets of the skeleton until better times. Someday I will figure out how to remove the curse imposed by an unholy force on my native body and then the simplest part will remain. Rejuvenate my body and return my soul to its place. Elementary.

Grabbing the staff from the ground, I got up with a groan of pain but both hind legs. My gaze moved for a moment to the main sources of pain. A hole in the chest and leg. All I could do was replace the torn pieces with stones and fix them with magic. But when I looked at the losses, a hiss still escaped from my mouth. Not only did these so-called Alicorns use the unholy power many times, they also found it funny to place a whole monument to the curse right behind my back. And in order to further annoy me, they chose the indestructible copies.

Along with another hiss that escaped from my mouth, my paw rose ready to hit the cave wall. But she stopped a couple of claws away from the target. Sighing, the paw is light on the staff on top of the other. With some longing, I looked at the dead snake, which now acted as nothing more than the keeper of my eyes. The animal existed and ended its existence. On the other side of the scale are we, the damned. Doomed to lament under the weight or to flee from the truth. The end is inevitable. Even "immortal" beings cannot exist forever. Their minds will fall apart and become clouded. An immortal body will not save you from this. Even the soul will have to go into oblivion sooner or later. Even my greatest creation, Tartarus is not eternal.

Therefore, it is my burden to cleanse the world of the curse. The truth cannot be undone in any way. But if you don't realize it, you can at least happily exist without unnecessary conflicts. Anything is better than running from the truth. I can at least make people happy.

Clenching my fists, I restrained the moans of pain and began to walk to the exit from my shelter. As I moved, I directed magic to the staff, preparing to open a passage for myself further. Standing in front of a stone wall, I raised my staff and closed my eyes and concentrated. Let the magic flow in all directions, wait for it to soak into the stones in front of you. Take a deep breath. With difficulty, I began to pull the magic along with the stones in opposite directions. A few seconds later, a sound comparable to a tiny collapse rose into the air. Opening my eyes and seeing the result, I tiredly stopped using magic. An absolutely ordinary cave wall turned into a thin corridor allowing me to exit. The old entrance to the cave was similarly completely erased. Only this already allows you to use this cave as a shelter that no damned will ever find. But I need a warmer place. Much warmer.

Walking down the corridor and supporting myself with a staff like a cane, I shook my head in disappointment. What a humiliating position. To be forced to leave your abode. To be forced to live in an awkward body assembled from different pieces. And to be put in a position where sooner or later I will have to create a normal vessel for myself. This body will sooner or later just go at the seams. I planned to just quickly deal with the brazen creature and take his body. Who would have thought that it would be so stubborn and lost.

Sighing, I shook my head and as soon as I got to the street I glanced at the sky. The sun is almost up. Everyone will start waking up any minute now. A dangerous time. Before I set off, I repeated the procedure in reverse order to close the passage to the cave. Sighing, I lightly stroked the sore spot and tried to restrain a painful groan. But despite this, I began to carefully make my way forward through the forest in search of what I needed. In any case, sooner or later I will have to create a new workable body for myself. And in order to achieve the cherished vital goal, I need to find lava. In normal times, it would be possible to create a canyon without any problems. Or just use my abode, Tartarus. But it's too dangerous right now. In the current state, this weak body may not just be overcome. He can be crushed. Therefore, there is only one option left. Run south. There were a lot of lava lakes there in my time. I hope nothing has changed.

Just in case, after looking at the sun again, I made sure that I was going in the right direction. Each step, despite the full support of magic, was accompanied by painful suffering. Periodically, a hiss desperately tried to escape from my mouth, but I suppressed it with willpower. Whenever possible, I leaned against a tree every few minutes and scanned the area ahead. Despite the fact that I'm in the woods now, it's still better to be as careful as possible. It's even scary to imagine how I will wade through the desert plains. It remains only to hope that during my imprisonment those lands were finally emptied. Otherwise. . .

Suddenly, I felt like I stepped on something cold and squirming. The next moment, a piercing hiss was heard behind it. Looking down, I saw an interesting sight. The yellow snake raised its head high and hissed at me. However, when she saw my staff, she closed her mouth and blinked several times. Then she lowered her body back to the snow-covered ground and tried to crawl away, but was doomed to failure.

At such a time, they should be groveling in burrows. Have even the animals changed during my absence? Or is it something else?

Removing my right hand from the staff, I grabbed the snake and removed my paw from it to take a closer look. With a sharp movement, I raised the snake to the level of my eyes and began to examine it for any strange details. Half-open eye, possibly damaged. No other defects were found. Hmm. Maybe he came out of the shelter to warm up.

After looking around, I leaned my staff against the nearest tree and slowly stroked the snake's head with one claw, saying: "Shh, don't worry, my younger brother. There is no need for your release. For you were born and you continue to be free. Your ruin makes no sense to me."

The animal seemed to calm down slightly, but not completely. It continued to keep its teeth red-hot and sluggishly tried to get out of my grip. Shaking my head, I smiled slightly and took the staff to continue on my way. That's the beauty of free creatures. They cannot be manipulated by inherently rotten words. Only time can convince them.

Continuing to walk, I slightly loosened my grip on the animal's neck, but continued to keep it close. After all, I need to apologize to him for stepping on him. Free beings should not be put in such danger. I think as soon as I find food so that this weak body continues to function, I will share it with the animal. No, wait.

Snakes should eat meat. And I have no desire to kill free creatures. Only the same free creatures have the right to kill at this level. But if I kill a pony, for example, it will create a noise. And they can find me. Moreover, the snake may simply not want to eat something in pieces. Hmm.

Leaning against the tree once again, I put the staff next to him again and stroked the snake's head with my claw. After a few seconds of contact, I barely audibly but harshly whispered: "YOU're coming with me, free. I have to make amends for the harm I've done to you. And it's not up for discussion. "

The snake opened its mouth and prepared to hiss again, but I instantly tightened my grip, not allowing it to take even a breath. Before relaxing my grip, I whispered even more firmly: " This is not up for discussion, free. Not in the least."

As soon as I relaxed my grip, the snake creaked slightly, but did not hiss. Satisfied, I nodded slowly and before continuing the hike to the south, I said: "I am grateful to you with every fiber of my soul. Thank you for letting me atone for my sin. You're making the right choice, free."

Unlike many.

With a sigh filled with disappointment, I continued on my way again, constantly stopping to hide behind the trees. The path ahead is hard and stressful. But only one thing remains clear.

"My work is good because it is necessary and doomed to success. So it was, is and will be forever and ever."

POV Daniel

Well, I can rejoice in exactly one good news and one bad. The good news is that the doctor's examination and measurement of my head to make glasses turned out to be so long that Luna decided to go to sleep. The bad news is complete humiliation. I've had excellent eyesight all my life. Even better than their peers. Probably because instead of a computer, they always gave me nothing for my birthday under the pretext that I didn't deserve it. Okay, something has passed. In any case, I could only make out the uppermost letter unmistakably. And the optometrist boldly stated that my vision is minus three and a half. Fuck.

My exhausted body was resting on one of the chairs in my room. Considering that it is impossible to sleep and there is not a single book nearby, it remains only to walk and count the walls. One, two, three, four. Plus a window and a door. A very interesting room. Not a single moment of boredom. God, how many hours have I been doing this?

Sighing, I got up from the chair with a groan and raised my left hand up and stretched. Couldn't you have just given me the books? What do princesses think I can do with books whose text I can't translate? That's right, nothing. And if they gave me books, then I would at least have the opportunity to do at least something. But no. All I can do is stare at the ceiling. Or to a muddy street.

Suddenly, I caught the rapid movement of the lines. As with every approach of the princesses, the lines went incredibly far. Finally! Getting rid of tedious boredom and lack of business is coming. At a fast pace, I went to the door and stood two steps away from it. With each passing second, the sound of hooves hitting the floor became louder and louder. Judging by the sounds, it's only one pony. I hope it's Luna. In advance, I slightly lowered my head down so that as soon as the door opened, I looked into the eyes of the interlocutor.

Eventually the door opened. But instead of a calm face and blue eyes, I was greeted by a neck covered with white fur. I shook my head irritably and looked up until I was looking straight ahead. Right on Celestia's face. Behind which, surrounded by her magic, a stack of papers hovered.

"Oh, did you come to give me the papers I asked for? Great, it's about time." I said, stretching my good hand forward in an attempt to take a stack of papers.

Only for the papers to start levitating back, and Celestia cheekily smiled and replied: "No, no, no, my little human. We need to talk first."

A little human? I'm the same height as you, bitch.

"First of all, never use this address again. Secondly, how about you just shut up and give me the papers?" I asked, accompanying each sentence with one raised finger.

Celestia showed no signs of annoyance and shaking her head politely but firmly said, "No, this treatment is too funny not to use it. And no, I won't give you the papers until we talk. So I politely ask to be let inside."

Politely asking = ordering.

Sighing, I took a few slow steps back until I reached the bed and sat down on it. Celestia calmly entered the room, continuing to hold the papers in the air and put them on the windowsill. So close and so far away. Then she grabbed the chair with her magic and pulled it towards her before sitting down across from me.

After making sure that I was looking into her eyes and paying attention, she cleared her throat before saying, "Okay, let's get to the most important thing. Luna told me about your idea. Do I have to say what was my reaction?"

Before I answered, I squinted to see Celestia's face. But her face showed no emotion at all. The eyebrows are even, the eyes are calm, the mouth is closed. Not a single clue. Damn, she should be playing poker.

I crossed one arm and said: "Most likely extremely negative. But I don't care. I still think the idea is great."

Hearing this, Celestia sighed in disappointment and said, "Very good. In this case, in order to convey my position to you, I will ask only one thing. Imagine that your idea will be fully implemented, but with a slight correction. In your so-called shock brigades, there will be not ponies but representatives of your species. Just imagine."

What has changed?

I rubbed my chin lightly, wondering what the point of Celestia's plan was. Does she think I have more empathy for humans than for ponies? How stupid, how pathetic. Grinning, I looked at Celestia and replied: "Nothing changes. What were you hoping for, Celly?"

Celestia's eyes widened slightly and she asked in embarrassment, "Celly?"

I smiled and nodded quickly and said, "Yes. It's formed from the word silly just with the first two letters of your name. Do you like it?"

“No. " Celestia replied quickly before crossing her hooves. It looks like... strange. Okay, whatever.

" Well, well. This appeal is too funny not to use it. " I said, crossing my arm in response to Celestia's crossing. Hmm, I wonder if Celestia finds my gesture as strange as I find her?

A small laugh escaped from Celestia's mouth, which was instantly suppressed and becoming serious again, she replied: "Okay. But your idea is absolutely terrible and immoral. Even the few ponies who have committed murder do not deserve the fate that you want them to do. What you're suggesting is the death penalty."

Damn morality. Well, let's get to plan B.

Leaning my head on my left hand, I calmly asked: "Tell me, Celly, how many creatures live in Equestria?"

For a moment, Celestia looked confused, but after a moment, she reluctantly replied: "About thirty-five million. Why do you ask?"

Ignoring Celestia's question, I asked my own: "And how many of them are murderers?"

"One hundred and fifty," Celestia said with some sadness in her voice. I don't see any reason to be sad.

"One hundred and fifty in the sense of one hundred and fifty thousand, right?" I asked, wanting to confirm the information. It can't be that there are only one hundred and fifty murderers for a multi-million population, right?

“What? No! How could you even think of such large numbers? " Celestia asked, startled, confusing me. Instead of answering, I closed my mouth and closed my eyes trying to count. Fifty million. And of these, only one hundred and fifty are murderers. This means that the percentage of murderers per population is equal to. . .

This means that less than one percent of all Equestria residents are murderers. About 0.0003% to be exact. I studied mathematics at school for a reason. I always knew that I would need this to calculate the percentage of killers in the society of ponies from another planet.

I chuckled a little, but Celestia's clearing of her throat brought me back to reality. So the question is. Yes, in fact, I originally had to assume that one hundred and fifty thousand is a bit much. Well, okay. The word is not a sparrow.

Taking a deep breath, I finally answered: "How could I think of such large numbers? Very simple. I used something that you have obvious problems with, Celly. I used my brain. "

Celestia snorted loudly expressing her indignation in response to which I rolled my eyes and continued to say: " In any case, since the final decision on my idea was not made, I am ready to propose an adjustment. Among one hundred and fifty people, there should definitely be people who voluntarily want to serve in the army in exchange for release or at least a reduction in prison time."

Celestia stared intently for a few seconds before nodding cautiously and saying, "This is more or less satisfying. But! You will personally have to inform the prisoners of all the dangers by giving an offer. No embellishments. And if no one agrees, then you will never offer such an idea again. Is that clear? "

For several seconds, without answering, I pondered all these inconvenient conditions, to put it mildly. In the end I reluctantly nodded in response to which Celestia cleared her throat and changed the subject: " As you can see the papers on the windowsill. As you asked, I have provided you with entries about competitions, the best graduates of colleges and some newspapers. The lowest sheet is empty, they need you to write the names of those you have chosen and we would contact them."

Shaking my head, I turned my attention to a more important thing. There is no pencil or any other thing to write anywhere near. Shifting my gaze back to Celestia, I asked: "How do you think I should record, Celly?"

Without saying anything, Celestia activated her horn and with a bright flash, a pencil appeared on the windowsill. Nodding, I got up from my seat and waved my hand and said: "There are no questions. Now I'm asking you to leave me alone. Your presence is only annoying."

Celestia sighed irritably and got up from her chair and walked out of the room. Standing right before leaving the room, she turned her head in my direction and said: "You definitely need to start changing your behavior, my little human. For your own good. If you want help, just ask."

I raised an eyebrow slightly when I heard this and replied with embarrassment, "What are you talking about? There is no free relationship between us. I don't attack ponies and follow orders and in return you make me stronger. Although lately it seems to me that you forget about your part of the deal. "

Celestia sighed in disappointment and before leaving the room said: " Just remember that I'm ready to help. Maybe you don't understand yet, but I can see that you need it. I hope you'll understand sooner or later."

As soon as Celestia left the room, I shook my head and took the papers in my hand. Before I started studying them, I glanced at the door. What does this horse think of herself?

No matter. Cooperation with her was initially considered as temporary. If it were planned to be permanent, then we would become dependent on it. And addiction is the exact opposite of Perfection.

Nodding to myself, I sat down on the bed and concentrated on the papers. The first, topmost sheet turned out to be a long table. At the very top of which was written "the annual Manhattan Magic Contest. The prize fund is five thousand bits!". A little below was written, what information is stored in which column. Occupied place, name and number of points. First place, Starlight Glimmer 398 points.

Taking the first sheet, I put it on the bed and focused on the next one. And Starlight Glimmer took the first place again. Surprised, I put the second sheet on top of the first. And once again, the first place was taken by a certain Starlight Glimmer. Squinting, I quickly began to take one sheet after another in disbelief. The same pony can't always take first place, right? She couldn't have achieved Perfection before me, right?

Fortunately, the answer is yes. No, she couldn't. Judging by the records, Starlight participated only in contests with a cash prize. She also failed to take first place a couple of times. And what is even more interesting, in one magic competition, Starlight received zero points. Judging by the inscription next to it, her glasses were reset because she was accused of cheating. In this case, a question pops up. Do I need a magician who has been accused of cheating as a sidekick?

Considering that she is the best candidate, then probably yes. Of course, I could have chosen someone who took first place in another competition. But who is more effective? A pony with one win or a dozen? The question is rhetorical.

Keeping a note about Starlight in my head, I began to put aside the papers related to magicians. When all the papers with the magicians were put aside, to my own surprise I saw a newspaper clipping. After quickly running through the article, I rolled my eyes and put it aside. Some inventors Flim and Flam have created a train project that they think will be faster than usual. But the company producing trains on an industrial scale abandoned the idea. The enmity of big and small businesses. Nothing new.

Returning my attention to the papers, I saw the newspaper in front of me again. And again it mentioned Flim and Flam. Only this time they developed quote: "The brightest, most incredible and improving any party fireworks." Hmm. Wait, fireworks!? "

Yes, exactly. If there are fireworks here, then ponies know how to produce gunpowder. And that means what? That's right, guns.

My face slowly broke into a grin as I thought about it. It's one thing to kill a bastard. But I would be happy to arrange a real execution. Let's test it for strength. If he is riddled and he stays alive, then he will suffer enough before he dies. If the bullets still kill him instead of me, then well. A little insulting. But one important question remains.

Why haven't ponies switched to firearms yet? The Chinese, contrary to myths, began using gunpowder for military purposes in the twelfth century. So the fact that it didn't make a pony is very strange. I don't believe in such things as peacefulness. Maybe ponies are just afraid of what the mass use of gunpowder can lead to? Well, the main thing is that I see this opportunity. Who knows? Maybe when all this is over, I can start my own weapons manufacturing company. I hope there won't be any problems.

Sighing, I continued sorting through the newspapers. Periodically, between the news about the next inventions of Flim and Flam, there were news about other inventors. For example, some unicorn begged the princesses for money for some experiment. As a result, there was an explosion in the city center and the unicorn was put on the wanted list. Still not found. Wow. That is, they can give money to a random unicorn for an experiment, but they can't give me the necessary transformations?

Don't whine. The world is inherently fair. It's just that sometimes people in it really want to make it unfair. But having achieved Perfection, we will not allow this.

Nodding resolutely to myself, I continued sorting through the newspapers until they were replaced by something much more interesting. For certain industrial companies in the Equestria economy. Taking the sheet in my hands, I saw that under it was a small list of ordinary blacksmiths. Did it get here by accident?

"Well, the world is inherently fair." I said with an evil smile before starting to carefully study the countdown. A circle appeared before me, divided into parts like a pie. Thirty percent is marked in gray and signed as foreign companies. Forty percent of the market was occupied by the so-called "Pan-Equestrian Railway Company.". What an impudent name. In any case, fifteen percent of the market was occupied by a company called Cheap victory. A bad name in my opinion. And the remaining fifteen were signed as others.

After looking at all this, a picture slowly began to form in my head. Judging by the small list of individual blacksmiths, she wants me to choose among them. But I would prefer that new means of protection for soldiers be made in large volumes and quickly. I don't think the railway company will help with this. But I hope that Cheap victory will help with this. After all, the name hints at the fact that they at least understand something about cheapness. I hope.

I closed my eyes and despite the pain took a deep breath, thinking about the plan. As Celestia said, there won't be enough money. So it is unlikely that you will be able to pay the company. But what if I use all the gold that the dragon I killed had? Hmm, sounds good. Even too good. We need a plan B if even with the dragon's gold there will not be enough funds. Some kind of super-fast source of income.

I was just sitting there looking at the spot trying to come up with something. We need something as fast as possible and preferably cost-free. Of course, you can do theft. But for a person who claims to be Perfect, this is too pathetic an occupation. Or I can use my hunting skills to massively sell the skins to fashion designers. Judging by my coat, which has white fur, the ponies don't mind letting animals on clothes. But with my failing eyesight, hunting will become much more difficult. Of course, sooner or later they will give me glasses, but it will be inconvenient to run around the forest hunting animals with them, to put it mildly. Trouble.

At some point, my unsuccessful reflections were interrupted by another movement of the lines. Assuming the second worst option, I quickly began to put some papers on top of others until a stack similar to the worn one was formed. During the process, I managed to find and pull out one blank sheet. Stretching out my left hand towards the pencil, I pulled out the magic tentacles with difficulty and pulled the pencil towards me with them. Slightly twirling it in my hands, I crossed one leg over the other and began to write down those with whom I had definitely decided. Of course, such a rush was not needed for this. I don't want to give away the economic countdown that so successfully fell into my hands.

While my left hand was struggling to write, the door to the room opened and a dark figure stood in the aisle. Assuming who it was, I grinned slightly and said, "Well, does the training part two begin?"

Luna took a few steps forward so that I could see her properly and said with slight displeasure: "How many times have I asked you to start a conversation with a greeting?"

I shrugged my shoulders and calmly replied: "I didn't do the counting. If you order, I'll start counting right from now on. "

Sighing, Luna shook her head and said, " No, don't. In any case, we are not here to fight your infantile behavior. I'm here to return your things to you. And then start your training as you suggested."

When I heard about things, I looked up slightly and arched an eyebrow in embarrassment without seeing anything. Before anything could escape from my mouth, Luna lit her horn and with a blue flash, a coat, trousers and a bag appeared next to me on the bed. When I got up to start getting dressed, Luna said with a little excitement in her voice: "Open the bag. There's a gift there."

I hope you've done something useful. I don't need trinkets.

Opening the bag and seeing its contents, my eyes widened in surprise. There were two things at the bottom of the bag next to the phone and the knife. The first is glasses with a round frame in black. The second is a cube that almost perfectly repeats my drawings. I took the cube with my left hand and began to study it from all sides. On the side, just like in the drawing, there was a large rectangular hole on top and a small one on the bottom. Seeing this, I frowned slightly. They just copied what they saw in the drawing and didn't pay attention to the notes about the problems? Shaking my head, I continued studying. A crystal was inserted on top of the cube. Without any props, it is simply inserted into the smooth surface of the cube. The first difference from the drawing. Turning the cube to the opposite side, I saw something that was not indicated in the drawing. On the opposite side from the holes, right in the center, there was a small ring and a down icon.

Grabbing the ring with my middle finger, I pulled slightly on myself and the side of the cube opened up like a mini garage. Along with this, a square fell to the floor on which the full arrow rune all the circles was carved. I must admit, the idea of a sliding wall did not occur to me right away. However, the problem with the loss of efficiency and the use of only one rune at a time has not disappeared. Seeing my thoughtful expression, Luna smiled faintly and said, "I showed the drawings to the royal blacksmith and told him to fix all the flaws. He worked for an unusually long time, but he did it. Honestly, I want to see what he did. And you've already been discharged from the hospital. "" Are you suggesting a test drive? " I asked, picking up a square from the floor and inserting it back into the cube. Just in case, I pulled the ring again and the side of the cube closed.

At first, LunaLuna raised an eyebrow, but in the end she just shrugged and nodded. Putting the cube on the bed, I grabbed my pants and looked at her out of the corner of my eye and said: "Wait until I get dressed. It's cold outside."

Luna nodded slightly in response, but at the same time remained standing in the room. I thought for a moment. An adequate person would ask a woman to leave the room while he is changing clothes. Especially considering that this woman is a magic horse, a princess of the kingdom and in fact my boss.

But who said that you are adequate?

I shook my head slightly and slowly began to put on my trousers, which was difficult to put it mildly because of only one working hand. You try to pull the left half up to the waist, the right half falls. And vice versa. After looking around, an idea popped into my head. Pulling a chair towards me, I propped up the right half of my trousers with it so that it would not fall off and calmly lifted the left. After that, I faced a much more serious problem. Belt.

"Help?" Luna asked with a little giggle.

Throwing an irritated glance in her direction, I quickly replied: “no. I can handle it myself. "

" Of course, of course. " Luna said while I was thinking what to do with the belt. A chair won't help this time. And you definitely won't be able to do it with one hand.

A dog's mouth is like a human's hands.

As soon as the idea appeared in my head, I quickly figured out what to do. With my left hand, I carefully moved all the things from the bed to the floor. Then I lay back on the bed and looked at the belt, which fortunately was dressed in advance. All that remained was to pull it through the buckle and fasten it. Taking a deep breath, I gripped the cold metal buckle with my teeth and began to pull the belt through it with my hand. My back hurts, part of my mind is insanely ashamed, but I must continue. She won't enjoy helping me. As soon as the belt stretched out enough, I removed my mouth from the buckle and grabbed the end of the belt with it while my left hand fixed it in place. Eventually the belt locked and I was able to uncouple the jaws.

After taking a few breaths, I got out of bed, lightly rubbing my back and reached for my coat. Fortunately, there were almost no problems with him. Well, except I can't reach my right arm up my sleeve. Okay, let's call it, cooling the wound, not weakness. While I was putting on my coat, my ears caught the suppressed laughter. Realizing who was doing this and why, my teeth reflexively clenched trying to restrain a growl.

In the end, the coat was put on and a very simple thing remained. Boots. Easily slipping my feet into my shoes, I glanced at the very last touch. Glasses. Bending down to the bag, I grabbed the glasses as carefully as possible and slowly put them on. When the glasses were hooked on my ears, I noticed two things. First of all, seeing normally is fine. Secondly, it is inconvenient to wear glasses. Just standing still, I already had a desire to take them off. And I'll probably have to fight them. Yeah.

When Luna saw me looking around the room in the new or rather old world, she smiled a little wider and asked: "Well, are you ready?"

Grabbing the cube and putting it in my pocket, I nodded with a small grin. Luna nodded in response and turned around on the spot and headed for the exit of the room. Just in case, holding the glasses in my left hand, I followed Luna, continuing to enjoy normal vision. Seeing that a pony doesn't turn into a blur a couple of feet away is so comforting. It was as if everything had returned to its place.

Remember, going back to the past is bad in most cases. And the question of glasses should be solved. Maybe it is necessary to accept the change and learn to live without using glasses?

Pushing this thought to the back of my mind, I just continued walking forward and at some point even stopped holding my glasses. My shoes clattered softly on the marble floor of the hospital. Out of the corner of my eye, looking out the window, I saw that evening had already come. I was so deep in my thoughts. Although knowing yourself is not surprising.

Passing by the reception, Luna opened the door with her front hoof, letting the cold hair wash over both of us. Outside, I took a deep breath despite the tingling in my chest. My face tried to break into a grin, but the ugly sight sabotaged this attempt. Damn, fiercely hated by me a castle. While I was holding back my irritation Luna pulled ahead and seeing that I was slowing down, said: "You could have gotten used to the castle by now. Considering that you live in it."

Shaking my head, I slightly accelerated to catch up with Luna and said pointing my finger at the castle: "Yes, I could get used to it. But the realization that IT was built with money that could be sent anywhere really pisses me off. Medicine, education or the army in the end! But no. The money was spent on a useless palace. "

Luna sighed in disappointment and calmly asked: " Will it comfort you that most of the castle has only a thick gold dusting?"

"Most of it." In other words, somewhere in the castle there are places made entirely of gold.

Shrugging my shoulders, I replied. : "Not really. But it's a good attempt."

Sighing once more, Luna focused on the road ahead again and said nothing more. Continuing to walk next to her, I began to hold my glasses in my left hand and began to look around the evening city. Unlike small Ponyville, there are relatively many ponies on the street in the capital even at such a time. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that no one was looking at me at all. At most, some people glance at Luna, but not at me.

Here's a vivid reminder of how everything works. People don't care only about what poses a real threat in the future. Fame by good deeds can perhaps be earned but retained? No, it won't work. Sooner or later people will come up with something to pour shit on you for.

Slightly furrowing my brows, I continued to look at the city while I was thinking. In fact, I didn't try hard to make myself famous. For now. Who knows? Maybe good deeds can provide fame? At least for the first time?

For a moment, I really seriously considered this idea. Then a short laugh escaped my lips. It's just so stupid and delusional. I just can't imagine how it could work. Have you done one good deed and being remembered for a long time? Yeah, of course.

My thoughts were interrupted by a bright red light at the edge of my field of vision. Turning my head towards the light, I saw in front of me a long alley with many buildings from which the red color was breaking through. No, it can't be. We urgently need to make sure.

Lightly tapping the back of Luna's head with my hand, I attracted her attention and, pointing to the alley, asked: "What is it?"

Luna turned her head to where I pointed and looked there for a few seconds. When I was about to repeat my question, she gave a slow and cautious answer: "This? This is the quarter where all services to meet the needs of citizens are concentrated."

Is the need of citizens lust?

Frowning, I asked an equally important question: "Why didn't I notice this before?"

Luna looked slightly annoyed by the stop for such a question, but still answered: "According to the new laws, such establishments are concentrated only in one particular quarter. And all these establishments have the right to work only on Monday, Friday and Sunday. "" I wish I hadn't seen or heard that," I muttered softly, holding back my irritation. Luckily the alley is far enough away that I couldn't feel its lines. I couldn't stand it if I felt the ponies doing " this".

Don't whine.

"Don't whine." Luna said, lightly hitting me on the knee with her hoof. I was about to jump back from the blow, but not feeling any strength in it, I calmed down. Seeing that I almost jumped away from a simple touch, Luna raised an eyebrow in embarrassment and stared at me.

"Forget it. I just assumed the worst. Let's just move on," I suggested, sighing and pointing with my left hand in the direction of the ugly castle.

In response to the offer, Luna rolled her eyes and turned away from me and went forward. With a slight nod, I put my hand in my pocket and followed her. Fortunately, I didn't find any more vile things until the palace itself.

In the end, the two of us reached the gate to the castle, next to which there were two unicorns in golden armor. Not my guys. Seeing the princess, both soldiers briefly bowed and with the beginning of the glow of their horns, the gates began to open. After about half a minute, the door opened almost completely and we entered the castle.

After a few turns through the unpleasant-looking corridors, I began to hear and feel the presence of some ponies. There were no loud noises. No laughter, no shouting. Just calm, quiet, even to some extent mourning conversations. And even they are so quiet that not a single word was not understood by me. Frowning, I looked around. There is something familiar in this corridor. There are no crystals on the doors here, unlike the rest of the lock.

Your room is close. But the presence of a pony next to her? This is unusual.

Turning to Luna, I asked suspiciously: "Why is there a pony next to my room?"

Luna looked at me in surprise and after a few seconds of silence replied: "First of all, your room is around the corner. It's amazing that you could hear and feel that someone is there. Secondly, there was almost no one in this wing of the castle. So we decided to put the soldiers next to their most beautiful captain. "

The last sentence was uttered with a fair amount of sarcasm in response to which I rolled my eyes and asked another question: " Was it really impossible to get to the garden some other way? "

" First of all, yes, but we would have to make a detour through the entire palace. Secondly, aren't you happy that your subordinates are next to you? " Luna asked with a slight indignation in her voice as we turned the corner. Now there was a corridor in front of me in which I had already noticed the door to my room.

Sighing, I shook my head and said: "I'm glad. I just feel like I've completely failed on all fronts. I have a feeling that now the soldiers will not agree to work at all. The death of one third of the personnel most likely shook morale."

"Considering how actively you are looking for problems for yourself in one place, it seems to me that you like to solve them." Luna noted with a shrug.

"On some subconscious level? Maybe." I replied, not wanting to come up with counterarguments. Luna's eyes widened slightly after such a quick and peaceful retreat. And really, why did I retreat so quickly?

Surrender of positions, crybaby, surrender of positions. You just degrade and move away from perfection. However, nothing unusual for you.

Quickly shaking my head, I continued walking side by side with Luna and began to think what to do. A constant decline is bad in itself, and now even more so. You need to use every second as efficiently as possible. Wait, did I happen to bring a sheet and pencil with me?

Returning my hand in my pocket, I quickly began to feel for the cherished thing. So, the cube is in place, a piece of paper and a pencil too. Wait. Did I forget my knife, phone and securities in my room? Damn, I'll have to go back.

Restraining my own irritation, I pulled the paper and pencil out of my pocket. The names Starlight Glimmer, Flim and Flam were already written there. Before I started thinking about how to write and hold a piece of paper with one hand, Luna said, "Hmm? When did you manage to improve your handwriting?"

I looked at her in surprise. Then I looked at the names I had written. The handwriting of the left hand is insanely undeveloped. To such an extent that the handwriting has no inclination and I had to write taking my hand off the sheet. In the end, I looked at Luna raising an eyebrow and asked: "Are you kidding?"

"No, no. Can't you see?" Luna asked, stopping in place and pointing with her hoof at the leaf in my hand. No matter how hard I looked, nothing was found. The handwriting of my left hand is just ugly. It's just wrong. This is something that shouldn't exist.

In response, I slowly shook my head from side to side, trying unsuccessfully to look away from the handwriting. Luna started walking forward again and after making sure I was following her, she said: "Let me explain what I see. Your usual handwriting is overloaded. Strong slopes and curlicues in almost every letter. Why you're doing this is still not clear to me."

"This is a perfect verified handwriting. And this is the only thing in me that fully meets the requirements. The fact that no one can make out my handwriting is already a problem of other people." I said abruptly interrupting Luna.

She gave me a look full of anger and she growled: "NO more interrupting US."

Note: Luna doesn't like being interrupted. Dossier: Princess Luna. Will be involved: Operation: "Inner Empire".

After my slow nod, Luna took a deep breath and together with the exhalation said: "In any case, the handwriting of your left hand is at least possible to read. No tilts and strange curlicues. You really should write with your left hand. "

I just stared at her for a moment until I grinned and answered: " That's not going to happen. As soon as my right hand heals, I will write as usual again. "

" I could just order you to write with your left hand. " Luna noted with a slight shrug.

Rhetoric, threats, or anything else. You HAVE to defend your positions. HERE AND NOW!

Taking a deep breath, I defiantly replied: "No you can't. As the terms of our deal state, the order cannot restrict my freedom of speech. Since writing is the same way of transmitting data as speech, you have no right to restrict it. I and only I determine how and what I say. "

" This is the Daniel I remember. Selfish, infantile and narcissistic. I've missed it so much. " Luna said with a huge amount of sarcasm in her voice.

Don't stop.

"First of all, it's not funny. Secondly, your opinion was not asked, highly respected or not very princess." I said, bending one finger before the beginning of each sentence.

In response, Luna sighed and shook her head, forcing me to clench my hand into a fist along with paper and pencil. If I push a little harder, the pencil may break. It would be nice to show her that I should be taken seriously. The hole in her head will help her in this in full.

Early, not now, later.

I released the pent-up air, unclenched my fist and walked the rest of the way calmly. After a while, when it became slightly darker and colder outside, we reached a familiar garden. Luna started looking around for something while I was looking around the garden. At this time of year, the pond in it is completely frozen and the greenery has become much less, however, it is not surprising.

"Test it on this tree." Luna said, pointing with her hoof at a thick tree covered with snow and, of course, devoid of any greenery.

Slowly, I returned the paper and pencil in my pocket before pulling out the cube. I twisted it a little in my hands so that my thumb was on a special hole and the crystal was pointed at the tree. Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes and slowly began to pull magic from my finger into the hole. Feeling a sudden burning sensation, I changed the course of magic in the other direction until I felt another burning sensation. After about a minute of work, I managed to make a rune and, together with exhalation, I completed it. Suddenly, seven magic arrows flew out of the crystal. To my own surprise, their trajectory was not the same as the first time. Now it looked like a kind of shotgun. One arrow flew perfectly forward and the other six slightly to the side.

Colliding with the tree, all seven arrows made holes in it, raising the sound of cracking and tiny wooden splinters into the air. Seeing my surprised eyes, Luna tilted her head to the side and wondered aloud: "Did he alter the stone so that all copies flew in one direction?"

After a few seconds of silence, I grinned at the cube and said: "It looks like it. I don't know who made this cube, but I'm really grateful to him."

Luna nodded slightly in response and said with a slight disappointment in her voice: "Yes, he did an impressive job. It's a pity that my sister found it too expensive for him to fully handle all the equipment matters. Very sorry. This is one of the few current ponies who have not lost their decency. "

My eyebrow arched and I asked with some suspicion in my voice: " If Celestia refused his services, then why am I holding in my hands what he did? "

" It's a gift like I said earlier. I paid for the production from my personal funds. " Luna answered by putting a hoof on her chest and smiling slightly. In response, I nodded slightly and looked at the cube again. It would be nice to get to know the one who produced this thing. Of course, one man will not replace a large company. But as a backup option? Will fit.

"By the way, what's his name? The blacksmith, I mean." I said asking the most accurate option. Either she has something to hide or she will answer.

"This information is kept secret." Luna replied, making me raise an eyebrow.

Seeing my expression, she slowly shook her head and said: "All you need to know is that this information is a secret. Only my sister and I know who was or will be the royal blacksmith. That's it."

Okay, I didn't really want to. In any case, we need to figure out how to quickly get the funds to produce what Starline, Flim and Flam can come up with. If they agree to work, of course.

Reluctantly shrugging my shoulders, I asked: "Anyway, what now?"

With a flash of her horn, Luna made three books appear in the air that I took from Tartarus and replied: "Give me a couple of minutes to figure out what to teach you today. You will get some knowledge from these books only over my dead body. And no, even the current conditions do not change my opinion. I'm restricting you for your own good. "

" What is it about these books to keep it away from me? " I asked without even hoping for an answer.

Surprisingly, Luna opened one of the books and quickly flipped through it and replied: " How do you like the idea of blood addiction?"

Raising an eyebrow, I answered the question with a question: "Can you tell me in more detail?"

Sighing, Luna replied, trying to sound scary: "With frequent use of blood magic, your magic will simply stop working without it. In other words, if you often use blood in your magic, then soon you will have to drink blood just to survive."

Like a vampire?

"Like a vampire?" I asked with interest. Are even vampires real here?

Luna was silent for a few seconds before starting to explain in a calm voice: "A vampire is just a myth invented by simple ponies based on magicians who began to depend on blood. No silly burning in the sun or turning into a bat. The only thing that unites myths and reality is the desire to drink blood. "

Nodding slowly I said, returning to the original topic: " Anyway, it doesn't sound too scary. You can always just go to the nearest forest and kill a couple of animals. So your argument about danger looks flimsy. "

With an exasperated sigh, Luna focused on the books and said in a firm tone: "Your opinion is not taken into account in this matter. Now just be quiet and mentally prepare."

Reluctantly nodding, I sat down on the cold ground and put the sheet with the names to my knee getting support. Tapping the pencil on the paper, a question popped up in my head. Maybe just leave only the papers on a piece of paper and give them to Celestia? Or would it be better to write requirements and characterizations?

Only requirements. She doesn't need a characterization.

After twirling the pencil a little in my left hand, I took a deep breath and began to write.

Dear (no) Celly, the names listed above are the people I chose. I don't know about you, but I am eager to learn about the motivation of the candidates, their personal qualities and whether they can be trusted at all. And of course to discuss with them the price of their services. Therefore, I demand that a one-on-one meeting with each candidate be organized in the near future. Of course, by one-on-one, I mean myself and one candidate. Preferably, the meeting should be organized in the office.

P.S I don't care if you have an office or not. Sell all those jewels that are in this palace and quickly build me an office. It will be very useful. I recommend giving the rest of the money to me. I'll manage them better than you.

When I finished writing, I stared at the sheet. I could give detailed, normal arguments that would make Celestia's little brain overheat. But unfortunately there was only enough space on the sheet for this. Well, it's better than nothing.

Luna cleared her throat loudly, attracting my attention and said, "Okay, I found some knowledge that will be both useful and safe. Let's start with illusions. No hypnosis. Only the most initial illusions. For now? At least."

Sounds. . . useless.

"I don't think you realize how fast I need to get stronger." I said, giving Luna, an annoyed look. Instead of answering her, the horn began to glow and a rune slowly began to form. An outer circle with spikes inside, an ordinary central circle and a symbol representing a hollow square. After a moment, she just disappeared. Without any flashes, just disappeared. Squinting, I began to look at the place where Luna was. There were no new footprints in the snow. After a few seconds, I grinned upon discovering the detail. Light is refracted in a strange way. It looks so unnatural.

By the way, unlike you, she can use magic normally. Now she used the rune purely for demonstration.

"It's very inefficient. I can see where you are." I said, crossing my arm. Can't you just give me what I need? Anything useful at least?

Another rune began to form in the air, this time with a full square symbol, and Luna lost her invisibility. With a slight chuckle, she said: "First of all, it took you a few seconds to figure it out. A few seconds that are incredibly important in battle. Besides, no one will use invisibility as I just showed. It is advisable to hide somewhere first and only then apply invisibility. Secondly, it was the simplest invisibility spell. There are much more useful ones. "Sighing, I asked already assuming the answer: " You're not going to let me choose what to study myself, are you?"

"You absolutely got it right." Luna replied with a small smug smile on her face.

Reluctantly, I put the cube, the sheet and the pencil on the ground before standing on both feet. Taking a deep breath and feeling a tingling in my lungs, I said with a firm nod: "Okay, teach me your super useful spells."

Luna nodded in response and with a flash of the horn made all three books disappear. Stamping her hoof loudly on the ground, she grinned viciously and said: "Get ready, I'll be merciless this time."

Don't be afraid. There's nothing she can do to impress you. The main thing to remember is one important thing. There will be a new campaign.

Forward and up

Another irritated growl came out of my mouth after another defeat. At first, everything was relatively normal. After about a dozen attempts, I was able to make a useless rune and become invisible. Now I have a much more difficult task ahead of me. Create a rune to disable invisibility. And then there is a problem. The rune for disabling invisibility has a symbol in the form of a completely shaded square. Do I have to say that it's a little more difficult than making a hollow square?

Out of the corner of my eye I looked at the cube made by an unknown blacksmith. He was lying on the ground so that I could use two hands at once to create a rune. All the other things were in my left pocket, then my gaze shifted to my "teacher", Luna. She sat with her back to me next to the frozen pond and looked at the sky. Was that what she meant by ruthlessness? Just give a task and relax? Well, well.

Although we still don't need her help. If you beat the wall long and hard, then eventually it will fall.

Taking a deep breath, I stretched out both hands forward trying not to pay attention to the fact that I can't see them. Slowly, I began to release one line from each finger and slowly weave them into a single picture. Fortunately, the lines of my magic were visible despite the invisibility. The outer circle, the central circle was given extremely easily. Even the outer outline of the square did not seem too difficult. Now the most difficult part. Hatching.

Slowly, I began to draw new lines from one side of the square to the other. I squinted hard while focusing on it and even felt sweat start to appear on my forehead. Suddenly, the entire run began to shake as if it was on the verge of collapse. My eyes widened at the sight of it, and my mind quickly started searching for what was wrong. Breathing? No, it's stable and deep. Then what's wrong?

"Calm down. You're straining too hard." Luna said, giving her voice, probably for the first time in the last half hour.

I was about to reply irritably, but I didn't want to be distracted from the rune. If it doesn't work out, I can just try again, right? Slowly, I began to exhale air as the hatching came to an end. Yes, I can just try again. In this situation, I have the right to do so.

Of course, you have the right to make a mistake. Tell this to the soldiers who died because of your mistake, your desire to relax and go to the spa.

Restraining the glee from finishing the hatching, I gritted my teeth and just kept the rune intact for a few more seconds. Eventually I relaxed and the rune activated instantly making me visible. Seeing my arms, legs and clothes again, I smiled with satisfaction. Then a frown appeared on my face. The only reason I got into such a predicament is Luna's instruction that I study this useless rune. How does she think I should use this in combat?

"What now?" I asked reluctantly, slowly approaching Luna. Of course, it would be nice to have a sparring match like before. Although I will be satisfied if she just tells me something useful.

Hearing this, Luna abruptly raised her head a little and looked at me. When she saw that I had become visible, she nodded slightly and looked at the moon again and said, "Very good. You spent a little more time on this than we expected, but it will do. So you can go. You need to recover a little more. "

Nodding in response, I turned around on the spot and grabbed the cube with my tentacles before pulling it to me. My left hand clenched tightly holding the cube in an attempt to warm it. Despite my efforts, the metal that lay on the ground for so long remains cold. Reluctantly, I threw the cube into my right pocket, which had been empty before.

"Before you leave," Luna said, making me turn around. I put my hand on my side and raised an eyebrow, waiting for any words. Hearing only the howling of the wind in the distance, I began to hurriedly tap my foot on the ground. And after that, too, no words followed.

Stop acting like your sister and talk, Luna!

Taking a deep breath Luna quickly blurted out: "What do you think about my night?"

Tilting my head to the side and squinting, I looked at her. Unfortunately, she continued to sit with her back to me, not letting me read the emotions. Suddenly, I felt the glasses start to slide down. Just because I tilted my head!?

Quickly grabbing my glasses with my left hand, I focused again on the strange question and the woman who asked it. What does she think I should answer? My gaze shifted to the starry sky in search of some kind of answer. No, let me ask you a better question. How do you even answer the question "What do you think about my night?"

If it is not clear how to do something, you have to do it the way you used to . . . As part of the deal, of course.

A small grunt escaped from my mouth when I started approaching Luna mentally sketching out options for how to answer her stupid question. In the end I walked up to her at arm's length and looked at the night sky again and said: "The night is like the night. Just the position of a celestial body in space characterized by darkness, cold and the appearance of another celestial body only smaller. "

Luna has been just silent for a few seconds without turning around. Then she sighed and said in a slightly offended voice, " I see. Well, I won't stop you from looking for new problems. You can go now."

Do you hear that annoying whining in her voice? Me too, me too. It's better to suppress it here and now. Otherwise, an additional source of stress will be superfluous.

Putting my hand on her shoulder, I tightened my grip and reluctantly asked: "What's your problem?"

After a few moments of silence, Luna pulled her shoulder away from my hand and coldly replied, "Nothing. Everything is fine. It was my mistake. I don't know what answer we expected from you. "

Rolling my eyes I said trying not to show my annoyance: " Just because you have a problem doesn't mean you have to whine about it. The fact that you're hiding it doesn't change anything. You're whining just like a kid who hasn't been given candy. The only difference is that the child whines openly and you hide it very badly. "

Abruptly turning her head towards me, Luna glared at me with angry eyes and hissed: " It looks like you don't want to keep your dreams safe anymore. Well, I don't mind. Sooner or later it would have happened. So I think I should start checking your dreams. And it is possible to correct them a little. "

The deal is broken. The polite attitude condition has been removed. Now we can act with full force. We are launching a crushing offensive.

Kneading my knuckles, I smiled and said, "Very good. Now can you tell me about your problem? Or should I come up with my own version?"

In response, Luna snorted irritably and, continuing to drill me with her gaze, ordered: "Go to your room. And don't leave her until you're told otherwise. This is an order "

Ignoring her answer, I put my left thumb to my lip and began to reason out loud: " I can come up with a good version to discredit you. What is the meaning of your question? Maybe while I was sleeping you really liked one of my soldiers? Yes, yes it works. You asked me what I thought about your night. But you meant one jerk and not the time of day, right? "

" FOLLOW THE ORDER NOW! " Luna shouted loudly, making me stagger a little. It wasn't just a scream, no. It was like a small hurricane.

Having regained my balance I decided not to retreat and coming closer to her I said: "Wait, wait. Just tell me what your problems are so that I can cancel your whining once and for all. It's a matter of a couple of minutes, maximum. "

Anger remained on Luna's face, but despite this, she grinned maliciously and said: " You? Will you solve our problems? Don't be ridiculous. All the most difficult problems that you have ever faced together are incomparable with one of mine."

Someone is measuring the length of the penis. And some people measure the scale of their problems. Both are disgusting.

"What is the point of measuring the scale of problems?" I asked, tilting my head to the side.

Not hearing the answer in the next moment, I shrugged and continued to say, "I just don't really understand it. What's the point of discussing who has a worse life? Why would I talk to a child from a rich family about the fact that I didn't have such a good childhood as he did? "

Sighing, I shook my head slightly and said, completely immersed in my thoughts: " It's even worse when people who have about the same fate in their negativity argue. When an orphan and a child from a really disgusting family argue about who has lived a worse life, do you know how it looks to me? Fighting shit and urine. It's just not interesting. "

Focusing on Luna again, I ended my speech with the words: "Here, answer me a question. What will change in my life if I talk to everyone I meet about being beaten by my father?"

Luna's eyes widened slightly and she looked at me incredulously. For a moment I just stared at her with a curious look. Then the fact of the mistake reached my brain.

I remind you, crybaby, that our task is to get her to tell her problems. Now you're doing exactly the opposite. Rephrase it quickly!

Putting my fist in my mouth, I cleared my throat a little before saying, "I meant, why would I try to prove to someone that my problems are worse? Why would I approach an orphan and say that he should be grateful that he didn't have a cruel father? It becomes even stranger if I don't even know what a person's problem is, but I have already declared that my problems are more serious. And in general, what is the problem of approaching an absolutely random person and telling about all your problems if it can make it easier? The last time I checked, it wasn't covered by the law. "

When I finished my speech, the anger in Luna's eyes subsided significantly and she seemed to think about my questions. In the end, she sighed and said, looking away, " Thank you. We'll think about it. But now we are not ready to talk about this. "

I squinted and frowned for a moment. Were all these useless phrases said in vain? Did I waste precious minutes just so she wouldn't answer? That is, the next time I see her, will she continue to keep a nagging facial expression on her face? My hand reflexively clenched into a fist while I tried not to show emotions too vividly.

Defeat, Crybaby~

With an exasperated sigh, I turned away and, before heading towards my room, said: "Okay. Keep your problems to yourself if you want it so much. Just please try not to make a sad face when next to me. It annoys me terribly. "

Luna's frown reappeared on her face and clenching her teeth, she said slowly: " Did I tell you to follow orders quickly? "

I nodded slowly in response, crystal clear understanding the hint. But before heading to my room, I pulled a note from Celestia out of my pocket and said, " Give this to Celestia. I recommend not reading it. I've heard that people don't like it when they tell the truth about their relatives. "

Rolling her eyes, Luna made her horn glow and a note lit up with it. Snatching it out of my hand Luna raised it to her eyes and said with a chuckle: " Why am I not surprised."

Shrugging my shoulders, I turned away from Luna again and started walking towards my room. : "Because it's true. Anyway, for now. See you when I see you."

Without waiting for her answer, I quickened my pace to get to my room as quickly as possible. The last time there were sheets of paper and pencils. It's the most valuable thing right now, in general. The ability to write down thoughts or at least make a plan for the day has been already valuable as a way to allocate time as efficiently as possible. I hope all these things have not disappeared during my absence.

Almost as soon as I was in the castle, everything became muddy. And it only became even more muddy. My eyes widened at the sight of it, and for a few moments I just watched as everything became more and more muddy. In the end, my hand cautiously reached for the glasses and took them off. The turbidity remained, but at least the nearest objects looked normal. Glancing at the glasses, I saw what the problem was. They fogged up just like a car window in winter.

"Don't touch the fogged glass with your hands! There will be streaks and then you will wash the glass!"

"Well done, Father. During my upbringing, he gave me a couple of useful tips. And gave two tons of shit." I said quietly before thinking about what to do with misted glasses if you can't wipe them with your fingers. Then my eyes fell on my coat. Reluctantly, I slowly brought the glasses to my coat and quickly rubbed the lenses on it. After wiping my glasses, I brought them close to my eyes and, seeing that everything was fine, put them on before continuing on my way.

As I moved away from Luna, I began to feel the lines again, and with them a slight headache. It's good that I'm at least slowly getting used to it. If the pain remained the same as the first time, then everything would be much more complicated. Sighing, I shook my head and stood in the middle of the corridor. Now we need to remember where to go.

Turning my head to the right, I saw a long corridor through the stained-glass windows of which moonlight filtered through. Turning to the left, I saw a corridor with doors. Unfortunately, there were crisstalls on these doors. Not my stop. Looking ahead, I saw a small corridor that quickly went to the fork.

We will walk along the left wall until we feel or hear the soldiers.

Nodding to myself, I put my left hand on the wall and walked down the left corridor trying to ignore the doors. As I progressed, I tried to memorize every turn to make a map of the castle. During the time I haven't been here, I've already forgotten most of the corridors. With the card, you will not have to rely on memory, which is obvious, however.

Ah, maps, maps, maps how I love maps. Paper maps, electronic maps, star maps, political maps, physical maps, resource maps, climate maps.

Shaking my head, I tried to request these thoughts as far as possible and focus on the lines again. Once again, turning left, I saw an interesting detail. Two ponies in golden armor were standing next to one of the doors. Although "standing" is a big word. They didn't react to me in any way, but at the same time their eyes were open. Seeing this, I stood right in front of them and frowned. They're not dead. If they were, the lines would just go through them. Do they really know how to sleep with their eyes open? I even gave them a little... jealous?

Cupping my chin in my hand, in an attempt to distract myself, I looked at the door that the guards were guarding. There were a lot of crystals on it that seemed to add up to some kind of image. I stared at the gems for a few seconds while my sleep-deprived brain tried to figure out what they were. In the end, I snapped my fingers realizing what it was. A specific image of the sun.

Do you think this is Celestia's office? Or maybe even her bedroom?

I stood in silence for a few seconds while my sleep-deprived brain tried to figure out what was happening to the lines right now. If they do not feel, then this is the bedroom. Otherwise, it's an office. I can't imagine anything else behind this door.

Eventually it dawned on me that the invisible lines were in perfect order and that there was no one behind the door. Slowly, I went to the door and opened it slightly. Surprisingly, the office was not closed. Looking through the crack and squinting, I could not see more things. A window through which moonlight breaks through, a wooden table on which there are a lot of papers and a large armchair. Before I did anything further, I glanced at the guards. Still standing and still, judging by the lack of any reaction, sleeping. Nodding to myself, I turned my gaze back to the papers. It will be useful to find out what problems there are in Equestria. Although it would be a great happiness for me if other ponies did not trust Celestia to solve problems .

To then demonstrate how Perfection can solve this.

Nodding to myself once more, I began to tiptoe slowly inside Celestia's office. Every moment I turned back to make sure that the soldiers were still sleeping standing up. Finding no new movements, my eyes focused on the cherished goal. Documentaries. Standing right in front of the table with them, one unpleasant fact reached me.

What should you do if someone notices that the location of the documents has changed?

At first, I tried to dismiss this thought as ordinary paranoia. Who will remember and even more so check what angle is located on which document? Nobody's going to do this, right? The last time I checked, normal people don't do this. They didn't become sharply meticulous, did they!?

"We can't take any chances." I whispered to myself before standing over one of the stacks of documents. Instead of taking documents and looking through everything, I can just look. This is the best thing I could come up with to get information and at the same time not to inflame paranoia even more.

After running through a few papers, I first sighed in disappointment. There is nothing here but useless proposals of the nobles to raise the price of cheese by type. Then my gaze fell on several sheets with the material I needed. After going through the papers, I identified several problems for myself that can be solved relatively quickly and simply. Problem number one: Railways. To be precise, there are a small number of them and the overload of existing ones. Problem number two: Slowly but steadily growing unemployment. So far, unemployment is only five percent. But, according to the report, last year it was three and a half percent. Growth, to put it mildly, is decent.

Having once again looked at all the papers, I came to a not too happy conclusion. I'm not sure how to solve the rest of the problems. Too little data. In a good way, we should have already looked at the resource and political map of this world in order to plan any actions. Better late than never.

Oh yes, maps, maps, maps.

Shaking my head slightly, I carefully turned around on the spot and slowly walked out of the office. Fortunately, the floor was of high quality and did not creak under my weight. We can only pray that no one finds out about this penetration.

As soon as my foot stepped into the territory outside of Celestia's office, I wrapped my left hand around the handle and gently closed the door. As soon as there was a quiet click, I took a few steps to the side in case the guards woke up. I stared into their open eyes for a few seconds, waiting for some reaction. As a last resort, I began to slowly prepare the invisibility rune in my hand. Okay, you got it, Luna. Invisibility can be useful.

But the guards continued to stand still and sleep with their eyes open. Sighing, I unwound the wound, causing it to hang in the air and slowly walked down the corridor. As I moved away from the office, I tried to suppress all the stress I received from him. Even the fact that I have to hide something is already stressful. Silence is also a lie.

And what now? Do you really think that your personal preferences have the right to stand in the way of universal freedom?

As soon as this question appeared in my brain, I stopped and looked around. Empty, the lines also do not indicate anyone's presence. Slowly releasing the air, I put my head against the wall and said softly: "I don't remember. Where and what begins."

Pushing off with my hand from the wall, I headed down the corridor making a plan. To hell with all the plans to fix Equestria problems that I don't give a shit about. As soon as I manage to find my room, I will start writing a clear and strict distinction. In the left column there will be my personal qualities, in the right the traits of Perfection. It should have been done a long time ago.

I agree. I should have written my own manifesto a long time ago.

Very slowly, I nodded to myself. It is possible that based on the table that I will write, I will be able to make a manifest in the future. Well, these are just plans for the future. The table is now, the manifest is some time later.

A serious part of me continued to insist on writing a full-fledged manifesto as early as possible. But I actively suppressed them by continuing to walk down the corridor and feel my soldiers. The main thing is not to confuse their silhouettes with Pegasus or any other ponies.

After making another turn, I took a few steps forward and felt the pony. After a couple more steps, a few more appeared. And eventually the lines took on the silhouette of more than twenty thestrals. Realizing this, I began to walk quickly towards the silhouettes, wanting to get to my room as soon as possible. At some point, my ears caught someone's unintelligible speech. After a few moments, I reached one large door and sighed in disappointment. The soldiers were not gathered near my room, but somewhere else. I hope for a week while I was sleeping they were able to remember where the bedrooms are.

With a light push, I opened the door and took a step forward. My entrance was accompanied by the loud sound of an open door hitting the wall, which caused all the soldiers in the room to look at me. Standing on the spot, I looked around the whole room. It was the dining room where I made my proposal to Celestia a long time ago. It's even better that she didn't agree. Otherwise, I would have had a huge supply of tasteless meat.

Shaking my head slightly, I went back to looking around the room. Several tables were pushed towards each other forming a huge table around which all the soldiers were sitting. There was no food or even appliances in front of them. Did they really make so much effort to discuss who would cook the food? No matter. In any case, after glancing at their expressions, I could hardly contain a wave of irritation. Their faces reflected, to varying degrees, despondency and sadness. On the one hand, I can understand them. But on the other hand, is it really so difficult not to show all this annoying despondency?

Don't worry, we have an extremely simple task ahead of us. It is already clear to us what the reason for despondency is. It remains only to deal with the problem. The temporary solution is to talk, the permanent solution is to kill Ahirata.

I began to slowly approach the table without saying a word. The Thestrals looked at me nervously and their fear was felt in the room. It looks like this is a much more complicated problem than I thought earlier. Taking air into my lungs once again, I put my left hand on the table and calmly asked: "Well, what are you doing here?"

All the thestrals began to look at each other and mutter something unintelligible. It was as if they were choosing their representatives. In the end, the eyes of most of them focused on Flying. He slowly stood up with a grunt and replied trying to sound carefree: "We just choose who will cook today. An ordinary cook is already asleep at this time, so we have been cooking for ourselves for the last week."

I tilted my head slightly to the side looking at Flying's face. His face, unlike all the other Thestrals, did not radiate any despondency. It's great that at least one person doesn't whine. Even if that one person is an idiot. Sighing, I asked another question: "How is the guy you allegedly accidentally broke a rib?"

Instead of Flying, my question was answered by another thestral who raised a hoof up: "I'm the one you're talking about, sir. The rib still hurts, but I can live."

Shouldn't he be in bed for at least another week?

Deciding to postpone the questions for later, I nodded slowly and took a deep breath. It's time to get busy. After a few seconds of silence, trying not to focus on my stress, I said: "Okay, let's talk about the main topic. As I can see from your sad faces, information has reached you. One third of the soldiers are dead. "

After these words, all the soldiers with the exception of Flying bowed their heads and looked away from me. I saw it, my eyes widened slightly for a moment, but I quickly calmed down after realizing what was what. Most likely, they are ashamed of their own impotence at the attack of that bastard. Well, they have the right to do so. But the main blame is still on me. Whining doesn't make sense.

Taking another breath, I slowly asked, trying not to pay attention to someone's quiet muttering: "When you joined the Guard, you didn't expect something like this to happen, did you? And even more so, you did not assume that you would be powerless in this situation, right?"

After my question, all the thestrals, without exception, nodded slightly. Before asking the most important question, I examined all the soldiers again. Most of them, judging by their appearance, in addition to sadness and guilt, also experienced stress. Some of them did not hold themselves well in hand and were shaking slightly.

Removing my hand from the table, I took a step back and calmly asked: "After what happened, are there any of you who no longer want to be under my command?"

After these words left my lips, all activity in the room was frozen. Everyone who was shaking stopped shaking and the muttering also subsided. After what seemed like a silent eternity, one thestral lifted a hoof up. Then a couple more.

Well, we begin to disperse the gloom.

I had already taken a deep breath to start talking, but a couple more thestrals lifted their hooves into the air. And Lord, they kept even more depressing expressions on their faces than the others. Squinting, I looked at everyone present and asked with irritation in my voice: "Is this everyone who wants to?"

Seeing no new hooves in the air, I took a deep breath to think about everything and gather my strength. Exhale. With a sharp lunge, I took a step towards the table and loudly hit it with the palm of my hand. A few chips flew into the air, but fortunately I was able not to break the table. All the Thestrals pressed their ears to their heads and stared at me in shock. Without giving them a break, I said loudly: "Your whining will not be able to resurrect anyone, or at least compensate for the damage to the families of the victims."

I took a small breath and hit the table again before continuing my speech: "You are so good. At the first threat, you are going to run as far as possible and as soon as possible! And don't you dare say that the death of a comrade was unexpected for you! All of you are at least eighteen years old and you did not realize that death will be an integral part of your life, especially after joining the army? Have you ever thought that at least your mother and father will die? Seriously!?"

You're going the wrong way. Our task is to convince them that we need to continue working three times better or at least as before. Now you're only driving them into an existential crisis.

Taking a deep breath, I ran my hand through my hair that had grown out and said, adjusting my glasses a little calmer: "I am ready to offer everyone here the opportunity to avenge comrades or, God forbid, friends. I was able to get opportunities from the princesses to create new weapons and, if possible, armor. You have the right to take revenge on the one who killed your friends. And I am ready to provide an opportunity. I demand only two things from you. "I stopped talking, letting all the thestrals absorb the information. The overwhelming majority of them looked at me with both interest and impatience. Smiling slightly, I began to speak, accompanying each point by raising one finger: " Firstly, until the bastard is killed and dismembered, you remain in the army. After that? If you want, leave. No one will hold you. Secondly, I expect that when it comes to a real fight, you will obey my orders. I don't need you all to rush at the enemy at the same time and die. You will strictly follow my every order. Do you agree to these terms?"

As soon as I finished speaking, Rising abruptly stood up from his seat and said loudly, "Yes. Yes, I agree, Mr. Sir Boss!"

A smile appeared on my face as soon as I heard this and only got bigger while the other thestrals also agreed. After a couple of minutes, there was only one who did not agree. Flying. Glancing at him, I suppressed my smile and calmly asked: "What about you?"

Flying chuckled slightly and replied without much enthusiasm: "Okay. I agree too. What do you want, Captain?"

Putting my hand to my chin, I rubbed it lightly, considering the possibilities. If they're eating for weeks cooking for themselves, then they don't need me. And if they want to choose who will cook, then I will not interfere with them. There are only two cases left. Return the Chrysalis locket and get to my room. I'll kill two birds with one stone.

"Rising, follow me. I need to talk to you." I said with a wave of my hand for mania Rising closer to me. He nodded actively and quickly ran around the table before standing right next to me. With a slight nod, I turned around on the spot holding my glasses and walked out of the dining room. Judging by the sound, Rising was following right behind me at a very close distance. If I stop, he might crash into me.

As if anyone should care.

Shaking my head, I turned the corner and took a step to the side so that Rising wouldn't crash into me. He walked a few more steps forward, but when he saw that I stopped, he looked at me curiously. For a few seconds, I stood still, trying to catch the nearby presence of someone other than my soldiers and Rising. After making sure that everything was in order, I asked quietly: "Did you hide the locket?"

Rising looked surprised for a moment and then actively nodded loudly saying, "Hid it! It is located in. . ."

What have you done, you idiot!? What if someone is hiding nearby?

Quickly putting two fingers to his lips, I cut him off before it was too late and quietly hissed: "Shh. Only you and I should know about this. Is that clear?"

Rising nodded slowly and after I removed my fingers from his mouth cautiously asked: "What's so important about this locket? If you don't mind telling me, of course, Mr. Sir Boss."

Classified.

"Listen, I'll tell you, I'll definitely tell you. But then." I said, hoping that this answer would settle him.

For a few seconds, Rising just looked at me as if he wanted me to tell him everything here and now. Seeing my lack of any reaction, he sighed and slightly stamped his hoof on the ground and said reluctantly: "Okay. But I want it to come as soon as possible. "

Rolling my eyes, I grinned slightly and said: " Believe me, I would also like it to come as soon as possible. But let's get to what's happening now. You probably already know that all the remaining soldiers were placed next to my room, right?"

Rising actively nodded and said excitedly, "Yes, we know! I even heard you talking to the princess of the night."

Don't worry. Nothing too meaningful was said. We continue to work at the usual pace.

Scratching the back of my head, I said, trying to contain my awkwardness: "Since you've been here for weeks, you probably already remember roughly where the bedrooms are, right?"

Rising in response scratched the back of his head with a hoof and said with an awkward smile: "Well, from the part. The last week we all just walked around the palace until one of the princesses showed us the way. But today we were able to find a dining room on our own. Is this a success, perhaps? "

Sighing, I took a step forward and pointing ahead said: " This is at least some kind of success. Let's try to repeat it and find my room."

The rising was silent for a few seconds and stood still, as if seriously considering whether he should help me. Does he have any business or what? In the end, he slowly exhaled and slowly walked forward, carefully looking around. Probably in search of a landmark. Delighted with his consent, I went toe-to-toe with him.

After a few moments of silence, I asked with curiosity in my voice: "By the way, how do my glasses look like?"

Rising kept walking awkwardly silent for a few seconds before hesitantly replying, "They're very um . . . round."

Translating from a delicate language it means: "You're ugly. Take them off."

Chuckling, I turned my gaze to the nearest wall and said, adjusting my glasses: "I want to tell you something for the future. Speak straight and fast. To be honest, I would appreciate your review of my glasses better if you immediately said that I'm ugly in them. Don't worry, I won't be offended."

Said the man who began to complex from the remark about the smell.

"No, no, sir, you look irresistible with glasses! I just don't understand them and didn't mean to say anything wrong!" Rising started to justify himself by stopping on the spot and turning to me.

Rolling my eyes, I put my hand on his head and said, slightly ruffling his hair: "Calm down. Most people are not able to respond to anything intelligible, even to a direct insult. Yes, I am an exception. But you can consider that you are in a safe zone. So answer the question honestly. "

Rising took a deep breath and said, looking away, " The glasses you look very, very strange. It just looks wrong. "

Nodding slightly, I removed my hand from his head and pointing my hand forward said: " I'm not too surprised by this fact, to be honest. In any case, it's time to get back to the main business. Continuing to walk towards the bedroom. "

Quickly nodding in response, Rising turned around on the spot and again actively went forward. Grinning slightly at the sight, I shook my head and followed him with long strides. Along the way, it became increasingly obvious that Rising, to put it mildly, does not perfectly remember the road. He was constantly looking around for some details and muttering something to himself.

"You have no idea where to go, do you?" I asked, hoping I was wrong. In response, Rising slightly slowed down the pace of his movement but did not say anything. I narrowed my eyes and began to drill into the back of his head. I told you just a minute ago to be honest and yet you don't answer the question?

However, you should not expect more from someone who does not strive for Perfection. Remember. He's a tool. All your soldiers are tools. Princesses are tools. There can be no question of any attachment.

Sighing with disappointment, I was about to repeat my question, but Rising said loudly while looking around the corridor: "No, sir! I remember this corridor."

Without waiting for my answer, Rising accelerated sharply and began to run forward along the corridor at full speed. Seeing this, my eyes widened slightly and I remained standing in place being confused. Eventually, I got my bearings and started running after the Rising. I really hope he's not lying.

After a while Rising stopped next to a door devoid of any crystals and catching his breath said: "It should be here. If I remember correctly, this is the only room that we were forbidden to visit. I think it's yours."

Can we trust his intuition?

With a grunt of approval, I put my hand on the door handle and before opening it, I said: "Great, Rising. To be honest, I didn't expect you to succeed. Now I have just one request left for you for today. Can you bring the locket to my room?"

After a few deep breaths, Rising wearily raised his head, but despite his own condition, he actively nodded and went somewhere forward. Smiling at the sight of his obedience, I opened the door and went into the room, slamming it behind me. My eyes widened slightly at the sight of my room.

Firstly, on the bed, instead of a red blanket that I tore to make a T-shirt, there was a brand new blue one. Secondly, on the wall directly above my mole hung a picture of a mountain landscape enveloped in snow. For a few seconds I looked at the picture appreciatively, tilting my head from side to side. In the end, I shrugged and continued to look around the room. There is only one thing left that has changed. The bookcase that I sorted so hard a long time ago has been replaced. It was replaced with a regular wardrobe.

Who did this? Celestia? Luna? Or just some random idiot?

Restraining my irritation, I took a few steps to the wardrobe and opened it. Of course, there were no clothes lying there. Rolling my eyes, I said out loud: "No one will sew clothes for free. But everyone wants and can spoil the life of others just for fun."

Sighing, I turned around on the spot and went to the table and opened the middle drawer. A small smile appeared on my face at the sight of everything remaining in its place. In the middle drawer there were several sheets of paper on which lay several well-sharpened pencils.

I grabbed a pencil and a piece of paper with my left hand before throwing both items on the table. Then I sat down on a chair and moved closer to the table and took a pencil. After drawing a line that divided the sheet in half, I began to think where to start. On the left are my personal traits and on the right is Perfection. So let's start with a simple one. Honesty. This is my personal trait. It has nothing to do with Perfection.

Have you forgotten about the new logic, crybaby? I remind you that the new logic presupposes honesty, straightforwardness, unwillingness to justify oneself and maximum use of freedom. These are traits acquired through Perfection, not your own.

I leaned back in my chair and stared at the ceiling, thinking. What happened before? Have I always been straightforward? No, probably not. Have I tried to justify myself before? No, I used to constantly justify myself in order not to get punished by my father. Have I used freedom to the maximum before? Have I ever had one before? No, I think not. Honesty is definitely mine. I remember exactly that when I got a bad grade on the geometry exam, I... lied to my father. Yes, I lied.

"Do I have anything of my own?" I asked quietly, squinting at the ceiling. After a few seconds of silence, I took off my glasses and carefully placed them on the table before returning to the ceiling. Think, stupid head, think. What do you have? What exactly is your part not as not related to Perfection?

Nothing.

No matter how much I thought, nothing came to mind. There was a deathly silence in the room, in the head, and in the neighborhood as a whole, which was not interrupted by anything. Not even one pony is around, judging by the lines. Well, well. One problem after another.

After a while, the silence was interrupted by the sensation of someone moving. Turning towards the door, I smiled slightly. At least something works well and stably. A few seconds later, there was a knock on my door, making me grin. I told him to bring me the locket, and he still knocks on the door first?

Shaking my head, I took a deep breath and shouted, "Come in!"

The next moment, Rising came into the room, holding the medallion with his teeth. Ugh. He stood in the doorway as if expecting me to come up and take the amulet myself. But I sat down so well. However, laziness at such a time is unacceptable.

With a quiet grunt, I got up from my chair, leaning on the table and taking a few steps towards Rising, carefully snatched the medallion from his teeth. He cleared his throat slightly after I did this and politely asked: "Do you need anything else, Mr. Sir Boss?"

Wiping the saliva from the locket on my coat, I replied: "No, Rising, I don't need anything. You can do whatever you want. The main thing is to close the door before you leave."

Rising actively nodded and turned around on the spot before walking to the door. Doing a similar action I got on a chair and before sitting on it I said turning around: "And remember one thing, Rising. You are not my servant. You just obey my orders sometimes. But otherwise you have complete freedom. Do whatever you want."

After these words, Rising stopped in the doorway and stood with his back to me for a few moments. In the end, he gave a barely perceptible nod and hurriedly left the room, closing the room behind him. Sighing, I turned my attention back to the ceiling and started thinking again. After a few empty seconds, I picked up the locket and looked at its silver part. The moonlight was reflected from the metal, and with it I myself.

Looking into my own reflection, before returning to fruitless reflections, I said: "What kind of creature are you, huh?"

The right to kill

POV Ahirata

Fear. Panic. Misunderstanding. Trembling all over the body. A puzzled look of the one who hung on my arm. A free being. His quiet companion hiss. And worst of all, the approaching loud trampling of someone's large paws.

"Hey, did you see that too? Someone was standing right next to our lava lake. And it's not even a dragon! " A man's voice said indignantly as he approached my shelter in the form of a rock. As he approached, I closed my eyes and began to quickly scroll through in my head how I got into this situation.

After a whole day of constant driving south, I was able to reach the wasteland. The sun has just started to rise. Initially, no creatures were found, and I was even able to get to the lava lake without incident. I didn't have time to be happy that the first component for creating a normal body was received, as several dragons flew out of nowhere in my direction. All I managed to do was hiding behind a small rock.

My eyes opened when the stomping got even closer. My eyebrows furrowed in an attempt to figure out what to do. If several dragons suddenly die, it can create a noise. And then I'll have to run even further south and even faster. Of course, I can handle the simple damned ones. But with a misguided creature, and even more so with the possessors of unholy power? No, this fight will be doomed.

No, wait. Dragons usually collect a lot of crystals. If I find some cave and find the right crystals, then I can turn these dragons into dolls, into golems. Then I can just create a cave next to this lake while the puppets are looking for the right materials.

I nodded to myself, continuing to tremble slightly and concentrated on the staff. Through him, my magic began to flow into the ground in small quantities. After a few moments, I felt the vibrations of the dragon's step, which allowed me to know for sure where he was. After releasing some magic into the rock, I began to concentrate the power in it in preparation for the attack. The main thing is to do everything subtly and quickly. It is impossible to allow too much damage.

Slowly poking his head out from behind the other side of the cliff, the head of a young red dragon stared at me. In the next moment, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Damn it, your time to be free has come. You don't have to run from the truth anymore. Exhaling, I abruptly directed my magic from the rock into the dragon's head along the way, giving it the shape of a spear. Pure magic with small pieces of stone pierced into the dragon's head, creating a tiny hole in it. Taking another breath, I caused the part of the spear that was already in the dragon's head to swell like a single fish. The brain of the damned was completely destroyed in the blink of an eye. Exhaling, I quickly returned the magic to the rock, thus forcing the cursed one to fall free.

One dragon started running towards its fallen brother while I was preparing for another attack. My companion in the form of a free creature wrapped around my arm and hissed slightly. However, he didn't seem to mind my actions. Thank you for the blessing, free.

As soon as the dragon was in my field of vision, I closed my eyes again, preparing to repeat the maneuver. But suddenly my ears caught the sound of a deep breath coming from above. I looked up and my eyes widened at the sight of a dragon hovering in the air, the fire was almost starting to come out of its mouth. I started pulling magic out of the rock while grabbing a rock behind me to create a protective sphere. Due to the rush, the elongated rock was covered with cracks in some places and could collapse at any moment. Especially if I stop supporting the rock with magic. But despite this, the stone sphere eventually closed completely, leaving free and me in darkness and safety.

It's okay, it's okay. I just need to create a crack in the rock to see the dragons and then repeat the attack. I just need to aim well.

Before I could do anything, I felt a growing warmth. Do they keep releasing their fire? Squinting, I focused on the walls of the sphere while trying to strengthen each vulnerable area with my magic. In many places, small pieces began to break off from the sphere and steam came out. Amid the fiery breath of the dragons, the splashing of steam and chipping, I heard something terrible. Someone's breathing is very rapid.

Glancing at my right paw, I was horrified. The free creature hanging on my arm was breathing very very intensely and waving her head aimlessly. It's like he's suffering from the heat. No, it can't die now. I haven't made it up to him yet. Slowly, rage began to build in me. These damned creatures. They saw exactly what a free one was weighing on my arm. And yet you still decided to put him in danger? This. . . THIS. . .

"THIS IS ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE! FOR THIS, AHIRATA, I WILL CONQUER YOU!" I roared before I started releasing huge amounts of magic into the ground. Because of this action, I felt my whole body start to heat up a lot. Even stronger than from the flames of the most terrible criminals.

Concentrating the magic right under me, I took a deep breath, preparing for what I would do. How many years has it been since the last time I did this? No matter. I need to remember all my tricks. In addition, this is exactly the punishment that these criminals deserve. Exhaling, I gathered various rocks under me into a huge paw and lifted myself up with it. In the next instant, I pulled all my magic out of the protective sphere, causing it to crumble into tiny pebbles.

For a moment I looked down at the criminals who remained in their places frozen with shock. I raised the staff up and began to concentrate a whirlwind of magic in it. When the staff was surrounded by a red mist through which only the glow of my native eyes penetrated, I sent a wave of magic into the ground. While I was doing all this, both dragons began to fly up to me. Enduring the pain, I closed my eyes and concentrated magic at two points on the ground.

At first, there was a shaking on the ground while she tried to keep her stones with her. In the next instant, two huge paws formed from the ground and began to quickly rise up to the dragons hovering in the air. With each passing moment, the paws were getting closer and closer to the dragons despite their active flapping of wings. Eventually, both paws reached the dragons and opened wide like the jaws of a shark. Here's your release, criminals. Then the paws clenched into fists at the same time flattening the dragons. A fountain of blood sprayed through the gaps between the fingers. The criminals have received their punishment.

Exhaling, I fell to my knees and groaned with pain all over my body. Along with this, all the artificial paws that I created slowly began to crumble. Fortunately, there was still enough time to catch your breath before the complete destruction. After catching my breath a little, I turned my gaze to my companion. He continued to hang on my right arm and surprisingly looked at me without any hissing. And well, for small things, in some places my skin took a charred black color. However, I can go on living.

Nodding slowly, I put the staff on the still intact artificial paw and took a deep breath. Then I scratched the snake's head with one of my claws and politely asked: "My apologies for the inconvenience provided, free. But as I stated earlier, I need to make amends. You won't have to endure my presence forever."

In response, the snake hissed slightly. But this time without any aggression. It's like she's agreeing to stay with me. Smiling slightly, I cautiously asked another question: "Do you mind waiting a few minutes before we go downstairs?"

In response, I was greeted by another calm hiss that significantly increased my smile. Starting to stroke the snake on the head a little more intensely, I said, before continuing to rest on my knees: "It won't take too long. Give me a couple of minutes to rest and I'll be ready to move on. Fortunately, our road may end here. You just need to change the landscape a little. And you don't have to worry about criminals or me."

After all, in the end, bringing justice is more important than my own safety.

POV Daniel

My gaze was blankly directed at the ceiling. How long have I been looking into it? Judging by the fact that my room has already become very lit, it can be assumed that several hours have passed. My gaze shifted to the window for a moment. Bright light was coming out of it and the blue sky was visible. No sunset or sunrise. I exhaled slowly, trying to vent my irritation. It's been a very long time, definitely more than a couple of hours. And all this time was wasted.

I picked up my glasses from the table and put them on before starting to look around the room for anything suspicious. It will be bad if one of the princesses comes into the room and I have to actively lie. It's unpleasant. At first, my eyes fell on sheets of paper and pencils. But nothing special was written there. Although it would be nice if at least something was written.

There would be a long column of traits inherent in perfection if you just admitted that you don't have anything of your own. But nooo, a crybaby needs to prove her importance to herself. And as always unsuccessful.

I shook my head and looked down at my chest. There was a medallion hooked around the neck. Just in case, I quickly began to fasten my coat to make sure the locket was hidden from prying eyes. When I was done with that, I sighed irritably. There's nothing to do. From the word at all.

Out of boredom, I propped my head on my fist and looked out the window. When was the last time Chrysalis got in touch? Two weeks ago? More? Right now I'm so bored that I wouldn't mind getting some kind of assignment. She probably can't figure out how to use me when I'm around princesses. Ha. That is, if the attack on Ponyville at the time would have been successful, then now I would have had a bunch of tasks? I wonder, I would just be sent to random cities and told to attack them? Not that I was much against it.

Stop dreaming, crybaby. You have exactly one life that can't be wasted. It doesn't make sense to dream about how everything would have happened if you had done something differently. The elections have been made, mistakes have been made, the results have been obtained and analyzed. And that's great.

"I know." I said to myself under my breath before turning my gaze back to the ceiling. Out of boredom, I took a pencil in my hand and started twisting it. After a few seconds, I closed my eyes, making another attempt to fall asleep. Take a deep breath. Almost no pain. Pacification. Exhale. Relaxation. A small grin appeared on my face. How good that there are only thestrals nearby who are sleeping at this time. Since they hardly move, the lines are also calm and do not provoke a headache. So I even have a chance to sleep.

Not so fast, crybaby. Do you feel it?

I frowned, trying to ignore the rapid movement of the lines. It's simple. It's just that the brain is slowly shutting down. Yes, that's right. This is definitely not the approach of one of the princesses. One hundred percent.

I kept my eyes closed as the lines went further and further away. In the end, they completely disappeared from my perception and the headache went with them. I struggled to suppress the urge to open my eyes and get up from the chair. I feel like now is my chance. A chance to sleep.

With a creak, the door to the room opened and I was greeted by the voice of the most annoying woman: "Good morning, my little human. My sister gave me your note."

Do you feel all that sweetness in her voice too?

Taking a deep breath, I opened my eyes and slowly got up from the chair and asked: "Finally something to do."

Celestia chuckled slightly and said with a wave of her hoof to the side, "Not so fast, my little human. We still have a lot of time before those whom you have chosen get to Canterlot. So I have time to reprimand you. "Stretching slightly, I yawned and said, " What a pity that I don't care. All the words you say will be nothing more than shaking the air, Celly."

Instead of answering, Celestia flashed her horn and the next moment my bag appeared on the bed. I cast my gaze towards the bag for a moment before returning to Celestia again. Sighing, she began to speak in a strange, soft tone: "You forgot your bag with your things at the hospital. So I brought them to myself. But in the future, please don't forget."

You know, instead of staring at the ceiling, you could quickly go to the hospital and pick up your things. But the crybaby again decided to engage in degradation.

Shaking my head slightly, I took a step forward and asked with clenched teeth: "What do you expect to hear in response to this? Should I bow my head guiltily and say that this will not happen again? Or should I bow to you and start kissing your heels for such a favor? What do you want from me!? "

Sighing, Celestia slowly shook her head and took a step forward to meet her calmly asked: " Shhh, there's no reason to be angry. Something unpleasant has happened and now you're pouring all your anger on me?"

Taking a deep breath, I took the glasses with my left hand and hooked them into my pocket with my darling. Then I wrapped two fingers around the bridge of my nose and said: "I just can't sleep. And lately I've been suffering one defeat after another. The fact that I can't at least qualitatively guess what you need from me already angers me to the point of outrage. Oh, and of course the fact that a fool like you runs the country."

Celestia rolled her eyes and calmly replied: "There is no need to insult me. Absolutely none. This is the first. Secondly, life is not only about victory and defeat. It doesn't make sense to dwell on such things. Just to get distracted by something else. "

Sighing, I put my glasses back on and adjusted them slightly.: " Your approach is absolutely wrong. In order for the words to work on the interlocutor, one or another lever of pressure is needed. The simplest is physical strength. If you want to play the great diplomat, then just insist until the interlocutor says yes. Learn from me while you're alive. "

Celestia shook her head and changed the subject: " Anyway, Luna brought me your note. And despite all your rudeness, I am ready to fulfill the requirements set out in it. We just need to discuss some details."

Remember, we didn't go into the office. We are not even sure of its existence.

For a few moments I stood there tapping my foot on the floor, waiting for some kind of continuation. But he wasn't there. She just stopped talking at the most interesting place. Casting a slightly annoyed glance at Celestia, I asked: "First of all, can we do it on the way to the office, if there is one? And secondly, can you finish a sentence after you have fully stated your thought? Or does your brain not take out such a load? "

Forcing out a small laugh, Celestia answered completely ignoring the second question: " Yes, there is an office. And yes, it would probably be better if we started talking on the way to him. Follow me."

Before following Celestia, I pulled the cube out of my pocket and carefully placed it on the bed. Alas, instead of going further, Celestia stood in the middle of the aisle. Is she so dumb that she can't trust me to lag behind a little? Okay. She's not worth my nerves.

Putting my left hand in my pocket, I started walking, and along with this, Celestia continued her movement. After leaving the room, my hand reflexively left my pocket and slammed the door loudly. Because of the loud sound, Celestia jumped slightly and looked at me with a mixture of interest and incomprehension. In response, I just shrugged my shoulders and motioned for her to move on. Reluctantly, Celestia nodded and turned away and walked forward.

How good that it turned out to avoid another useless conversation. It's a pity that it doesn't always work out that way.

As we walked forward, I looked around in search of something interesting. So let's see what's here. Stained glass windows through which sunlight breaks through? No, I'm not really interested in looking at all these images of Celestia rarely diluted by someone else. Then my gaze focused on something much more interesting. A pony walking down the corridor.

I adjusted my glasses slightly and focused my attention on him. The pony was wearing a black and white skirt instead of any armor. A maid? No matter. As soon as Celestia and the maid were separated by only a few steps, the second instantly bowed, almost hitting her head on the floor. Out of the corner of my eye, I looked at Celestia, expecting some kind of reaction. It can't be normal to bow so low, right?

Judging by Celestia's lack of reaction, such a low bow was absolutely normal. Trying not to pay attention to this, I began to look straight ahead so as not to see this ugliness. A simple bow already looks very disgusting. But so low? This is already worship as God.

Even the attitude to Perfection does not imply such a thing. The attitude to Perfection should be both admiration and a desire to develop the same high level of self-sufficiency. But worship? No, never.

Nodding to myself and making sure that we had already passed the maid, I glanced in the direction of Celestia. Does she really think she deserves this kind of treatment? It's so disgusting. My arrogance is justified, she is not.

"I think you've already guessed what I want to talk to you about. Celestia said without even crossing eyes with me. This statement stopped the flow of my thoughts and confused me. What should I have guessed? Did I forget something important?

"I don't know what you're talking about. I replied with a shrug and focused on Celestia's face. But just like last time, nothing was found.

" YOU didn't specify in the records the name of the blacksmith who will create everything that engineers and magicians will come up with. And knowing you, it wasn't due to the difficulty in choosing. " Celestia replied calmly and evenly. Hearing this, I just stared blankly ahead. Until the realization dawned on my sleep-deprived brain.

She guessed that you got into the hands of documents that you shouldn't have seen. You should have written down the name of a random blacksmith purely as a cover, crybaby. But of course you didn't. Now get out of it.

I furrowed my brows trying to figure out how to put everything aside. And preferably without resorting to lies. Taking a deep breath, I said absolutely calmly: "Yes, I saw the documents. Any questions?"

Just as planned, Celestia didn't answer right away. Quick recognition works. Taking advantage of the respite, I closed my eyes trying to concentrate on the further conduct of the conversation. And then a thought occurred to me. Why am I even worried about this?

Two reasons. First of all, you're a crybaby. Secondly, most likely she will put you in front of the fact that she will not allow you to spend a lot of money. And we will have to limit ourselves to one inefficient blacksmith.

"You do understand that the amount of money I have allocated for you does not imply mass production, much less production from an entire company?" Celestia asked rhetorically with a slight dissatisfaction in her voice. It's like she's telling me off for bad behavior.

At first, in response to this, my brain could not come up with more than one decent answer. I haven't even figured out how to make money fast. Not to mention starting the implementation. And then, an elementary solution came to my brain. Temporary, but at least a solution. First the work - then the payment.

Now form it properly.

Casting a smug glance in the direction of Celestia, I boldly replied: "Don't worry, I remember everything perfectly. And I have with me such an elementary plan that even you will understand. First the work - then the payment."

Celestia looked at me with annoyance and asked: "Even so, your opponent could show up at any moment. It may appear tomorrow, in a week or even later. You can't delay your salary forever. "

" I know, I know. But an extra week will allow me to use the opportunities. If I try, even one extra day will be enough for me to get extra funds. " I retorted, keeping full confidence while plans began to be characterized in my head. Plan A: Dragon Gold. Perhaps the simplest. The only problem is the difficulty of moving all this stuff. Plan B: Hunting with soldiers and then mass sale of skins. Capitalism, after all. And finally, the most unpleasant and bad plan. Plan C: Ask for funds from the Mayor of Manhattan. I hope he liked my idea of free trade.

"Oh? And what is it?" Celestia asked with feigned curiosity. Obviously, she thinks my ideas are bad in advance.

"It's none of your business. I have an assumption that you spend any extra money on decorating the castle with all sorts of crystals. Therefore, it's better for you not to bother your head with such details as my plans. For the security of additional funds, of course. Just know that I have three plans for how to get money quickly. " I replied, not wanting to spend three hours explaining my plans to her. Although not. Three hours won't be enough. Arguing with someone who perceives morality as at least something is very problematic.

Sighing irritably, Celestia shook her head slightly and continued walking forward in silence. Finally, small but victory. Having breathed in the fresh air with satisfaction, I smiled slightly and adjusted my glasses once again. I hope I'll get used to wearing them someday.

Or that you're a mole now. The choice is yours of course.

After a short silent walk, Celestia and I reached her office. Just like last night, there were a lot of crystals on the door that together created the silhouette of the sun. But there was one alarming difference. There were no guards near the door. Are they allowed to take time off from work, or does everyone think that I don't need to provide security? Although in the second option they are right.

Celestia's clearing of her throat brought me back to reality and made me look at her. As soon as Celestia saw me looking at her, she nodded slightly and said, "Okay, I'll trust your plans and ideas. You can stay in my office until the candidates arrive. They'll be here soon. In half an hour maximum."

In response, I nodded and took a step towards the door before kicking it open with a light kick. Now In the office, unlike at night, more than one document was no longer lying. However, it is not surprising. All it contained was a pen, an inkwell, and a few blank sheets of paper. I was about to enter the office and sit on a chair, but suddenly a question appeared.

"Did all the candidates get so close to Canterlot to get here in half an hour?" I asked incredulously.

Celestia chuckled at that and replied with a shake of her head, "No, no. They were just allowed to come here in chariots."

I just stared at Celestia with an unbiased face. Seeing my lack of any reaction, Celestia's smirk evaporated and she explained in a monotone voice: "On chariots pulled by Pegasus, to be precise. They are much faster than trains. And they are not limited in movement by railways."

Little armored and most likely can move a few people on it. Military train > chariot with Pegasus.

"I see. You can go and keep doing nothing." I said, turning away from Celestia and lightly waving my left hand in farewell. Before the door to the office closed, I heard an exasperated sigh in response to which I grinned. She still can't accept the truth? Well, I can help with that.

Shaking my head, I began to look around the room in search of certain details. I think it is necessary to create a certain atmosphere when talking with candidates. It is necessary that the environment itself creates tension with me. Push until they accept favorable terms.

My gaze fell into the corner of the far corner of the room. There was a chair there and it seemed that lately he had been doing nothing but getting covered in dust. Great. I will leave it there so that the candidate will have to take it and put it on his own. This will be a non-verbal hint that they were never expected here. They just had the opportunity to get here.

Meet the GREATEST psychologist. Well, maybe not a psychologist, but definitely the GREATEST.

Grinning, I turned my gaze to the window with the curtains wide open. Through it, the rays of the sun pour into the room and gives a little warmth. That won't do. In a few long steps I went to the window and turned both handles and opened the window wide. Immediately after that, a frosty wind began to fly into the room. And not just to fly in, but with such force that the curtains were actively swaying. Nodding, I walked around the table from the side and slowly sat down on a chair.

For a few seconds, I just relaxed in a soft, pleasant chair. If I try, I might even be able to sleep. But then the realization dawned on me. This is the chair behind which Celestia just works. More comfortable than the bed in my room. So much for a godlike ruler. Yeah, of course. More like a bribe taker and a spoiled child. If someday, because of an important event, she makes a chocolate fountain or similar muck, I can't vouch for myself.

Attack on the spot. In the open. In plain sight. On a day when nothing foreshadowed trouble. Like a wedding. Or better yet, a royal wedding.

An evil grin appeared on my face before I straightened up and propped my head on my hand. Yes, an attack right at the wedding would be so beautiful. Right on the day when all the big shots and the cream of society gathered in one place, a hundred guns opened fire on the palace. The castle and all the oppressors of freedom are dead. In an instant. Everything is rightfully done.

Shaking my head, I straightened up in my chair and shifted one of the sheets of paper right in front of me. It's too early to think about such things. Now we need to think about how the conversation with the candidates will take place. After glancing at the blank sheet and the pen, I began to think about how everything would look. Am I just going to ask the first questions that come to mind? Or will I follow the list clearly?

In fact, we need to ask the candidate three questions. Are you proficient? How much money do you need? And you will obey? All other questions are just derivatives.

Nodding to myself, I again focused my attention on an empty piece of paper. Of course, three questions are very fast, which is good. But it will be better to get as much information about your wards as possible. Who knows, maybe it will be possible to bring down the price? Or even force them to work for free for the sake of the "motherland"?

Grinning, I shook my head slightly and picked up the pen before gently dipping it into the inkwell. What nonsense. Then my left hand carefully puts the tip of the pen to a piece of paper and began to write down the words in a column. Yes, a kind of table or, more correctly, the necessary information. Information about each candidate will be written next to each word or even phrase. Financial situation, willingness to cooperate, enthusiasm, complaisance and other points.

"It would be nice to get at least one-fourth of the information in one conversation. I'm afraid I won't be able to get more. " I muttered to myself, continuing to write down the information that needs to be found out. Ability to write and read. Um, no, they should be able to do that by default. With a sharp movement of my hand, I crossed out the phrase with a thick black line.

Before I had time to write anything else, there was a quick knock on the door, but not much. For a few seconds I just stared blankly there while my brain tried to catch additional information. Outside the door I felt three ponies, one of which was standing right in front of the door. Yeah, here are the candidates.

Taking a deep breath, I shouted despite the tingling in my lungs: "Come in!"

The next moment, a smiling unicorn with a pale pink coat and a purple mane with bright blue sprinkles entered the room. For a few seconds, I just silently stared at her, trying to suppress her smile. But despite my effort, she just stopped a couple of steps away from the table and looked at me curiously, keeping a wide smile on her face. Wait. . .

Yes, that's your method, crybaby. To meet an opponent with a gratuitous smile. It looks like you've already degraded to the point that you forget your own techniques. Hmm, the first candidate already looks good. Let's write down this smile as a plus sign.

Clearing my throat, before returning my gaze to the sheet, I said, "Your name."

"Starlight Glimmer." The unicorn politely replied, slightly tilting her head to the side. Aha. So we'll write it down.

With a slight nod, I waved my head towards the chair and said, "Have a seat. The chair is there. Move it if you want. Or you can sit in the corner like not a good kid. "

Just for the tiniest moment, her smile faded, but in less than a second she gathered herself and answered with a slight wave of her hoof: " Thank you for the offer, but I prefer to stand."

Too expected.

I looked at her calmly for a few seconds while the cold wind howled. With maximum concentration, I was even able to notice a great detail. Starlight is shivering slightly, barely noticeable from the cold. Mentally nodding to myself, I looked down at the sheet again and said: "Well, if you don't even want to start discussing cooperation, then it won't be in any form. Please leave the room and tell the next candidate to come in."

Starlight looked annoyed for a moment, but then she clenched her teeth and wrapped her horn in a light turquoise light with a strained smile. Then the same aura formed around the chair and flew towards her. After a few moments, the chair landed quietly and Starlight sat down on it. Shifting slightly on it, she smiled again, trying not to show annoyance.

Chuckling, I returned to the list and asked: "Well, Glimmer, let's get down to business. Any specialist requires a monetary award for his services. The question is how much the specialist sitting in front of me requires. And whether he is a specialist at all. "

Starlight put a hoof to her chin and lightly tapped it, she grinned maliciously before answering: " First of all, I am ready to declare that I am as excellent a specialist as any other pony. Talents don't mean anything. Secondly, I think a hundred thousand bits will be enough. Although I would like a hundred and twenty thousand."

Why couldn't Celestia just say how much money she was willing to allocate? Was it really impossible to give more specifics than "a little"? No matter. We bargain and bring down the price.

Laughing briefly, I said, looking Starlight clearly in the eyes: "Very funny. Now let's get serious. What is your price?"

The evil grin on Starlight's face became even wider and assuming that she would say, I interrupted her with the words: "I know how much you usually get even for your biggest victories. Five thousand bits. If you moderate your appetites and be a good girl, you can get five times more than usual. Or maybe even ten. You just need to do a good job. But a hundred thousand? Never. "

" Okay, okay. I agree to fifty thousand. " Replied Starlight dismissively waving one hoof. Hmm, I wonder how a pony will walk if one hoof is broken? No matter. I'll think about it later.

"Oh no, no, no. Fifty thousand is a figure for good workers who work tirelessly. You can consider that fifty thousand is a standard payment plus a bonus for the highest contribution to the project. So I have a final offer for you. Or you put your payment without taking into account the premium yourself. Or I'll put you in front of a figure that I'll come up with myself. The choice is yours. "Snorting, Starlight was silent for a few seconds before answering firmly: " Thirty-five thousand bits. For less money, I refuse to work. "

Nodding, I quickly wrote down the price of 35.000 next to the line and signed Starlight Glimmer in parentheses. Sighing, I looked at Starlight again and asked: " Very well, we have agreed on the price. Now I need to know something else. For what purpose do you want to get hold of so much money?"

Seeing how an evil grin appeared on Starlight's face again, I quickly interrupted her: "And don't tell me nonsense that you need money just for the sake of money. Most people want a lot of money for some kind of dream. My father worked overtime at work because he dreamed of starting a business. I just don't remember which one. I wasn't interested. But it doesn't matter now. What is your goal? "

The smile on Starlight's face did not fade a bit and she answered with pride in her voice: " I want to establish my own city. The best city in Equestria."

Hmm, interesting. We need to find out as much as possible about this. Perhaps the cooperation with her will be longer than we thought.

Nodding slowly, I leaned back in my chair and asked in a slightly more relaxed voice: "The best city is a very extensible concept. And it varies depending on the views of the representative. So let me ask you, how do you see your city? "

Starlight's smile became even wider and now looked one hundred percent artificial. After a few seconds of keeping a smile on her face, she said: " A city where everyone is absolutely equal."

Is she a communist or something?

Trying not to show my embarrassment, I smiled slightly and asked: "What kind of equality exactly?"

"Absolute. I want no one in my city to stand out with something more than a name, so that no one competes, so that no one surpasses each other. You won't have a nightmare if you never dream after all. Hmm, I think it might make a good anthem. "

While Starlight was thinking about the idea of creating an anthem, I squinted and began to drill her with my gaze. We need to ask a few questions to make sure for sure. Taking a deep breath, I asked the question: " Miss Glimmer, do you think a person should do what he knows best or what will be most useful to the nation?"

Starlight looked at me puzzled and after a moment of silence confidently replied: "Of course the second. Talents are just nonsense that some stupid ponies have come up with. Everyone can and must do anything, but it must necessarily be useful to the nation or at least in the city."

Okay, she's not a communist. Communism is built on the principle of everyone according to their abilities, everyone according to their needs. Yes, under communism, everyone works. Yes, under communism, the interests of the collective are higher than personal ones. BUT first, people perform ONLY those duties that they prefer and are able to perform. And secondly, under communism, personality still has no value. Well, that's if we don't go further than theoretical communism. Because there has never been a real one. Socialism doesn't count.

Gritting my teeth, I asked the last question in the hope that I was wrong: "Miss Glimmer, what do you think about the class struggle? You know, the struggle of the working class against the ruling."

Starlight waved her right hoof and said irritably: "You can't imagine how annoying people are to me talking about it in a positive way. All ponies in Equestria are representatives of the same nation who should be friends with each other. The ruling class and the worker must work together. For Equestria, safety and friendship. "

Calm down, don't panic, crybaby. Yes, she clearly adheres to many aspects of fascism. Or some aspects of Strasserism. Now think which of these is worse. You can thank fate for the fact that she looks more like a Strasserist than a Nazi. Although in any case, only the grave can fix such.

Releasing an exasperated sigh, I looked at Starlight from under my forehead and said: "You are free. Leave the room and call the next candidate."

For the second time in the entire conversation, Starlight looked upset and reluctantly got up from her chair and asked: "We can talk about politics again, right?"

I tilted my head to the side trying not to show my irritation and asked almost calmly: "Why should I talk to you about something?"

Starlight suddenly became much more excited and began to tell quickly: "You see, I read your interview. And it's just nice to know that someone shares my opinion about many things. Especially your statement about the Griffin Republic. Every single word was said correctly. I think that in every large and not very Equestria city there should be a sign with your quote about this non-state, Mr. Ctumer."

We arrived, now the fascist is impressed with us. Write it down for the future: "Cooperation with Starlight Glimmer will be terminated exactly at the time of Ahirata's death. Not a minute later."

Nodding slightly, I answered without hiding a smile: "We will definitely talk. When your task is completed and you receive payment. And now I ask you to leave the room and let another candidate in here."

Starlight nodded actively and jumped to the exit at a fast pace. Taking advantage of the moments of rest, I began to process the situation. I'll have to cooperate with a fascist. The most vile creature that ever existed. Well, if you don't take into account the bastard who killed my soldiers, of course. I was ready to cooperate and even present myself as a communist. But to cooperate with the right forces? It's a humiliation.

Before I could let out a disappointed sigh, two unicorns with pale olive-colored fur and a red mane burst into the room. Unlike most ponies, they were wearing clothes, namely a shirt with a black bow and hats. One of them had a small red mustache. Otherwise, they were completely indistinguishable from each other.

Immediately entering the room, they simultaneously looked in different directions as if they did not see me. Are they putting on a show? And why the hell did they come in here as a couple anyway? As soon as they saw me, they both straightened forward like dogs.

"Do you see this, Flim?" Presumably Flam asked, looking at his brother.

"What is it, Flam?" Flim asked, playing the fool. Obviously, he knows exactly what to look at.

They can't start singing. They just can't. That's not going to happen.

"This is the incomparable and unsurpassed one. . . " Flam began to speak in a singing voice, approaching me. No, they can start singing.

"The only hero who paid attention to. . . " Flim continued before passing the baton again and also starting to walk slowly towards me.

"On poor but brilliant inventors who do what?" Flam asked, trying to pass the baton again, but was interrupted by me.

I loudly slammed my palm on the table ending this farce and asked irritably: "You should have been told that each candidate comes in alone. So why the fuck did you come in here as a couple? "

"Oh, we offer our deepest apologies. You see, we always work in pairs. . ." Flim began before abruptly falling silent.

"And that's why we thought that as single parts of one whole we should imagine ourselves together." Flam finished before smiling together with his brother. Unlike Starlight's smile, they were at least not frightening. Although it still looks wrong.

Squinting, I looked at them and said firmly: "I don't care what you thought there. Choose who stays and who goes to the exit. The fact that you will work in pairs does not mean that you will be interviewed in the same way."

No, wait. I had an idea. What is the point of developing new weapons and armor if we are not even completely sure what problems the soldiers are experiencing? That's right, there's no point. Therefore, tomorrow we need to hold a rehearsal like this. The soldiers will have to try to surround you on their own or press you to an unfavorable position. At the same time, it is best to conduct several exercises at once in different localities. In the city, in the village, on the hill, in the forest, and so on. It will take time to plan all this. And even the extra minutes will come in handy.

Nodding to myself, I waved my hand and said, crossing out my past words: "Okay, stay here. Since there is only one chair, only one will sit. Or you can just stand there."

" We will stand. " Both of them answered at the same time, exactly at the moment when I finished speaking.

Sighing, I focused my gaze on the unicorn to my right and asked: "How much do you demand for your services? And I don't care if you're Flim or Flam."

The unicorn cleared his throat and said, putting a hoof on his chest: "First of all, my name is Flim. My brother and I are very pleased that you paid attention to us, sir. Secondly. . ."

As soon as Flim stopped talking, I quickly turned my gaze to Flam who had just started talking: "Since the development of what you need will be mainly on our shoulders, we consider it more than fair to ask for a price approximately..."

Then the two brothers exchanged glances and nodded to each other and said with a smile: "Seventy thousand bits for each of us. This is without taking into account the premium of course."

Don't you want too much, you bastards?

Before I could say anything, both brothers started talking very quickly: "We understand that this is a large sum. Of course, sir, it's much better for you to know what part of the things that we will create will be played with magic or engineering. But objectively speaking, magic is slowly but surely stagnating. And engineering is cheap, publicly available and easy to maintain. Therefore, believe me, Starlight Glimmer will play no more than a secondary role."

Rubbing my chin, I looked at each unicorn alternately for a few seconds. Can they be trusted? I think not. Can they be right, at least in part? Perhaps. Well, you'll have to do the most vile and ungodly thing in the world. Compromise.

In the end I said, "Seventy thousand times two. That's a hundred and forty thousand. This amount plus how much Starlight requires is equal to one hundred seventy-five thousand. Consider it a kind of foundation of scientists and developers. Depending on how much magic is used in the creation of new weapons, it will depend on how much money Starlight will receive. In the same way and in the opposite direction. Do you at least roughly understand what I'm trying to say?"

Grins appeared on the faces of Flim and Flam and the latter asked: "Do you mean that if the new weapons do not use magic at all, then we will get all the money?"

Grinning in response, I said nodding: "Yes, that's right. But it works the other way around. Therefore, if there is a choice between magic and engineering, you turn to me, do you understand? I will decide what is most effective. Questions? "

Flim and Flam quickly shook her head. I chuckled contentedly and said, waving my hand towards the exit: " So it's settled. I'm not even interested in what you need money for. So go to the exit. And don't forget to tell Starlight that the payment situation has changed. After all, it doesn't hurt anyone to have a little competition, eh? "

Just for a moment, Flim and Flam frowned, but quickly smiled again and nodded actively before heading for the exit: " We will definitely do everything as you asked, sir. You can put at least 200 percent on us. "

When they finished talking, they quickly went to the exit but stopped a step away from the exit Flim said: "By the way, you have a very nice coat. How did you get it?"

"And your trousers are also very interesting. How much do they cost? "

I frowned and looked irritably at the two unicorns and said: " Go to the exit and mentally prepare for work. The conversation is over."

Flim and Flam reluctantly nodded and took the last step to the exit and calmly closed the door behind them. Once in the vacant office, I took a deep breath. I hope the cooperation will not last long. And then I can't stand all three of them from the first second. There is a plus at least in the fact that I did not choose a blacksmith but preferred a corporation. This is probably the only plus.

Let's think about much more important things. For example, how to convince Celestia to allow the exercises to be held in the city?

After looking at absolutely empty sheets of paper, I took one of them and began to write in a column every reason why Celestia should allow me to conduct exercises in the city. 1: In order to show civilians that the guard is able to ensure their safety. 2: In order to identify inconveniences for ordinary soldiers and problems of the army as a whole. 3: . . .

By the time of writing the third paragraph, my brain, which had not slept for several days, had already completely stalled. New thoughts are simply not formulated. Nothing, absolutely nothing. Sighing heavily, I leaned back in my chair and glancing up muttered: "Think, you stupid head. Think while you have the opportunity to sit in the office."

But it didn't work out.

Overdose

It's amazing that Celestia agreed to hold exercises in the city. Although given the conditions, it would be better if she did not agree.

I took a deep breath and briefly surveyed my surroundings. My body and Rising rested on a bench right in front of the train station. Several nearby benches were completely occupied by my soldiers who had already equipped themselves with weapons and armor. For a few seconds, I just looked at how they just sat there not talking to each other. Everyone used to talk to each other. And before, there were always not enough benches and some had to sit on the ground.

"So, what are we waiting for, sir?" The voice of Rising asked, bringing me back to reality. As soon as his question reached my brain, I gritted my teeth remembering Celestia's conditions.

"Have I already told you what we're going to do today?" I asked in response to his question.

"You said something about the fact that this will be the largest exercise that we have had. And that's it. Rising replied with a slight embarrassment in his voice, causing me to turn my head sharply in his direction. Did I forget to tell you about such a case in more detail? Damn lack of sleep. We need to find a way to sleep. Find a sleeping pill or something.

Sighing, I looked at the train station again and said, "In any case, there will be a major exercise today. And to carry it out, I persuaded Celestia to declare a curfew. Literally. From one o'clock in the afternoon until two, everyone will be forbidden to leave the street. Although I would prefer from eight in the evening to midnight. "

Rising glanced in the direction of the clock on the facade of the station and abruptly jumped up from the bench, said: " It's already three hours and ten minutes! It's time to start!"

My ears caught that some thestrals had already started to get up from their seats, in response to which my left hand showed them a stop sign. I rolled my eyes and said reassuringly: "You don't think that the Princess will agree to all my conditions without putting forward a counter?"

"Oh." Rising muttered softly as he sat back down on the bench next to me. Having settled in place, he looked at me and curiously raised an eyebrow. I gritted my teeth again remembering the conditions. Of all the counter-conditions that Celestia could put forward, she chose the worst.

Stop whining and talk. In any case, you have already agreed to them while no one has seen.

Taking a deep breath, I reluctantly said, looking into Rising's eyes: "Everyone's favorite heroes will participate in the teaching, or as Luna likes to call them, elements of harmony."

After these words, I felt anger and irritation begin to concentrate among the thestrals around me. In the end, an expression of barely restrained rage appeared on Rising's face and he hissed softly: "Not them. And anyway, after what happened, they don't have the right to be called heroes."

Hmm, he blames the death of his comrades not on you, but on the heroes doing nothing? Well, it's nice to know that in his eyes you're not involved. By the way, this is another reason to believe in the theory that everything that happened was an ambush of heroes.

Nodding slightly, I once again turned my gaze to the train station and said with a grin: "I completely agree with you. But alas, everything is consistent. So let's meet them with all the hospitality that we have. Just don't hug, okay?"

Judging by the active nod of Rising and many other soldiers, I was able to describe my thought quite clearly. Nodding in response, I closed my eyes and tried to focus on the lines and sounds. There is no one on the street except my soldiers. All the ponies are sitting at home and looking at us from the window. Slowly, conversations began to flare up between the soldiers, accompanied by quiet chuckles. In the distance, the lines cut out clear silhouettes. Casting a glance in the direction where the lines began to bend strongly, I saw the train approaching its station. A few moments later, a loud beep was heard. Here it begins.

Getting up from my seat, I adjusted my glasses slightly and checked my pockets. A pencil and a small notebook provided by Celestia. I planned to memorize the inconveniences and problems of the soldiers so that I could retell them to the research group later. But if you were given a notebook, then you can use it. A long time ago, the discharged phone was left in the room along with the knife.

After making sure that everything was in place, I nodded to myself and took a few steps towards the station. Behind me, I caught a crowd of Thestrals getting up from their seats and following me. Sighing contentedly, I leaned my left hand on the nearest wall inside the station while the train was getting closer and closer. My eyes caught that a whole line of soldiers was lined up to my right. Seeing this, I tilted my head to the side trying to figure out what they were going to do. Especially considering that all this was planned nonverbally.
Well, or almost nonverbally.

Eventually, the train slowly stopped at its station with a loud horn. I felt the presence of nine ponies inside him. Probably three are the staff of the train and six are "dear guests". As soon as the train doors opened, a pink pony jumped out of it and stopped in the air at the sight of a whole line in front of her. I grinned and lightly waved my hand at such an annoying creature. At the sight of me, she landed on the ground with her fur slightly discolored. Hmm, she looks better this way.

Then Rainbow got out of the car, or rather, flew out. All the others followed her, and the next moment after that, a loud cry of many thestrals was heard. I quickly covered one ear with my hand and cast an irritated glance in their direction. How could they agree on such a thing without saying almost a single word? And why the hell didn't they tell me about it?

Well, I can answer the crybaby's first question. Do you hear that animal cry? It is impossible to make out a single word, a specific letter or at least one emotion among it. It's an incredible cacophony. It is a fusion of vile collectivism and wonderful individualism. You can agree on the creation of such a thing with a couple of gestures.

Despite the severe pain in my right ear, which I couldn't cover, I chuckled slightly. Well done, very good. As soon as the loud scream subsided, I looked at the heroes barely holding back my laughter. They all fell right on their asses and opened their eyes wide, not knowing what to do. It seemed that if the scream had lasted a little longer, they would have just run. I put my hand behind my back and slowly approached the whole six. As I approached, they slowly recovered, but still did not get up from the ground.

Standing right in front of them and towering over them, he said: "Do you know what the funniest thing is? They came up with it themselves, almost nonverbally. Without me. How cute to look at your shock when reality knocks on the skull. It's unpleasant to leave the comfort zone, right?"

After my words, silence hung in the air. Even none of the soldiers commented on anything. Looks like I'm being left alone again. One against six is so unfair. For them, of course.

Shh, they're starting to make excuses. That's the fun part.

Every pony in the six looked anywhere but into my eyes. In the end, Twilight quietly said, "Look, we're really sorry..."

"I don't need your useless words and excuses. Moreover, I am too lazy to make any accusations in your direction. So I recommend that you get ready and get your asses off the ground already. There will be no special treatment for you. Never. " I interrupted, shaking my head slightly.

After a few seconds of silence, the six of them slowly got to their feet and continued to avoid eye contact with me. Smiling, I turned around on the spot to face the soldiers and said clapping my hands: " Okay, stop having fun. Since everything is in place, then I can begin to explain why we are gathered here. There will be a drill today. But not simpler. The main task will be practicing improvisation skills directly in combat and use the terrain. Who will be your opponent? The one who usually commands you."

In other words, you trash will run after me all over the city in the hope of winning. And I will watch and write down why you are not getting something. More precisely, why nothing works.

After I said these words, the soldiers were confused and began to look at each other as if they perceived my words as a very strange joke. Hoping to dispel their suspicions nonverbally, I put my hand on my side and frowned slightly. Eventually Rising took a cautious step forward and asked: "Mr. Sir Boss, why you? Your arm is broken, sort of. And you're wearing glasses now after all. "

Grinning, I slightly adjusted my glasses and said: " That's right, I'm giving you a chance. If you are so afraid of hurting me that you are unlikely to succeed, then fine. Your task will be to take me into a complete environment with no way out. For additional simplification, I'll just step back without trying to counterattack. Are you satisfied? "

To my annoyance, several Thestrals from the crowd raised their hooves up. I focused on them and was about to ask a question, but I saw what the problem was. They are the few who decided to choose a bow as their weapon. Yeah, trouble. In a good way, they need to act at a distance. And it will be inconvenient if they accidentally put an arrow in my knee.

This will be an additional test for you. And anyway, you will most likely feel their presence from afar. No surprise effect.

Smiling slightly, I answered an unasked question: "Don't worry, I'll be able to dodge all your arrows. If you don't trust me, you can just shout something warning before firing. Does anyone else have any questions or can we stop wasting time?"

At first there was a calm and satisfying silence around me. Then I heard a woman clearing her throat behind me. With extreme reluctance, I turned around on the spot and looked at the pony. All of them have already managed to take a more or less confident look, and Rainbow even dared to take off with crossed hooves. Seeing that my gaze was focused on her, she asked impatiently: "And what are we going to do?"

"You won't fucking believe it. Absolutely the same! With only one exception. The six of you will be in the same group. " With fun in my voice, I said, raising one hand up. After these words, the eyes of each of the six widened and their mouths slightly opened. Nodding, I turned around again to look at the soldiers. It was evident from their facial expressions that they were dissatisfied with the fact that they would study together with the "heroes".

Grinning, I took a step forward and hurriedly said: "Okay, enough talking. I'll wander around the city, I won't tell you where. Your task will be to organize yourself, find me and take me into the environment. How you will do it is not important to me. Although I want to warn you. Because of someone, you will only have one single attempt to do it in the city. "

After the end of my speech, the soldiers reluctantly nodded and made way for me to pass. Nodding in response, I quickly walked through the formed living corridor and put my hand in my pocket. Leaving everyone behind, I turned the nearest corner and pulled a notebook and pencil out of my pocket. The main thing is not to think about how to record with only one hand working.

We will hold the pencil with our mouth. That's probably how ponies write.

Sighing, I nodded to myself and completely walked through the alley and looked around. To the right was the castle, already bored with its ugliness. Ahead were apartment buildings from which I could feel the few glances of ponies. To my left were various shops. Starting from clothes (wow, ponies massively sell clothes) and ending with a donut. I understood. There's nowhere to go.

Then an idea came to my mind, and I cast my gaze upward. I had already had to climb up using the narrow space of the alley before. Why don't I try it again? Besides, if I was on the roof, I'll be able to see how well the thestrals fly in full uniform. Nodding to myself, I took a deep breath. Because of my right arm, I won't be able to just crawl like last time. You'll have to run or even jump away from the walls. The second option is undesirable. I took a few steps back and returned my pencil and notebook in my pocket. Now there is a question. What to do with the glasses?

Unable to think of anything better, I took off my glasses and put them in my pocket. When it was all over, I sighed and ran to the wall. When it was only a step away, I rested my left foot on it and instantly rested my right a little higher. Then, instinctively, I stretched my left hand forward towards the wall and, to my own surprise, accidentally made a hole in the wall. It will be . . . easier than I expected. Grinning, I clung to the hole and pushed up with a little effort. This effort was enough to get me high enough in a few seconds to reach the roof at arm's length. Taking another breath, I pulled myself up on one arm and sat down on the roof.

Well, it was easy. Now you can do more important things. By important, I mean anything other than sitting.

Nodding to myself, I slowly got up on both feet and brushed the dirt off my coat. Then I carefully pulled my glasses out of my pocket and put them on before looking towards the train station. There, to my own surprise, I could only make out six figures. Presumably, "heroes". So my soldiers have already figured out what to do. But at the same time they are looking so far away that I can't feel them with lines.

"I'm even a little impressed with them," I quietly admitted, looking around. Like a challenge to my past statement, I saw a disappointing picture. Not a single thestral took to the sky. Is it hard for them in armor or just laziness? Although, in any case, they will have to take off to get to me. Not to mention active harassment.

Don't you think you're making it too easy for them?

As soon as this question appeared in my head, I reflexively pressed my hand to my chin. On the one hand, yes, I am too soft with them and could try to simulate a real fight. But on the other hand, all this training was done solely to find out what can be improved in soldiers. I think, after all this training, it would be nice to ask questions to the soldiers themselves. Hmm, the lines are starting to move. With that, from all sides.

"I found he!" A voice shouted from behind before actively moving away from me. After a few moments while this information was reaching my brain, I grinned. To enter the same area from several sides? Very good. Maybe they will even be able to take me into the environment. Although I can just bite my finger and create a fog to get out of the environment.

Or can I borrow blood from one of them?

Returning to a more serious mood, I shook my head slightly and began to think about how to act. Of course, you can just stand still and watch as the environment gets tighter and tighter. But you can't simplify the task too much. On the other hand, I can jump on the roofs. I am sure that all those who are trying to sleep now will appreciate it. Although who will sleep at one o'clock in the afternoon? No matter. From the third side, you can run and maneuver through narrow streets. The city after all. How will I record all the information on the go, with one hand? Good question.

Feeling the soldiers approaching me and looking around, I noticed another detail. They fly, but so low that it is very difficult to see them from the roof. Only sometimes you can notice ears and heads. Not a bad idea. Only, they have limited the field of view to themselves. Well, everything has pros and cons. Except for morality, of course.

Standing on the edge of the roof, I looked down and saw three thestrals flying low along a wide road. At the sight of me, they quickly flew in the other direction and shouted about where I was. A note for the future: "Low data transfer rate."

Nodding to myself, I grabbed my glasses with my left hand and jumped off the roof to the ground. Landing on both feet, I felt a slight pain in my knees, but decided to ignore it. If I tried to mitigate the pain of falling by rolling, then the glasses would be in a risky position. Shaking my head, I ran straight ahead along the wide road trying to focus on the location of the soldiers. They're getting further and further away from me. Why first take me into the environment and then run away in the corners?

Fear, terror, flight. What could be better than this?

Sighing, I slightly slowed down the pace of my movement and closed my eyes consoling the headache. Think, not a sleeping head, think. Why first find someone, take them into the environment and then just run away in different directions? When after a few seconds the brain was able to give out absolutely nothing, I began to lightly tap my fist on the head. Nothing, it's empty.

In the end, I sensed not just a lone thestral, but a whole group hiding in the alley to my left. Hmm, maybe they scattered to start chasing me to one point? This explains why the heroes were standing at the train station. Well, I'll let them lead me to the train station. Within reason, of course. The main thing is that they know the way themselves.

Holding my glasses in my left hand, I slowed down to a normal pace and continued walking forward as if there was no one in ambush. Step. The quietest breath. One more step. A quiet, indistinguishable whispering. Note: "We need a way to communicate without sounds. They understand my gestures well, but I don't seem to use them when communicating with each other. Or now it's just an unfortunate situation."

Another step and I stopped right in front of the alley where an ambush was waiting for me. For a moment I could only hear their breathing, as if they had run a marathon. Or they were preparing for something labor-intensive. The next moment, they simultaneously burst out of the alley, forcing me to finally look at them. To my own surprise, it was self-organized normally. There was one clear leader in front and behind him two rows of thestrals, each of which had three people. At the same time, they were all armed with spears. So he formed a group based on the fact that they use the same weapon? Hmm.

Stop praising and admiring them, crybaby. They're already running at you. It's time to do something.

With a slight nod to myself, I turned completely towards them before jumping back. To my own surprise, instead of stupidly running forward, they stopped at about the place where I had been before. Instead of stupidly running at the enemy, they just made a small leap forward. I don't even know how to treat it. I definitely didn't teach them that. But it doesn't look too stupid.

While I was thinking about this, the soldiers took another collective breath and another jerk. In response, I jumped back again and out of the corner of my eye, looking around, realized that I was in an alley. Yeah, a narrow room. I can just pick up on the wall and. . . No, I can't. Judging by the lines, several thestrals hovered over the alley. Just in case, I took another bounce back and looked up. There, as the lines said, were thestrals, but apart from that, they held bows with a stretched string in their hooves and teeth. Catching my gaze, all the owners of the bows slowly nodded and released the bowstring, sending arrows at me. Are they so afraid of hurting me?

Shaking my head, I quickly created a shield rune in my left hand with almost no magic invested in it, and in the next instant it formed around me. The first arrow hit the shield at the height of my neck and bounced off it. The second in the chest and again rebound from the shield. The third arrow flew into the shield at the level of my stomach and stuck in the shield. The fourth flew into the shield at the level of my leg and smashed it. In less than a second, I took another bounce back and cast a glance in the direction of the arrows. All of them were randomly lying on the ground with the exception of the fourth arrow that dug into the ground. Then I looked at the soldiers in the air. They opened their eyes wide and guiltily pressed their ears to their heads. A note for the future: "The soldiers don't have anything with significant firepower."

They think you're weak and fragile. Fools. They're even worse off than you, crybaby.

Shaking my head slightly, I turned my gaze to the soldiers right in front of me. From the moment the archers started shooting, they didn't make a single dash towards me. Now, to get to me, they will need to make or several jerks or abandon this strange tactic and start running. Seeing that they were staring at the arrows instead of moving, I sighed and raised my hand and said: "I'm waiting."

After a few seconds of stupor, everyone slowly nodded and started walking towards me, keeping the formation. Slowly, but without jerks. But it turned out that way only at first glance. Squinting, I noticed that they were actively taking a breath and seemed to be gaining acceleration with every second. Then, when there was a little more than one jerk left before me, they accelerated sharply, amazingly maintaining a tight formation. Seeing this, I just rolled my eyes and jumped back once again. But to my surprise, I didn't really distance myself from the advancing soldiers. On the contrary, they are still approaching.

No more weird jerks. The time has come for total persecution.

Before I had time to grin, I felt the presence of another group of soldiers to my right. Looking in their direction, I noticed that this group occupied the center of the road, was armed with swords and did not move jerkily. Holding my glasses, I turned sharply to the left and ran forward at medium speed. I hope they don't get too tired when chasing me.

While running, I felt two more interesting details. The first is that both groups merged into one large one that took up the entire road. The second is that there was another group of soldiers ahead in one of the alleys to my left. This alley was very close to the intersection. I wonder what they'll do if I run into another alley. Or just keep running forward.

Let's see how well they have provided for everything.

Grinning, I focused on the right side of the road and as soon as I saw the alley turned into it almost falling. After my turn, the soldiers ran a little further before stopping abruptly. I let out a brief laugh but was abruptly interrupted by a meaningless loud scream coming from behind. At first I thought that someone had managed to get hurt under such circumstances. But the next moment my brain caught the approach of another group from the front. Reserve? Is a loud sound a way to call him into battle?

Shaking my head, I assumed that I would not have time to run out of the alley before the arrival of the guards, so it would be better to choose up. Spoiling the walls again. Sighing, I carefully put the glasses in my pocket again and took a small run-up and jumped on the wall. Just like last time, the hand accidentally made a hole in the wall, catching on to which I sent myself to the very top. When I was on the roof, my hand reached for my glasses and quickly put them on. A few moments later, a reserve group of soldiers ran into the alley looking for me. But they looked a little too low.

"Try looking higher. I said, adjusting my glasses and looking down at the group while a large group of soldiers split into two. The first one went towards the alley and the second one went forward. The third group that was previously waiting for me in another alley was already out of reach.

Hearing my voice, the reserve group of soldiers shuddered slightly and collectively raised their heads up. At the sight of me on the roof, adjusting my glasses, their eyes widened as if they didn't even think that I could do this. Sighing, I shook my head slightly and said before turning around: "You should have assumed that."

Turning away from them, I tightly gripped the glasses with my left hand so as not to lose them for sure and slowly began to accelerate. After gaining a decent speed and reaching the edge of the roof, I jumped off it. In flight, the cold air ruffled my hair and coat. Damn cold. A few moments later, I landed on both feet right on the ground. A small moan of pain escaped from my mouth caused by such a stupid landing. Maybe it's better to risk the points after all?

Of course it's better. It's even better to forget about their existence and start getting used to the new reality.

Sighing, I looked back and saw a group of soldiers coming out of the alley and started running at medium speed again. But before I could take a dozen steps, two groups of soldiers jumped out in front of me and formed a whole wall. Looking around, I saw only one escape route. Alleyway. Again.

With an exasperated sigh, I turned sharply to the right while glancing at both groups out of the corner of my eye. A large group took a collective breath and made a leap forward. Again, these strange jerks. As soon as we figure everything out, we will need to understand why they decided to do it this way. In any case, a smaller group occupied the middle of the street and similarly moved towards me. If they had sent a couple of people into the alley from the other side and archers from above, then an encirclement could have already turned out. But it looks like they decided to stick strictly to the plan. Note: "There is not enough flexibility. Strong adherence to the plan or just lack of talent is unknown. Both options are possible at once."

Running through the alley, I saw the train station in front of me and a group of soldiers standing next to it, in the middle of which was Rising with a small smile on his face. Did my eyes widen slightly at the sight of this? Where did the heroes go? Oh, here they are. They stand right behind the soldiers and do nothing. I was about to run somewhere in the other direction, but I felt that the environment around me was being shackled. One group is coming across the alley straight to me. On the left and on the right, there are also small groups. And even worse, presumably archers are approaching from above. My brain was struggling to find a way out of the situation. But nothing more sensible than the word "run" came out.

As all the groups approached, I began to slowly step aside, trying not to pay attention to Rising. Some come out of the alley, the rest comes out of the corners and eventually form a single formation coming at me with a wall. Squinting, I noticed that they all looked extremely tired. One even wheezed a little. Focusing on the wheezing thestral, I assumed it was the one with the broken rib. Damn, why didn't he just ask for a rest for today? I quickly shook my head. It doesn't matter, it's already happened. At some point, due to such a large crowd of people in one place, the lines began to move far away. Almost like from Celestia and Luna. Although, no, I overdid it here. It was at this moment that a thought finally appeared in my brain.

The sky is blocked. The ground is blocked. But no one said anything about what was happening underground.

I just washed up recently. But giving up just like that? No problem. Taking a deep breath, I looked around and saw a manhole cover very close to my foot. Grinning, I sat down and opened it with one hand with a slight movement. And the next moment a spear pointed at me like a condemning finger. My eyes widened slightly when I saw that the spear was pointed at me by Flying. That's it. They still managed to take me into the environment.

With a slight grin, I put my hand on top of the spear and asked: "Who smells bad now, eh, Flying?"

In response, he just rolled his eyes and replied: "Shut up. I didn't climb into this pit voluntarily."

"You could have refused!" Shouted Rising. I turned my head in his direction and saw that he looked very pleased with himself. It's not even clear what more. By driving me into the environment or by forcing Flying to climb into the sewer?

No matter. It's time to think about what we will do next.

Nodding, I slowly got up on both feet and said, looking at the wall of soldiers: "Okay, I've seen enough. I was going to make you ride through the mountains today to see how you feel in a similar area. But seeing that you work much better on your own than I expected, you can make an exception. The exercises are over for today. "

The soldiers nodded in response, and some even began to talk among themselves what to do. But like an annoying mosquito Rainbow dash raised her voice and asked: " So we came here just to stand still and leave?"

All negotiations subsided, and silence hung in the air. The first thought in my head was to shoot her in the head. And then dissect into parts. But instead, I looked down at the Flying that was slowly getting out of the sewer and ordered: "Give me your spear. I want to practice javelin throwing."

"Hey, hey, relax!" Rainbow shouted in an attempt to justify herself, but these words were completely ignored by me. Fortunately for me, Flying grinned and handed me the spear without any questions. Clutching it in my left hand, I began to release magical tentacles from it and wrap them around the spear like a rope. When a thick enough coil of rope formed around the spear, I took a deep breath.

Actions always say more than words. Today we can neglect the contract a little.

Turning abruptly, I caught sight of Rainbow and saw that the soldiers had parted to the sides, giving me a perfect view. The next moment, my hand threw a spear straight at her chest. Her eyes widened and she abruptly flew higher, causing the spear to fly far back. Grinning, I took a step back and abruptly pulled on the tentacles, sending the spear back.

Not noticing this Rainbow returned exactly to the previous height and shouted discontentedly: "What's wrong with you!? I just asked one little question. And you already want to..."

Her speech was interrupted by a spear that hit right on her spine, causing her to fall to the ground. Fortunately for her, the spear crashed into her with its wooden part. In any case, the spear was still on collision with the Pegasus and it safely got into my hand. Grinning, I made the tentacles disappear and said while passing the Flying spear, "Kill you? Unfortunately, some things do not allow me to do this. As I said earlier, I just want to practice javelin throwing."

My ears caught a few giggles that stopped as soon as Rainbow took off into the air again and said: "You could have killed me!"

I rolled my eyes and slightly adjusted my glasses and replied: "First of all, you're still alive, so I don't see any reason to complain. Secondly, even if you died, what do I care?"

Besides the law and the destruction of the contract? Nothing.

After the last sentence left my lips, Rainbow and the other ponies opened their mouths wide in shock. Grinning, I shook my head slightly and said, pointing my finger at the train station: "In any case, my answer to the original question is yes. You looked at how well I soldiers work and organize themselves. And you have already seen what role you will play in the battle. Yes, Celestia wants you to participate in the battle. But no one said that your participation would be active. "As soon as I finished speaking, Rainbow crossed her hooves and opened her mouth to say something, but was instantly interrupted by me: " Get out of here, garbage. It's disgusting even looking at you and your comrades. Is it more clear to you now? Or do I have to punch your skull so that the realization of your guilt reaches you?"

When I finished speaking, all six ponies guiltily slightly lowered their heads down and slowly backed back to the station. Wow, that worked out well. As soon as they were far enough away, I took a deep breath and turned to Rising and asked: "You were the one who organized the whole operation with me surrounding, weren't you?"

He smiled broadly and said with satisfaction in his voice: "Yes, it's me. Are you proud of me, Mr. Sir Boss?"

You want too much. Say no.

After a few seconds of silence, I reluctantly said, "Well, I have to admit it was impressive. More than. However, before making a final conclusion. I need to talk to you for a while. Follow me, Rising. "

When I finished speaking, I turned around on the spot and waited until Rising decided to follow me. Literally the next moment, he took off and quickly ran up to me. With a slight smile, I looked at the rest of the soldiers for the last time and said: " And you can do whatever you want. Consider that today you had a micro workout. "

In response, they nodded and Rising and I walked towards the palace. While we were walking, I distinctly felt the strange movements of Rising. His gait was slightly bouncy and he seemed to be barely restraining the desire to overtake me. Closing my eyes, I slowly made a plan of further actions in my head. 1. Ask Rose about all important topics. 2. Write down in a notebook all the problems that the soldiers have. 3. Ask Celestia where Flim, Flam and Starlight are located in order to give them a notebook later. 4. Enjoy success and wait for the group to come up with a solution to all the soldiers' problems.

Nodding to myself, I opened my eyes and looked down at Rising and asked: "So, I have a couple of questions for you. Let's start with the most obvious. Why the hell was everyone moving in jerks? "

Rising looked at me and awkwardly scratched the back of his head with his wing and said, " Well, I thought it would be easier for everyone. "

In response, I stared at him and seeing this, he nervously continued: " Running in armor is, well, unpleasant. They rattle, sometimes they hurt against the body and in general they are heavy. I thought that if we move in jerks, we will get less tired."

It looks like a heart. To rest as much as to work. How effective is it when we talk about the movement of soldiers? It's hard to say. Probably not very much.

Nodding in response, I nodded and asked another question: "Well, one more question. Why did you decide to conduct reconnaissance by encircling one area from all sides, only to then run away?"

"Well, I thought that in order to take you into the environment, I would need a clear plan. And convinced everyone else to stick to the plan above all else. And it just seemed to me that the best solution would be to drive you to the train station. " Cautiously, Rising replied as if he was afraid that I would consider his decisions, bad.

I nodded slightly in response and trying to ignore the castle that we had almost reached said: " Well, I have to say that in the end it turned out well. Well done, Rising, great job."

Remember, praise is only needed to control this orphan. There can be no question of any attachment.

He looked at me as if he could hardly believe the words of praise and did not say anything. Then he shocked me, hugged my leg and said looking up at me: "Thank you, sir! Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

At first, my brain completely froze, not understanding what to do with the grateful cries of Rising. The first solution that came to my mind was to push him to the ground and tell him never to touch me again. But this idea was quickly rejected. Taking a deep breath, I gently put my hand on Rising's head and said: "Don't mention it, don't mention it. It's just an honest recognition of your merits. Now, please let go of my leg. "

Rising looked unhappy for just a moment, but the next second he nodded and let go of my leg. Then he stood up on all four hooves again and lightly dusted himself off. Sighing, I looked at the gate to the castle, which was only a couple of steps away, and said: " Okay, Rising. I have things to do. So you can go rest somewhere. "

I took a step towards the gate that no one was guarding and was about to push it, but I heard a question: "Can I go with you, sir? If I don't get in the way, of course."

My head turned just enough to see Rising. He awkwardly lost the floor with a hoof and lowered his head down. Why the hell is he so shy? I shook my head slightly. It doesn't matter, we have to answer the question already. Sighing, I said, "No, Rising, you can't. Nothing interesting is going to happen and I have no idea what you're going to do. I just don't want you to waste your time following me, you know?"

Who are you trying to fool?

Rising nodded extremely reluctantly and said slowly turning around, "Oh, good. Then I'm off. See you later, Mr. Sir Boss!"

I grinned in response and again focusing on the entrance to the castle pushed the gate forward. With a loud creaking and scraping on the floor, the gate opened wide giving passage. I took a few steps forward until I was in the lock before stopping and looking at the door. Maybe you should close it behind you?

"No. Sooner or later, the guards will come back and close the door themselves." I said waving my hand before continuing to walk, trying to navigate the castle. Fortunately, over the last couple of days I have been forced to stay in it, I have gained some sense of direction in the castle.

As I moved, I could feel that an active movement of ponies began outside the castle. Looks like the curfew is over. Well, I got everything I could from him. Thank you for giving me an hour for the necessary procedure, Celestia. There's only one service you need to do right now.

In the end, I found myself right in front of the door with the image of the sun. The lines have long since diverged far to the sides, informing me that there is a Celestia inside. And just like last time, there was no one standing next to her. I scratched my chin slightly while looking at this while my brain, exhausted from lack of sleep, was trying to formulate a pattern. Door. The man inside. There are no soldiers. Door. There is no person inside. There are soldiers.

Snapping my finger, I muttered softly to myself: "The soldiers only guard the documents in this room. If there is someone inside, they leave. Can Celestia really be trusted with her own safety?"

Considering the movement of the lines? Quite.

"Khem Khem!" the voice on the other side of the door coughed loudly. Can she hear me? However, it doesn't matter.

Grinning, I slowly opened the door and took a quick step into the room. There I saw Celestia hunched over a desk surrounded by a lot of papers. She smiled slightly at the sight of me and opened her mouth to say something, but was quickly interrupted by me: "Yes, yes, Celly. Listen, just shut up while I write down everything I need in a notebook. Then just take me to the group."

Without waiting for any approval, I went to her desk and put a notebook on it and began to carefully write down the shortcomings in the army that I had noticed today. The first is of course the same armor. We need to somehow make it easier without critical loss of properties. Or you can come up with a way to deliver soldiers immediately to the battlefield so that they do not lose strength.

Unfortunately, the recording process was interrupted by Celestia, who carefully put a hoof on top of my hand and gently suggested: "You know, it's not necessary to strain so much. I can just write down everything you need to dictate to me. It will be easier for me than for you."

We don't need the help of conservatives.

I glanced at Celestia for a moment before looking at the notebook again and saying, "Get your dirty hoof off. I just washed up recently."

Disappointed, Celestia removed the hoof from my hand and immediately after that I continued to write carefully. The main thing is not to look at the handwriting. He's wrong. Unfortunately, Celestia did not calm down after that and persistently asked: "Tell me what you're recording, at least."

With an exasperated sigh, I sold the record and said: "The problems that exist among the soldiers and that need to be solved in the near future. Among them there are three that I discovered today. There is a fourth one, but I didn't think it was too serious. Armor that exhausts soldiers even before the battle, weapons with low power and lack of fast communication between soldiers directly on the battlefield. "

" And do you have any ideas how to solve them? " Celestia asked with curiosity in her voice. Or is it acting to confuse me?

Or does she want to know your ideas so that she can pass them off as her own?

I shrugged my shoulders and replied: "I have some ideas. But I wouldn't trust you with them for the world. So please tell me where Starlight, Flim and Flam are. I need to give them this notebook. And I wouldn't mind already seeing what budget you have allocated for development. "

Celestia sighed and said, looking away, " Everything is very complicated about the budget. It will take a couple of days to negotiate with the nobles and put it all in one bag. But I keep my word."

Yeah, of course.

Before I could comment, Celestia smiled slightly and continued: "But I can take you to the FSF if you want. Or even teleport."

I completely ignored the part about teleportation and asked with my head on one side: "FSF?"

Celestia giggled slightly and replied with a quick nod, "Yes. I thought it would take a long time to call all the names every time. So I just took the first letters of each name. See, I can come up with names too. "

I rolled my eyes and reluctantly replied: " Okay, I admit it. FSF is a normal name. Although I don't really like how it sounds. Anyway, let's get down to business. Where is this group of ingenious inventors? "

Celestia smiled slightly and said, lighting her horn, " I'll tell you later. I'll just teleport us there now."

Teleportation does. . .

Before I could even finish the thought, I found myself in a corridor next to Celestia. At first, my brain couldn't feel anything. It was as if the final death had come. Then a second later I took a sharp breath and grabbed my head, which was splitting with pain. I don't even know what to compare it with. It's the first time I slept for a few days and I was suddenly woken up?

Celestia looked at me and asked worriedly: "What happened?"

"You happened. " I hissed, trying not to groan in pain. It feels like I'm completely dead for a moment. And now I was born again and am learning to breathe again.

As one of the teleportation theories suggests. The original object is disassembled into atoms and assembled elsewhere. So now there is a question. Have you just been killed and revived, or is it just a painful effect of Celestia's magic? Are we going to bite our nails and cry about being dead, crybaby?

Groaning in pain, I slowly straightened up and said, taking a deep breath: "Just give me a notebook and show me where the FSF is. I don't have the strength to speculate about whether I was killed now or not."

With a flash of magic, a notebook appeared in the air right in front of me, which I caught with my left hand. After a moment, Celestia said, "You're all right, my little human. You're just not used to moving at such a fast speed."

I looked at her irritably and asked firmly: "WHERE ARE THEY?"

Celestia opened her eyes dumbfounded before pointing her hoof at the nearest door. By the time I looked at her, my brain had finally recovered. Well, as recovered as I can given the circumstances. There was a sign on the door that read: "General Laboratory number 4." And from behind the door I could hear someone arguing with someone. Come on, brain, we have a job waiting for us.

While I was slowly recovering, Celestia cleared her throat and began to explain with a proud smile on her face: "You see, there is a school for gifted unicorns in Canterlot. And in addition to the classes themselves, there are laboratories so that the foals can study magic or other disciplines of interest to them."

Slowly, my left hand puts the notebook in my pocket. Then she reached for her glasses and slowly hung them by the shackle behind her pocket. Eventually, my left hand wrapped its fingers around the bridge of my nose and I asked closing my eyes: "You mean that development. Military developments will be developed. In the school lab? "

Celestia stood awkwardly for a few seconds before answering: " Yes, that's right. But listen to me, please. As you read on the sign, this is a general laboratory. Therefore, there is a little bit of everything in it. And I personally made sure that this particular one had everything you need and even more. "

Calm down, relax. Inhale, exhale. In the future, it will only give us an advantage in discrediting Celestia. We will tell everyone how she provided absolutely nothing for scientists in such a difficult hour.

Sighing, I slowly put on my glasses and was about to open the door, but Celestia started talking again: "Oh, I almost forgot! Do you remember your idea of using murderers in prison? Well, everything is ready and everyone is notified. So tomorrow you will go to prison to convince the prisoners of your idea. They will remove your cast beforehand, of course. "I rolled my eyes and asked: " Why are you so active? Do you want to see how even murderers don't want to be under my command? Do you want to gloat?"

“What? No, no, no! I just thought this news would make you happy. You insisted very strongly on this idea. And as you said yesterday, you are haunted by the failures. I wanted to cheer you up. " Celestia quickly justified herself, making me frown. Can I trust her? Probably not. She's just afraid to admit the truth.

Sighing, I grabbed the door handle and focusing on the screams behind it, I said: "Stay here. I may have to use you as an email a little later."

Without waiting for her answer, I abruptly opened the door and took a step inside the room. I saw a lot of things there. Flasks with liquids, boards, chalk, chairs and other small things. But the most important among them were Starlight, Flim and Flam. The interaction between them was unfriendly to say the least. Starlight, smiling maliciously, held two other unicorns hovering above the ground. They unsuccessfully tried to escape and actively demanded Starlight to let them go.

A fascist and two businessmen met. Despite the presence of all three to the right of the center of the political coordinates, they still did not share something.

After taking a look at the whole picture, I sarcastically asked: "What representatives of the same ideology could not share?"

When I raised my voice, all three turned their heads in my direction and unanimously said, "Mr. Ctumer?"

Grinning, I adjusted my glasses slightly and answered: "Yes, the one and only. Now tell me what your conflict is so that I can solve it in five seconds. I will be in the role of a great peacemaker. "Starlight pointed accusingly with her hoof towards the two unicorns still floating in the air and said: " They think exclusively about themselves and do not even think about working for the benefit of everyone! It is because of such people that disharmony and inequality reign in the world! "

" Why would we engage in such nonsense? So everything is controlled by the invisible hoof of the market. As you know, the pursuit of personal gain contributes to the establishment of the common good. So the only one here who doesn't think about the common good is you, Miss Glimmer! " Flim and Flam replied at the same time, pointing their hooves at Starlight. It doesn't seem to bother them that they can be dropped on the floor at any second.

Anarcho-capitalists and a fascist again grappled drunkenly. It's the same thing every day.

Sighing, I shook my head slightly and said irritably, "Listen up, you fools. Your ideologies are essentially the same thing. The three of you are essentially radical capitalists. Just authoritarian to varying degrees. So how about recognizing your differences and getting started? I already have a notebook with tasks that you need to solve. Labor unites or something like that."

At the end of my speech, I pulled a notebook out of my pocket and held it up so that all the ponies could see it. For a moment, all the arguments subsided and Starlight, Flim and Flam stared at the notebook like a rabbit at a carrot. Starlight's magical aura even began to weaken a little, as if she was about to let go of the two brothers. Great, everything works.

But the next moment, Starlight's aura became dense again and pointing at the two brothers, she said: "I refuse to work with such vile, selfish boobies! I am sure that in the future they will take all the ideas for themselves and start selling the developments to the enemies!"

I rolled my eyes and, without listening to the answer of the two brothers, turned around on the spot and met the gaze of Celestia. There was a smirk on her face as if she expected me to get down on my knees and ask her for help. I frowned slightly and said, "Find my soldiers, gather a group of nine people and send them here. It looks like commissars are needed here."

Celestia nodded reluctantly, lit her horn and disappeared from my sight in a yellow flash. Sighing, I turned around again and slowly walked to the chair while everyone else was shouting. Going to the chair, I took it and scratching it on the floor went to the table. In the end, I took a deep breath and hit the table with my fist, causing a small crack to pass through it. The sound startled all the ponies, and Starlight even lost her concentration and dropped the two brothers to the ground.

Taking a deep breath, I said in a firm and cold tone: "Well, apparently I need to communicate with you as a father. Shouting and violence."

I once again slammed my palm on the table, making the pony shudder and said: "From now on, you will be strictly monitored. Every moment of your developments will be watched by soldiers who will come here soon. Each of your attempts to argue will be severely suppressed. Every decision will be made by me. If the soldiers report to me that you have made any decision, then I will punish you. And you won't like it. "

After making sure that everyone was silent and did not dare to speak, I put the notebook on the table and said: " Here are the problems of the soldiers. Your task is to develop a way to solve them. It is not necessary to solve each problem for individual projects. Until the soldiers come, I will be watching you. If you don't like to communicate so much, then use chalk and a blackboard. And now, GET TO WORK!"

After my shout, all three unicorns shuddered and scattered in different directions. Starlight grabbed a notebook with her magic and ran to the blackboard before starting to rewrite the contents. Flim and Flam watched this with some irritation on their faces, but being under my surveillance, they did not dare to do anything. Looking at this, I yawned and sat down on a chair and closed my eyes in an attempt to fall asleep. Before another unsuccessful attempt, a thought filled with irritation formed in my head.

Regulating the work of these idiots will be difficult. And it is obvious that the commissioners will not be able to become a permanent solution.

Desert Zoo

Nothing. Not a single sound. Not a single light source. There are no lines. There is no head. The body does not exist. There is nothing around. Emptiness. After what seemed like an eternity, a bright thought broke through this emptiness.

It's time to work, crybaby. Get up, get up.

Slowly, everything started to become clear again. Ears caught the sound of a fast moving train. The eyelids felt the sunlight falling on them. The lines began to line up and take on the silhouettes of the creatures closest to me. Literally a couple of steps away from me, there were about ten thestrals. No, nine. There were no other creatures on the train. The body also started to turn on and I realized that I was now in a sitting position. And something is putting a little pressure on my knees.

I slowly opened my eyes and looked around the room. My body was on the train and was sitting on the seat right in front of the window from which the evening light was beating. Then I focused on feeling a slight pressure on my knees. My eyes widened at the sight. Rising was lying on the seat next to me and put his head on my knee. Judging by the calm and rhythmic breathing, he is sleeping. And what should I do about it? How should we react to this?

In search of a sign, I cast a glance in the direction of the other thestrals. They settled down on the opposite side of the train from me and each took his seat to sleep. There were a lot of other empty seats in the car, so Rising sat next to me not because of lack of space. Then I squinted slightly after finding the evidence. Unlike everyone else, Rising did not take off his gear before falling asleep, but simply fell asleep in full uniform. That's the answer! He lay down on my knee just because he fell asleep by accident!

Yes, yes, of course. Convince yourself of that, crybaby. Although I would recommend doing more important things. For example, preparing for a conversation with murderers.

I sighed and reached into my pocket. Before sending me to the train, Celestia did a few things for me. Of course, the most important of them is the removal of plaster. It's good that all wounds recover faster here. But the second most important thing is, I do not know, an order? Yes, probably the name of the order fits best. So, Celestia said that if there are any questions from the prison staff, I just need to present it. Although I don't think I'll have to use it.

In any case, I pulled the order out of my pocket and quickly scanned it with my eyes. Briefly speaking, in it, Celestia writes that Daniel Ctumer, that is, I came to prison to put forward a proposal to those who arrive in prison for murder. The Latracaz prison authorities know about this. Wait, Latracaz?

The pony version of Alcatraz? So we're going to the prison that's on the island? Hmm, maybe try walking right through the water? Winter after all.

Shaking my head slightly, I carefully folded the order and put it in my pocket. Then, just in case, I started checking the contents of the pockets. A knife? Yes, it may be useful for additional persuasiveness during negotiations. A cube? There is, the application is similar to that of a knife. Sleep? Surprisingly, yes. In some fantastic way, I was able to sleep while riding the train. See, Discord? I don't need you to sleep. For the first time in three days. Or is it already the fifth? Tenth?

Deciding to put this thought aside, I carefully put my right hand on Rising's head. It is necessary to remember how to work with this limb. Taking a deep breath, I carefully moved Rising's head from my knee to the seat. In response to this, he muttered something unintelligible, but fortunately did not wake up. After making sure that I was free, I slowly got up from my seat and leaned on the folding table. After sleeping in this position, the limbs feel like nothing. Do I even still have legs? I glanced down. Yes, there is, everything is in place.

They say that after three days without sleep, neurons begin to die off. Looks like you're a prime example of what true, crybaby.

I chuckled a little before starting to carefully step out into the corridor of the train and at the same time hold on to everything in a row. After a few long steps, I got out into the corridor of the car and looked first forward, then back. I wanted to get some fresh air. But I didn't take into account the fact that I have no idea where to go. There is a fifty percent chance that I will get to the engine room where there will definitely be no fresh air and there is a fifty percent chance that everything will work out. Yeah.

"Or I can just stand here." I said softly so as not to wake anyone up for sure. Well, it looks like there's no fresh air today. Sighing, I took a few more careful and quiet steps until I reached the end of the car where there were many unoccupied seats. Carefully sitting down on a chair, I realized one extremely unpleasant thing. I'm not wearing glasses. It seems that from the dawn I considered the blurriness just a lack of sleep.

Now we're going to look for them, crybaby. Get to work.

With an exasperated sigh, I quickly got up from my seat, staggered slightly and regained my balance quickly walked to my original place. There my eyes noticed that the Rising position shifted slightly. He was still lying on the seat, but he moved slightly, which was why he was on the verge of falling off it. At first I thought it was a small thing that could be missed. After all, glasses are much more important now. But what if he gets badly hurt when he falls? What if the sword suddenly falls out of its scabbard and injures some part of the body? No, no, this is nonsense.

After a couple of seconds of reflection, I carefully put my left hand on Rising's back and moved him so that he didn't exactly fall off the seat. At first he didn't show any signs of discomfort, but as soon as I took my hand away, he muttered something unintelligible. For a moment I froze, hoping that I could not wake him up. Fortunately, Rising calmed down and continued to sleep.

Sighing, I looked at the place where I used to sit and started looking for my glasses. My seat on the seat? No, it's empty. Maybe I put my glasses on the folding table before going to bed? No, it's empty there too. Then my eyes caught a small glint of light under the table. Kneeling down, I looked at the dark space under the table and saw my glasses. I don't even know if it's good or bad. Maybe they shouldn't be picked up? I'm afraid they fell and cracked.

Yes, that's right, that's right. It's time to get used to the mole lifestyle. You're not going to hold your glasses during the fight, are you?

"I'll stick it in my head. I muttered, reaching for my glasses and praying to myself that they wouldn't crack. Grabbing my glasses, I squinted and carefully looked at them. Apart from a small piece of dirt, nothing terrible. Thank you, world.

Slightly wiping the glasses with my coat, I put them on and adjusted them slightly. Then I slowly straightened up and looked around the train car in a bored way. I don't want to try my luck. I think I've already exhausted all my luck exactly at the moment when I dropped my glasses and they didn't break. On the other hand, just standing and waiting for everyone to wake up will be extremely boring.

I put my hands on my hips and thought. The princesses were extremely opposed to my idea being crowned with success. And yet none of them dared to come with me? There's definitely got to be a catch. We will act clearly within a narrow framework. Maybe the princesses told me in advance that my visit to the prison was strictly documented. They definitely can't trust me.

Suddenly, my almost completely finished reflection was interrupted by the loud howling of the train and the creaking of brakes. In the next moment, many soldiers with dissatisfied groans began to wake up. I grinned slightly at the sight of this whole picture and began to quickly inspect the car in search of an exit until the corridor was occupied by the awakened soldiers. Seeing something that looked like a door, I quickly walked up to it and leaned against the wall. Slowly, one by one, the soldiers began to get up from their seats, put on their equipment and wake up those who did not wake up from the sounds of the train. Chuckling, I turned my gaze out the window. There, instead of the large city and island I expected, there was something that I definitely did not expect from the pony version of Alcatraz. There was only a wasteland and a mountain in the distance. Of course there was no snow.

It's even good that there is no snow. You can't start degradation again without him, crybaby.

Sighing, I focused on the door, waiting for it to open. While I was waiting, I could feel that all the soldiers had already lined up and were waiting with me. Eventually, the door creaked open slowly. And by slow, I mean terribly slow. It feels like this train is generally the first with an automatic door. Or even just a prototype. I shook my head slightly. No matter. The door is still opening.

When the door opened just enough for me to get in, I turned sideways and slowly squeezed through it. With a little effort, my body left the train and my leg ended up at the train station. The train station? Right in the middle of the wasteland? What for?

Deciding to put this question aside for later, I took a few steps forward to give space to the soldiers leaving the train and began to look around. The station looked, to put it mildly, worse than its counterpart from Canterlot. The marble material was replaced by ordinary wood, there was not a single bench at the station itself. Thank you at least for the fact that there is a clock on the facade of the building. It's five o'clock in the evening. I think it's good for Thestrals. It's almost night. Almost.

When I didn't see anyone at the train station, I frowned slightly. Even the lines don't indicate anyone's presence except for me and my soldiers. Trouble. And what should I do? I don't even know where I am. I didn't even bring a map with me!

Rising took a few steps closer to me and cautiously asked: "So, sir, what are we going to do now?"

Come on, come on. Show everyone your weakness. Everyone really wants to see it. Everyone is so interested to see your flaws, crybaby. You can't even imagine.

To my own surprise, I felt a group of several Earth ponies galloping towards the train station. Frowning, I thought a few who it could be. It would have been a much easier task if Celestia had given me more information than "get on the train and gather some soldiers with you."

Remembering that Rising asked in a hurry, I turned in his direction and answered: "Wait a bit. Someone is coming here now. "

Rising raised an eyebrow and cautiously bowed his head and asked: " I don't doubt your skills in any way, Mr. Sir Boss, but..."

His words were interrupted by several ponies who ran into the territory of the station and began to actively take a breath. After a quick glance at them, I noted a few details among the recent arrivals. In total, the group consisted of three ponies, two of whom were dressed in blue uniforms similar to classic police officers and one was dressed in a gray jacket with a red tie. "Very good" clothes for working in the wasteland. During their inspection, I could feel all the soldiers staring at me. It's like I'm some kind of fortune teller.

Hmm, a fortune teller. Since Luna prohibits the use of lines for combat purposes, we will use them for quack purposes.

I didn't have time to grin as the pony in the gray jacket caught his breath and coming up to me began to say: "I'm sorry for being late, Mr. Ctumer. It was hard to organize all the prisoners according to your unusual request, to put it mildly. Let's pretend it didn't happen. "

He stopped a step away from me to clear his throat and, extending his hoof in greeting, said: " My name is the Same Alosia and I am the head of Latracaz prison. I am extremely glad to meet you, Mr. Ctumer."

I squinted and looked at the hoof extended to me. I don't even know which of the whole situation is the worst. That I need to press a hoof that is unclear where it was? The fact that his name is the Same Alosia and I have no idea how to address him better? Or that I'm in the damn wasteland right now without a drop of water with me?

Crybaby, it's time to answer the greeting. And don't be squeamish. Dirty hands are a sign of hard work. That's why you have them clean. And about the name, let's just call him Mr. Alos? Sounds normal. Maybe.

Reluctantly, I stretched out my left hand and wrapping it around Mr. Alrosa's hoof I replied pretending to be polite: "It's nice to meet you too. And before I forget, do you mind if I call you Mr. Alos for short?"

Same Alosia frowned slightly, and a couple of chuckles rang out behind him. What's funny here? Before I could get to the answer, the Same Alosia smiled awkwardly and replied: "I have to refuse, Mr. Ctumer. If you want to call me that much, then you can call me Sam, okay?"

For a moment, I was pleasantly surprised despite a couple more laughs from the side. Am I going to call a pony by a human name? Especially with such a good-sounding human name? I'm only happy to. My hand lets go of Sam's hoof and a satisfied answer came out of my mouth: "Okay, I agree. I think this is the best solution possible."

Sam nodded gratefully and cleared his throat before turning around: "Since we have decided this, follow me. I will guide you to my pride, Latracaz Prison."

As soon as he turned around, two more police ponies followed him, and I waved my hand to the soldiers to follow me. Feeling the collective nod of all ten soldiers, I followed Sam in the hope of seeing the prison soon, at least from afar. My hope was destroyed when I left the train station and saw a long road going towards the mountain that towered over the entire flat landscape. Damn it, it's a long walk and the forehead has already started to heat up.

Continuing to follow Sam along the road, I glanced at the sun. Although it was going over the horizon, it seems that during this time I will already catch a sunstroke. Thank you at least for the fact that the coat protects most of the body from the heat. But the protection does not concern my head and all my soldiers.

After a while, consisting of a continuous walk, uninterrupted by not a single sound, Sam raised his voice with some excitement in his tone: "Do you mind if I tell you a little about Latracaz while we walk?"

Oh? The warden personally wants to tell me about his institution? You can't refuse such an opportunity. Don't even think about the opposite, crybaby.

I shrugged and replied with some enthusiasm, "Sure, why not."

Sam took a deep breath and began to speak, unsuccessfully trying to sound calm: "Latracas Prison was founded in 987 due to the increase in the number of crimes against the background of the economic crisis at that time. And from the very first day I was in charge of this prison. Unlike all prisons in Equestria, there are some features that appeared here during the crisis and are still in effect. "

Sam abruptly stopped talking as if he really wanted me to ask a question about exactly what features his prison has. And I so want to know about what kind of crisis there was a few years ago. Okay, I'll ask you later. Rolling my eyes, I reluctantly asked: " What features?"

"Very glad you asked, Mr. Ctumer! Latracaz has features that make it the most efficient prison in Equestria. Moreover, this is the only prison that does not take money from the treasury, but on the contrary, brings money. Here, prisoners have the right to get a job mining resources in the mountains, which will eventually reduce their sentence. A fair deal in my opinion, and most importantly it is voluntary. Sam replied with pride in his voice. Wait, shouldn't he be against my idea? It's like I'm taking away promising employees from him.

It doesn't matter, we'll figure it out later. I want to hear about the economic crisis.

I nodded slightly and asked: "Your prison is extremely interesting, Sam, but let's get away from it for a second. Can you tell us a little about the economic crisis that you mentioned earlier?"

Sam sighed as if he was upset that he wouldn't be able to talk about prison and replied in a monotone voice: "As I said earlier, this crisis occurred in 987, that is, fourteen years ago. There are still many versions of why they happened and none of them is considered absolutely true. All points of view are approximately equal. But if you are interested in my opinion, then I believe that the reason was the workers. When they started to riot en masse, many productions completely stood up for several months! Alas, by the time a compromise was found, the damage had already been done. And then the crisis."

Let's skip the whole part about his personal opinion, okay? Let's just write it down as a thing for which Celestia can be condemned. Of course, I'll have to read about it later.

Nodding slightly, I wiped my forehead with the back of my hand and focused on what was ahead. I could already make out the outline of a rectangular building surrounded by towers. Unfortunately, from this distance it was not possible to see something in more detail. Especially considering that half of the prison is covered by the shadow of the mountain.

After a few seconds of silence, Sam opened his mouth again and began to speak with excitement in his voice: "Here he is, Latracas. Soon you will be able to see it in all its glory. By the way, the nights are cold in the wasteland, so I recommend spending the night in prison. Don't worry, the staff quarters are more than comfortable."

I put my hand to my chin and mumbled thinking. On the one hand, it's really cold in the desert at night. And now it's getting late. But on the other hand, to delay all this when I need to hurry? No, no way. I still have to run the FSF. I hope they are working now. In the end, I shook my head and answered firmly: "No, thank you. I still have a lot to do."

My stream of thoughts was suspended when I heard someone behind me actively breathing through his mouth just like a dog. Turning around, I see that the soldiers are following me with their heads down and judging by their appearance, they are extremely hot. In the next moment, my brain, which had finally slept, was able to give an answer.

If it's hot for you now, then the pony is even more so. They have fur after all. This is not to mention the armor that can accumulate.

Reluctantly, I turned away from the soldiers and focused back on the road to the prison. I won't be able to help them properly right now. Even if they can take off their armor and it will help them, then a new problem will arise. Where to put the whole huge arsenal of armor? Leaving everything in the middle of the wasteland is not an option.

Sighing, I continued walking until a shadow fell on me. Glancing up and continuing to walk, I saw that we had already reached the foot of the mountain and were now passing next to it. Wait, is the prison located right on the mountain? From afar, I could not see such a detail. I glanced in Sam's direction, trying to make sure everything was going according to plan. Seeing no signs of nervousness or slowing down on his part, I slightly shrugged my shoulders. If the pony version of Alcatraz is on the mountain, then it is on the mountain.

After a while, Sam and two ponies in police suits turned sharply to the right, to which I reacted instantly. The same cannot be said about my soldiers who have gone a few more steps forward. Turning his head in their direction and shouted: "HEY! You're going the wrong way!"

After these words, the Soldiers raised their heads a little higher as if trying not to look exhausted by the heat and nodded wearily before following me in the right direction. Nodding in response, my gaze switched to what was ahead. Right ahead was the path leading to the prison. Since the prison was located just above the foot, the trail had some upward slope. I hope the remaining forces of the soldiers will be enough to climb it.

As I walked along the road, my eyes could see the details of the prison better and better. Around it were four towers, each of which had two ponies. The next thing I felt was that there were a lot of ponies inside the prison. Judging by the number of people, the prison is probably bigger inside than it seems. Maybe part of the prison is right inside the mountain?

A good solution. You can save on ceilings. Or in general on all premises.

Grinning, I turned around and making sure that the soldiers were not too far behind, I focused on the road again. A few moments later, Sam and two guards on either side stood in front of a large gate with three keyholes. Sam stood in front of the central well and the guards on the sides. Nodding, they pulled the keys out of their pockets and simultaneously inserted them into the wells and made three turns with the key. There were several loud clicks and the door opened slightly. Three ponies together tried to open the gate to the end, but it barely moved.

Sam turned his head slightly in my direction and asked with an awkward smile: "Could you help a little, Mr. Ctumer? It's just that we usually set a time when the door is opened and the rest of the staff helps us. Alas, we didn't have time to set a time today."

Rolling my eyes, I motioned them to move aside, which they slowly obeyed. Thrusting my left hand into the crack, I began to gently pull it towards me. To my own surprise, it was a little hard. For a second it even seemed to me that I would have to connect my right hand. While I was trying to open the door with one hand, Sam began to speak in a proud tone: "The main gate of Latracas prison consists of three racks of various metals and also have special weights. Thus, even if the prisoners can find all the keys and guess how to open the door, there will be problems in order to move it. Not to mention getting past the watchers on the towers and leaving the wasteland."

The wasteland is understandable. But what will the guards on the towers be able to do, given how long it takes them to descend?

I shook my head slightly, deciding that I would postpone this question a little for later, and with a sharp jerk I was finally able to move the door. Alas, with one hand I managed to move it just enough to fit a pair of ponies into the gap. Of course, I could use two hands. But I haven't had time to get used to the fact that my right hand is functioning again.

As soon as the door was open, I took a step to the side and pointed with my hand inside the prison so that Sam and his guards would go first. With a grateful nod, Sam and the guards followed him through the crack into the prison. Glancing at the soldiers who looked a little better than before, I waved my hand before entering the prison, telling them to follow me.

When I entered the prison, I saw gray, perfectly clean walls on which there was not a single scratch. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed that there was a glass on the left, behindbehind which one pony was sitting. Security guards checking all incoming and outgoing? Nice, very nice. My attention was turned to Sam, who cleared his throat and began to say: "Now we are in a part of the prison where there is not a single criminal. There are only staff here and there are always at least a couple of people here. No criminal will ever be able to escape from here. "

My God, how much he talks about inaccessibility. Is he not sure about it himself and wants to convince himself of it, or does he just want to show off?

I rolled my eyes and sighed, deciding not to answer. Fortunately, Sam stopped talking at least for a while and just kept walking forward. After a while, I felt a little breeze and heard some buzzing from above. Lifting my head a little higher, I saw something that I hadn't seen for so long. Conditioner. Wow, does a pony have that? If my eyes are not deceiving me, then yes there is.

I continued on my way and when the air conditioner was behind me, my thoughts focused on the questions. Air conditioning is of course very good, but why is it only here? There are many places where it could be at least in the off state. The City Hall, the library, the castle after all! But no, he's only here. Why?

Crybaby, the warden of this prison is walking right in front of you. Maybe use the language?

Looks like I haven't had enough sleep yet. Shaking my head slightly, I cleared my throat loudly and asked: "Sam, why is there no air conditioning in all Equestria, and you have a strict regime prison?"

"How do you know what an air conditioner is?" Sam asked in surprise, continuing to walk forward. Thank you. I wouldn't want to waste time on useless conversations while not moving.

Rolling my eyes, I calmly replied: "There was one in my parents' house. Judging by your surprise, air conditioners are much rarer in Equestria than in my homeland."

Sam shook his head slightly and said firmly, "You don't quite understand me, Mr. Ctumer. It was here in Latracas that the first air conditioner was invented. And this technology has never entered the public market. There could not have been an air conditioner in your parents' house purely physically."

Has it ever been written in the news that I'm from another planet? That is, I was considered a foreigner from an unknown country all this time? There is no other way to explain the behavior of the prison governor. Crybaby, it's time to fight back. If we are considered a foreigner, it is better to leave it. I think it will be easier for a pony to obey a foreigner than an alien.

Sighing, I quickly scrolled through the options in my head as possible to dispel all Sam's suspicions and do it in such a way as to leave no inaccuracies. Fortunately, sleeping on the train allowed my brain to work much better. In the end, I grinned and said: "I'm afraid to upset you, Sam, but you are extremely mistaken. In my homeland, air conditioning was invented more than a hundred years ago. You see, where I come from is an extremely harsh and hot climate. That's why we don't have wool, unlike you ponies. This is called evolution and adaptation. "

Fortunately Sam didn't become interested in evolution and instead just asked with skepticism: " Then why hasn't it been known about it in Equestria for so long? If your people decided to sell it to the rest of the world, then your homeland would be enriched."

How I like the phrase "your people". It's like I'm the ruler of all mankind. Alas, as Yugoslavia has shown, no great ideas can eradicate nationalism and racism. Except perfection of course. If everyone thinks only about himself and the superiority of his personality over others, then there will be no nationalism.

If something didn't work out for someone, it doesn't mean that it won't work out for me. I shook my head slightly and thought for a second how to respond to Sam's rebuke. Mentally, I snapped my fingers. The Chinese ancient worldview is our answer.

Clearing my throat, I calmly replied: "Humanity and the land occupied by it is the center of the world that God personally provided, and everything around is just a periphery. Outside the center of the world, there are only barbarians who don't even deserve Humans to know more about them. I have just told you the position that in my homeland is the official state doctrine. Of course, there are exceptions that do not share this position. But most prefer to protest in their native land. "

Sam just walked forward in silence for a few seconds before nodding slightly and asking with less skepticism: " I have to admit, it sounds quite logical. But there is a question which gives reason to seriously doubt your words. Are you seriously saying that in the many years of your species' existence, no one has gone on a sea Expedition?"

I shrugged my shoulders as if I wasn't taking this conversation seriously and replied: "I didn't say that. Maybe once upon a time there was an Expedition to this part of the world. Maybe she was even successful. But now, as you can see, there is only me. How did I manage to get here? Very simple. In many regions, uprisings and conflicts began, which gave opportunities. As a result, having collected money, I was able to get out of my native evil totalitarian country under the guise of leaving no trace. "

Distort reality to an abstract porridge, so as not to consider it a lie, crybaby? Well, I'm afraid to make you cry. Self-deception is also deception.

I barely held back an exasperated sigh as I waited for Sam's answer. After a few seconds, he slowly nodded and gave an answer that calmed me down: "Okay, it sounds more or less convincing. Judging by your tone, you don't really want to talk about it in more detail. Well, I won't force you."

I nodded back and focused on the road in front of me. The gray corridor went on and on and I saw something at the far end of the corridor. Slightly adjusting my glasses and wiping them, I saw that it was a water cooler next to which two guards were standing and talking about something. From behind, I could feel the strong desire of the thestrals to rush to this cooler. And given their number, completely empty it.

Sighing, I cleared my throat again and said, "Anyway, Sam. My soldiers suffer greatly from the heat. They're wearing armor that accumulates a lot in the sun, after all. So for now, I politely ask you to let them use the cooler."

Sam shrugged slightly and replied: "Of course, I don't see any problems."

The next moment, I felt all the soldiers raise their hooves in preparation to run. Reacting quickly, I took a step to the side and lightly pushed Sam along with his two guards. As a result, the four of us pressed ourselves against the wall while the Thestrals were preparing to start running. In the next second, they all took off like dogs from a chain and ran to the cooler. Not wanting to see what they were doing, feeling thirsty, I focused on Sam and said, "Well, while they are recuperating, can you show me the killers I came here to talk to?"

Sam glanced towards the crowd of soldiers before chuckling, "We won't have to leave them behind. The entrance to the prison yard where the murderers are located is behind the right turn. I mean, behind the right turn which is next to the cooler. I think given the pace at which your soldiers are running and drinking, they will have regained their strength by the time we get to the turn."

See how the crowd becomes completely disorganized at the first difficulty. Think of it as a reminder of what you're fighting for, crybaby.

With a disappointed sigh, I lowered my head down so as not to see the soldiers and said, stretching out my right hand forward: "You are the head of this prison. Stop standing there and lead me to my destination."

With a slight grin, Sam waved his hoof and walked forward with the guards. Continuing to keep my eyes down, I began to follow them. Alas, in addition to sight, I also have heard, lines and intuition. Despite the attempts to ignore it, I could definitely feel that a lot of soldiers gathered around the cooler and actively tried to drink as much as they could. Fortunately, a full-fledged fight did not start between them. Just a little push. However, I could feel that only one of the thestrals did not participate in all this action and stood slightly to the side.

Taking a deep breath, I shifted my gaze from the floor to the picture in front of me and saw who this pacifist ways. Rising Moon. Although it seems to me that he also really wants water. Probably just afraid to look bad and disorganized when I look. Oh, if only the others had the same fear. Maybe it's not too late to start scaring people again?

Of course you should! To question this is already a gross mistake. But you can forgive her, crybaby.

Quickly shaking my head, I looked down again and continued to follow Sam. At some point, my ears caught a quiet chuckle from the pony in front of me. I frowned and glared at the back of Sam's head. Is he amused? Does this horse think he has the right to laugh at me? Does he think that I am not able to organize my soldiers properly?

My left hand clenched into a fist and my right went into my pocket. Feeling its contents, a question arose in front of me. What would be better? A good old knife that I understand how to work with, or a newfangled club that I used literally once? Hmm, what a hard choice.

Look at it this way. What will it hurt more to die from? From multiple stab and cutting wounds or from holes all over the body and bleeding following it?

After a few seconds of reflection, I unclenched my fist and pulled my hand out of my pocket. No, that's the wrong answer. Sam is absolutely right. I could organize the soldiers much better. I could not get attached to them and calmly consider them pawns. But this was not done. All I can do now is to take into account the mistakes and not repeat them in the future. The shock brigades will become a field where I will not make a single mistake.

In the end, I exhaled and focused on the road ahead with a cold gaze directed at the Thestrals. Those of them who had already drunk the water sat down on the ground and leaned against the wall with their eyes closed contentedly. Thank you at least for not taking off the uniforms. Mistake number one: The assumption of emancipation. A soldier, if he has not received an order, must do absolutely nothing. Then my eyes focused on those who had not yet reached the water. Fortunately, they organized themselves and almost stopped pushing. However, the sediment remained. Thank you for standing aside at least.

After a while we reached the soldiers, most of whom had already drunk water. Unfortunately for some, the water in the cooler ran out before everyone had time to drink. Shaking my head, I stopped in place, clapped my hands, attracting the attention of the soldiers and said in an imperative tone: "That's it, the rest is over. Quickly get up, line up in a row and follow me."

Catching some irritation in my voice, the soldiers abruptly rose on all four hooves and began to line up. Because of the narrowness of the corridor, they jostled each other, but fortunately no fight occurred. Despite all the difficulties, they eventually managed to line up in response to which I chuckled and looked in Sam's direction again. He and his guards walked a few steps forward, but stopped almost as soon as I started talking and just looked at me.

I nodded to him and pointed my finger forward, informing him that it was possible to move on. Sam nodded and turned away, waved his hoof to his guards and continued walking forward. I repeated a similar gesture to order my soldiers to follow me before going forward myself. After a few steps, we turned the right corner and I saw in front of me a long corridor in which there was a curious detail. A red line was drawn on about half of the hall, and gray walls were replaced by something similar to stone rocks. Luckily for me, no crystals. Just rocks.

Chuckling, I adjusted my glasses slightly and looked at the far end of the corridor. There was a door similar to the entrance gate, only smaller. And behind that door, I could sense the presence of more ponies. Definitely over fifty. Probably, in addition to the murderers there is also a guard. More than logical.

Deciding to pass the time a little, I cleared my throat and asked, pointing to the door at the end of the corridor: "Well, Sam, am I correct in assuming that there are murderers behind that door to talk to whom I came here?"

Sam chuckled slightly in response and continued walking .: "A strikingly correct assumption, Mr. Ctumer. Behind this door is the prison yard. And for your sake, today there are only murderers in it with whom you want to chat so much. I think you're already looking forward to talking to them, aren't you?"

Why the hell is he so friendly!? We literally came to his abode for his promising workers! Why would anyone be happy about it?

Putting my hand to my chin, I lightly scratched it thinking about what could be the reason for the friendship. The usual diploma? Ugh, what a nasty word. And I don't think it fits here. Shaking my head slightly, I took my hand off my chin and said, looking down at Sam: "Yes, I've been waiting for this conversation for a long time. I think they are also waiting to meet with the new bosses."

In response, Sam only nodded slightly without even turning in my direction. Although how can he look at me now? Stop in place and turn around with your whole body? Long. And he can't just turn his head. Not an owl after all.

Grinning, I shook my head slightly and looked at the door, which was less than a dozen steps away. As soon as Sam and his guards were close enough to the door, they reached into their pockets again and pulled out the keys, but this time, of course, others. Just like last time, they looked at each other and nodded at the same time inserted the keys into the door before making three turns. The door opened with a loud click and Sam and his guards stepped aside.

Realizing what they wanted from me, I grinned and walking up to the door asked: "Are you sure it's a good idea to make the doors so heavy that you can't open them yourself?"

Sam chuckled slightly and asked in response while I was slowly opening the door: "Well, if we can't open the door, then criminals can't. So I was sure, now I am sure and I will be sure that this is a good idea."

Shaking my head slightly, I jerked the door open completely and stepped aside so that Sam and his guards could pass on. Sam gave me a grateful nod and walked through the door. With a gesture of my hand, I ordered the soldiers to follow me, and feeling their collective nod, I walked through the door.

There my eyes widened at the sight of the prison yard. The prison yard was open-air, right? Well, the pony version of Alcatraz has not heard of such a rule. Here the prison yard has a ceiling in the form of stone rocks. Presumably the whole yard is located inside the mountain. I shifted my gaze from the ceiling to the view ahead and saw that I was on a kind of balcony with an iron railing. Asking for a look below, my eyes noticed a descent from the balcony in the form of an iron staircase. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a group of fifty assassins standing in the center of the courtyard.

Sam cleared his throat slightly and said in a cheerful voice: "I'll take a look at it all from here, if you don't mind, Mr. Ctumer. Have fun and don't worry. No one will attack you. There are guards everywhere and the killers themselves are chained up."

As if all of them together can do anything to me. The maximum is to hurt your self-esteem, crybaby.

With a slight nod, I turned to my soldiers and said, "Stay here. I'll deal with everything. And if you are too impressionable, it's better to close your ears. Although in such a case, you will miss all the fun. The choice is yours, after all."

Rising cautiously took a step forward and said, "But, Mr. Sir Boss, are you sure this is a good idea? I'm not in any way doubting you, but..."

While Rising was talking, I had already managed to turn around and start walking down the stairs. As soon as he stopped on the floor of the word I said rolling my eyes: " Calm down, Rising. What's the worst they can do to me? Offend? Spit in the face? Don't make me laugh."

I didn't wait for his answer and started down the stairs, but after a few moments I felt a small nod. Grinning, I quickly walked the remaining steps and found myself right at the bottom of the prison yard. Turning my head to the right, I saw my goal in front of me. A gathering of one hundred and fifty murderers who were chained in pairs. That makes a total of seventy-five chains. Hmm. That's not enough.

Put your thoughts aside, crybaby. I'll get busy now. Watch and learn.

Straightening up, I took off my glasses and carefully put them in my pocket. After that, I slowly walked towards the crowd of murderers, constantly squinting to see at least something. As I got closer, I could feel the stares focused on me, most of which were not very positive. What happened? Are employees not happy to see their employer?

Shaking my head slightly, I stopped right in front of the crowd of murderers and looked them over. Most of them looked at me with a mildly, not very grateful look. Well, they will be weaned from this habit. Grinning, I squatted down right in front of the crowd and asked, "Well, guys. Why were you sent to prison? Or are you innocent and fluffy?"

The killers' gaze changed from unfriendly to puzzled. Everything works like clockwork. Grinning, I waved my hand several times in my direction as if I was beckoning animals and said with a smile: "Come on, come on, tell me. It is very interesting for everyone to listen to your individual and definitely not like the others story. Everyone wants to hear your motives. Everyone wants to see that you are the same people as everyone else. "

Receiving only an even more puzzled look in response, I was about to continue talking when suddenly one of the ponies in the crowd raised his voice: "I'm not guilty! This is a mistake! I was framed!"

Yeah, we'll write it down. A pathological liar. It is recommended to sew up the mouth in the future.

Grinning, I waved my hand dismissively and said: "Let me guess. This was just a summary of the history of each of you, wasn't it? All of you are white and fluffy angels in horse form. You don't even stage a mosquito genocide in the summer, do you? Just giving blood for free? "

This time, the absurdity of my words was able to pierce the hard shell of several assassins, causing them to chuckle slightly. Great, great. We continue to just talk. We walk around a bit and hit. Taking a deep breath, I asked another question: " Well, what about the impression of the murders? Did you like it? I liked it so much that you repeated it several times, right?"

In response to this, a deathly silence hung in the air. Such shrinking people nowadays. Grinning, I pointed with one hand at the balcony where the soldiers were stationed and pointed at myself with the other. The next moment I said: "Don't be shy, guys. Everyone is their own here. There are guys up there who also killed a lot and often. And I also killed a good number of creatures. Although most of them were animals. But hey, what's the difference?"

Really, what's the difference?

For a few seconds there was silence in the air, which slowly but surely created irritation. Fortunately, one of the ponies who had a gray mane took a step forward from the crowd and spoke in a slightly tired voice: "Okay, young, since no one wants to tell, then I'll tell. Personally, I have three ponies on my account. It's been so long that I don't even remember how I did it. But I remember why. Just for the sake of survival. It was a difficult time. Although I can't deny that there was some pleasure in it."

After uttering the last sentence, the pony just shrugged his shoulders to my surprise and subsequent pleasure. Hmm, I already like this old man. A hard time? Went to kill. Everything is simple and clear. I don't even want to find out more information. And why? He killed three ponies because there were problems during the crisis. I don't know if he was selling ponies of organs or trying to eat them. It doesn't matter.

Don't get distracted, crybaby. We're not done yet.

Smiling sincerely, I nodded in response and straightened up. After taking a look at all the killers, I rubbed my hands lightly and said: "Well, let's get down to business. I heard that you have an option to shorten the term by working at the mine. Is it true?"

In response, a few ponies nodded while most just looked at me. Not paying attention to this, I continued to say, "So. I have a suggestion. You've killed before and at least one of you has enjoyed it. Do you know what the legal right to kill is called? Military service."

I paused for a second to assess the killers' reaction to this. Judging by their faces, they already agreed now. I sighed in disappointment. The deal assumes that I will notify them of all the inconvenient details. Taking a deep breath, I continued to say: "However, you will not be provided with full-fledged service in the army. There is no trust in you, you know. So you will be in the shock brigades. What does it mean? This means that you will be the first to go to each battle. Without intelligence and good equipment, of course. In fact, to certain death. But hey! Look at it from the other side. You will have normal food, you will be in the fresh air and if you are very lucky, you will even be released. Are there any volunteers?"

If all the stars line up in a row.

To my surprise and, of course, pleasure, several ponies, after a short reflection, raised their hooves up. Before I could start counting those who agreed, they nodded and several more ponies raised their hooves up. Just in case, I stood with my hands on my hips for a few seconds before asking, addressing a large group of the remaining: "Is that all? Or is there anyone else who wants to? Please note that then applications to the strike team will not be accepted."

For a few seconds, no response followed until the remaining killers raised their hooves up. After a quick look at all the hooves and their owners, I couldn't help but smile. Fifty-four out of a hundred and fifty. A little more than one-third of the total. This is about three times more than I expected. Well, extra people won't bother me.

There's just one problem, crybaby. There are more of them than you have normal soldiers. But don't worry, I already have a plan. It is necessary to subdue them as quickly as possible and until then to monitor them personally. The main thing is to act forcefully.

Nodding to myself, I raised my head towards the balcony where Sam was located and shouted: "Okay, I figured it out here. What now? Will the chains be removed from them now? Or something later? "

Sam walked to the edge of the balcony and scratched his head slightly as he answered: " To be honest, I didn't think about it. It would probably be better to remove the chains from them directly when we get to the train. I'll have someone go get the keys. "

I nodded in response and turned back towards the killers before saying, " Okay, follow me those who agreed. I sympathize with the rest. Although, no, I don't sympathize. You're just idiots. "

To my delight, all fifty assassins nodded, albeit at different intervals. Well, we'll fix that soon. Grinning, I waved my hand and went towards the stairs, and when I got to it, I began to climb. From behind, my ears could catch the sound of the iron ladder rattling and groaning under the steps of several dozen creatures.

In the end, I got up on the balcony and looked at my soldiers. It was clear from their faces that they were a little scared of this situation. Did I say something wrong while talking to the killers? Although no, everything seems to be correct. Shaking my head, I looked down at the soldiers and said: "Calm down, everything is under control. Now you need to listen to my order. Sam and his guards will go in front of everyone, you follow him, the killers follow you and I'm at the very end."

Hearing that a crowd of assassins would follow them right from behind, the soldiers slightly lowered their ears and one of them asked in a barely audible whisper: "Is it mandatory, sir? Can we trust them at all?"

As if you can be trusted. Where were you when your comrades were being killed?

I shook my head slightly and waved my hand dismissively. : "Calm down, everything is under control. Even if one of them attacks you from behind, I will deal with everything quickly. Give me a credit of trust, okay?"

With extreme reluctance, most of the soldiers nodded and those who did not did not dare to object. Chuckling, I pulled my glasses out of my pocket and put them on. Slightly adjusting my glasses, I saw that Sam and his guards had already walked some distance forward so that there was room for maneuver. I gestured to the soldiers that it was time to move and they slowly turned around on the spot. Then I looked at the killers who were mostly stuck in traffic on the stairs and said: "Get behind those guys in armor over there. I'll be watching you from behind. You can't let a sheep stray from the flock, can you?"

The assassins grinned without mirth in their voice, however, they did not answer and just began to slowly move forward. After what seemed like an eternity of squeezing, pushing, turning in a narrow corridor, the goal was achieved. I stood on tiptoe to make sure everything was built correctly. Sam and his guards are in front. There is. My soldiers are behind them. There is also, everything is correct. Behind the soldiers is a crowd of fifty-four assassins. Yes, everything is in place. And of course I'm at the very end.

Sam glanced back for a moment and seeing that he was fine, he went forward, forcing the whole column to move forward. After only a few steps, I raised an eyebrow slightly and frowned. Isn't he going to close the door? It can be dangerous to leave about a hundred killers under the supervision of just a few guards.

Spit. If even they try to escape, it will be nothing more than an opportunity to demonstrate strength.

I shrugged slightly and just focused on the road ahead. After a while, we got to the emptied cooler, next to which there were several disgruntled-looking guards. When my soldiers passed by, they threw not too pleased looks in their direction, but did not show any pretensions. I hope they have more than one water source for the whole prison.

After some more time, we finally got to the gate facing the hot wasteland. Out of the corner of my eye I looked at the guard behind the glass who had to do at least something. At least to ask why the warden is being followed by a crowd of more than fifty murderers. But instead, he just buried himself in some magazine.

Before I could express my embarrassment, Sam cleared his throat loudly and said with sarcasm in his voice: "I see you're very busy right now."

Hearing this, the guard slowly looked up from the magazine and seeing who said it, he abruptly stood up, clumsily saluted and said: "I'm sorry, sir! It won't happen again!"

Sam only chuckled in response to this and said with a little amusement in his voice: "We will check this in the future. As soon as I get back here, you'll tell me your name. I need to sign you up so that your seniors can keep an eye on you. If it doesn't happen again, then you have nothing to worry about, right? "

The guard behind the glass swallowed and said, trying to sound confident: " That's right, sir!"

A better approach. Watch, listen and remember, crybaby. Apparently, it's time to create a real surveillance of soldiers. We will choose those who can be trusted and assign them to surveillance. Maybe in the future it will even be possible to create a special intelligence unit?

Smiling slightly, I nodded to myself and started following the formation as soon as it started moving again. As soon as I was the last to leave the prison grounds and once again dug into the wasteland, my gaze focused on Sam again. He doesn't want to close the main entrance to the prison? Well, he doesn't really want to at all? I took a deep breath and adjusted my glasses slightly. No matter. If a mass escape starts from his prison, then I will stop him without any problems. Maybe I can even eat. The stomach demands something. Although, no, the pony meat is tasteless.

Shaking my head slightly, I again focused my attention on the road ahead. During the time I was immersed in myself, we had already managed to descend to a flat area and turn towards the station. Now it remains to pass through the rapidly darkening wasteland. My gaze focused on the sky and saw how the sun had already sunk below the horizon, but the moon was not there yet. and to my own satisfaction, the temperature felt normal. Not as good as the one I've been used to lately, but it will go.

I focused my gaze on the assassins and soldiers ahead to check how they were feeling at the moment. Judging by what I could see from this distance, the soldiers were freezing quite a bit. Well, in any case, it's better than sweating in the heat and running to the cooler like an animal. Then my gaze shifted to the killers that I didn't really care about, to be honest. To my own surprise, the killers, despite the complete absence of any clothing other than fur, showed no signs of freezing at all. I wonder why?

I don't think it will be very warm inside the mountain. Especially at night. Who knows, maybe as a torture they are forced to sleep right on the street or just next to an open window? Or they are just afraid to show that they are freezing. I don't know about you, but I like the cold torture option more.

Eventually the whole group got to the train station where the train was still standing by the doors still open. For a moment I thought about how to solve the problem. If you let all the criminals into the train and only then the soldiers, then problems may arise. Perhaps. I snapped my fingers when the whole elementary nature of this task came to me. I can just send half of the soldiers now and the other half later. And there will be murderers between them.

I clapped my hands loudly to attract attention and said: "Okay, here's what we'll do. The soldiers are divided into two groups of five. First, one group enters the train, followed by the killers, and at the end the second group gets up. Do it. And by the way, you Sam can already remove the chains from the killers."

Despite my quite firm and clear order, several soldiers exchanged glances with each other while the rest looked warily at the killers. I raised an eyebrow and looked down at them with annoyance on my face. While all this was happening, Sam took out a huge bunch of keys from somewhere and handed them to one of his guards and began to remove the chains one by one. In the end, Rising cautiously stepped out of the crowd and asked in a whisper: "Maybe you shouldn't do that, Mr. Sir Boss. These guys. . . creepy."

What could be creepy about a person who enjoys killing? Nothing because everyone is like that. Everyone loves to exterminate mosquitoes en masse. Dichlophos makes a zilch zilch.

Rolling my eyes, I looked at Rising with a slightly softer look before answering in a whisper: "Just calm down and trust me. I understand that this is hard to do considering recent events. But just follow the order."

Fortunately, these words were enough for Rising to nod, followed by several more soldiers. The others, although they continued to be wary, did not dare to object. Slowly they began to choose the main unlucky ones, and eventually five soldiers went to the train. Then behind me came the last clink of the chain that was removed from the last killer. I turned in their direction and put my hand in my pocket in case something went wrong. Seeing my attentive gaze, some of them smiled innocently. Which, given their past, didn't look too kindly.

As soon as the singing five soldiers entered the train, I waved my head in the direction of the train giving permission to the killers. They nodded, pretending to be subordinate, and slowly began to enter the train one by one. While the killers were doing this, my ears caught someone clearing his throat behind me. I turned around on the spot and saw that Sam had done it. Noticing my attention Sam cleared his throat once again and took a step towards me and said: "It was nice to meet you Mr. Ctumer. And remember that you are always welcome here."

"Always welcome"? That is, you can come here anytime and pick up a couple of criminals. Don't ask questions, just take the opportunity. Maybe the killers are just hard to control. Maybe he was paid a decent amount for his consent. No matter.

With a slight smile, I held out my hand for a handshake, to which Sam willingly replied. I gave his hoof a little shake and answered: "I won't argue, this interaction was interesting. And your prison was really curious. Thank you for the tour and I hope to repeat it again. Or even two."

In response, Sam nodded quickly and smiled slightly. As soon as I felt that everyone was already on the train, I let go of his hoof and said with a slight wave of my hand: "I have to go. I'll see you again, probably."

Without waiting for his answer, I quickly jumped on the train, not wanting it to start without me. And the fear was right because literally a moment after I got on the train, the doors slammed shut. So much for the advantages of paranoia. With a slight grin, I looked around the car in which I was holed up and saw only five soldiers. Judging by the lines, the assassins were in the next car, and the rest of the soldiers were in an even more distant one. Now we need to do really important things. Poke these killers in their place.

I nodded to myself and walked purposefully to the door to the murderous carriage. With each step I could feel the increasing tension coming from the other soldiers. In the end, Rising ran out of patience and abruptly jumped down from his seat, he said: "Mr. Sir Boss, this is dangerous! At least take me with you. Who knows what will happen if you go in there alone?"

What will happen? A couple of murderers lose their lives. Nothing new.

I briefly laughed in response to Rising's excitement and putting my hand on the top of his head I said: "Calm down, everything is under control. I have a knife with me. Besides, consider one detail. Maybe there are fewer of you, but you have weapons and skills. Even if something goes wrong, you will be able to fight back. So there is no reason to worry. As yesterday showed, you, Rising, are able to command and plan a good operation. So nothing will be a threat to you. "

For a few seconds, Rising just looked at me with wide eyes from under his brow until he sighed and reluctantly replied: " Okay. Just be careful, please. "

I nodded to Rising and took my hand off his head and took the last steps to the murderous carriage. With one hand, I abruptly opened the door and saw an extremely unrealistic picture. Each pony took every seat on the seat and moreover all sat down straight. As soon as I entered the carriage, everyone collectively nodded as if greeting me. I rolled my eyes and took a few steps forward until I was in the center of the car. Then I began to scrutinize each pony present with my eyes for two purposes. The first is to understand which pony races are present in the future brigade. I've been thinking for a long time giving each race its own role in battle. And the second reason is to find out if they have weapons. Although it is unlikely that just a glance will find something.

Suddenly I felt someone get up behind me and quietly walk towards the door. Deciding to give them a chance, I did not ignore it and just continued to look closely at the killers. After a few seconds, my ears caught an extremely quiet click indicating that the door was closed. After that, I felt like the same pony that got up earlier and closed the door began to slowly approach me.

I wonder why the soldiers don't interfere? They really didn't hear it. Eh, it's a pity that Flying stayed in Canterlot. Anyway, let them attack. Give them strength and hope. Only in their dreams to be erased into dust.

I smiled to myself and slowed down slightly, as if I had begun to study the killers even more carefully. Suddenly, the pony jumped on my back from behind and holding a sharpener in the hoof put it to my neck. I could barely contain my laughter at the sight of what they were trying to threaten me with, but so far I kept my self-control. In any case, after a second, all the killers got up from their seats and some pulled out their own shivs. Mostly Pegasus. Yes, there were Pegasi among the killers. However, no unicorns were found. Okay, back to the sharpening. Probably hid the sharpeners in the feathers or even under the wing.

Then a pony with gray hair on his mane stood in front of me, and after a few seconds I recognized him as the pony who had previously told about the murder of three. After clearing his throat a little, he began to speak as if he was in charge here: "I even feel a little sorry for you, young. But alas, you made a mistake. Your idea is so stupid that I think you just wanted to release some prisoners. I should note that you handled it perfectly."

I rolled my eyes and without waiting for the end of his speech bit the hoof of a pony who presented a sharpener to my neck. To my own surprise, my jaw easily bit off a piece of hoof, as if it were a piece of bread, causing the pony to scream and drop the sharpener falling to the ground. I took a step back and rested my right foot on the belly of the pony lying on the ground, which had previously so boldly held a sharpener at my neck.

I looked at the other ponies and saw that their ardor had dropped significantly and they were no longer so confident in the idea. I opened my mouth slightly and carefully removed a piece of pony's leg with wool and blood from my tongue. Grinning, I turned towards the pony lying on the ground and asked waving a piece: "This is yours, right? Well, thanks for a bad dinner, though. You suggested it to me. How can I refuse it?"

Meat is meat. Protein is good for the body. Just like it's good for you to listen to me.

Opening my mouth wide, I put a piece of raw meat in my mouth and swallowed it after a few seconds of chewing. Objectively speaking, it was disgusting. Not to mention that my mouth will be covered in fur for the next few days. But the hunger has become a little less. After a few seconds of silence, I sighed and asked with amusement: "Thank you for dinner. Is there anyone else who wants to feed the new boss? Or is your generosity already over?"

The assassins cautiously took a step back from me but still continued to hold the sharpeners. Seeing this, I bent down to the pony licking on the floor and grabbed his head and lifted him off the ground so that everyone could see him. His breathing quickened slightly in response to which I pulled the knife out of my pocket and said licking my lips: "I hope you're okay with someone eating next to you. Because I haven't eaten for a long time and there's such a good dinner under my feet."

I started pulling the knife to the pony's stomach to cut it open and pull all the organs out, but to my surprise I heard the gray-haired pony again raise his voice: "Okay, okay, young. We obey. If you want, we'll throw away all our shivs. Just calm down and eat something normal if you want so much. I don't like to watch when someone else kills."

What a good old man. I don't even want to demand something extra.

With a grunt, I threw the pony to the ground and turned around and slowly walked to the exit of the car. For every step I took forward, there was a step back from most of the killers. Once I was a step away from the exit, I said: "Okay, old man. Over lunch, I'm ready to turn a blind eye to this incident. You know, I'll even thank you tomorrow. I will thank you in full."

I felt the calm nod of the gray pony, and nodding in response opened the door of the car. My eyes quickly noticed and focused on the soldiers in the carriage. All of them, even though they only had the opportunity to hear the interaction, were still scared. Sighing, I closed the door to the murderous car behind me and sat down on the nearest seat. : "All the problems have been solved at the moment. You can sleep in peace. I won't sleep tonight anyway."

For a few moments there was a deathly silence in the room. But in the end Rising cautiously approached me and asked: "What happened there, Mr. Sir Boss?"

Tell them everything in the cruelest details. Let him know who is sitting in front of him.

Taking a deep breath, I decided to omit some details and said, "They tried to attack me, but their attack failed to put it mildly. As a result, I caught one of them and threatened to eat him in front of all the murderers. Fortunately, they were smart enough to just give up. At least for the near future, they calmed down."

When I finished speaking, I took a quick look at each thestral to understand their reaction. Judging by the fact that the horror on their faces was replaced by the usual wariness, it was a success. Sighing, I was about to turn to the window, but Rising again cautiously asked the question: "What should we do now, sir?"

I slowly shifted my gaze to him and was about to answer, but I realized one unpleasant detail. I myself have no idea what to do next. I didn't have any plan after I collected the assassins. Maybe take them to the good old base twenty-four and make them work all day? Although in this case I will not be able to monitor the progress of the FSF. Hmm.

I'm sure Celestia will be very happy with the additional campaign in her castle.

Grinning, I looked Rising straight in the eyes and replied: "We will do this. In a couple of minutes, remind me to approach the driver and tell him to direct the train to Canterlot. Right now, I need to get some rest. "

Rising nodded but still tilted his head to the side and asked curiously: " Are you all right? "

I sighed, trying not to show annoyance and before looking out the window answered: " More or less. Just a little headache. And so everything is fine. Don't worry."

I felt Rising after a few seconds reluctantly nodded and walked away from me. Sighing contentedly, I focused on the landscape outside the window trying not to fall asleep. Fortunately, I got some sleep today. Which means that in the next few days I will forget about the word sleep.

About the fool

POV Ahirata

Calmness. Satisfaction. Heat. The quiet sighs of my companion. A rare bubbling of lava and light emanating from it. Everything is fine, but it's time to work. Slowly, I opened my eyes and looked around. Over the past few days, I have been able to settle down well near the lava lake. Using my magic and the power of my native eyes, I managed to create a large hill that covers the entire lake along with a significant piece of land. Inside the hill is absolutely empty. The ignorant damned will never know about my presence. The only downside is slightly labored breathing because the only source of air is a couple of tiny holes. But if a free creature does not complain, then I certainly have no right to do so.

Slowly getting up on two legs, I looked at the free man and realizing that he was sleeping, I focused on my business while the lava lit up my face. In order to create a good enough body for myself, I have already assembled one component. In fact, I need skin, a vessel for my soul and muscles with all the organs and skeleton. If it were an ordinary golem, it would be possible to stop at the first two points. Alas, the damned, and especially the one who freed me, will hardly allow me to take my native body without a fight. So I have to create a new body that can at least accept my native eyes.

Sighing, I sharpened my gaze at the corner where I put everything I managed to get, that is, the skin. I made a decision that as a skin, the chishuya of dragons is best suited. Well, it's like I don't have any other materials under my claws Now there is a vessel for the soul in the form of crystals and meat. Fortunately, I managed to dig out a crystal nearby at a shallow depth, which I inserted into a dead dragon. Now he has to look for the crystals and as soon as he finds them, come back to me. I hope the magic I put into it will be enough to work long enough.

Wait. . . how do we know he's back?

As soon as this thought occurred to me, my eyes opened wide for a moment before I calmed down. Just direct the magic into the ground. As soon as I feel the vibrations, I will make a small hole in the hill. The main thing is that the dragon has enough strength to get to me.

With a newfound confidence, I nodded to myself and grabbed the staff that was leaning on the wall. Taking a deep breath, I began to channel magic into my staff and out of it into the ground. Despite the growing pain in different parts of the body, the magic continued to flow into the ground and spread to the sides until it occupied a large territory. Now you just have to wait and hold on.

However, with every second it became harder and harder to keep such volumes of magic in the ground, not to mention the growing pain in many parts of the body. Chest, arms and temples. But fortunately for me, I felt something fall right on the hill. Sighing, I stopped holding the magic and it began to dissipate quickly.

After taking a few deep breaths, I went to the wall and began to concentrate magic in it. Sweat ran down my forehead as the magic pushed the rocks and dirt aside to create a passage. In the end, a corridor formed a little more than the width of my shoulders. Sighing, I began to walk cautiously through the corridor, examining my body along the way. In many places, large areas have already formed that are completely charred. So far, half of the chest and about a third of each arm have been charred. At this rate, this body will completely burn up. We need to hurry.

In the end, I went out into the blinding sunlight and covered my eyes with my left hand and looked around. Next to me lay a dragon with a faintly glowing crystal sticking out of its head. The magic was barely enough. The dragon himself lost half of his wing, but he held a decent handful of crystals in his hands. Eh, how nice it must be to be free from the curse. Don't thank me, creature. Then I heard the loud flapping of huge wings from afar. Raising my head towards the sound, I was dumbfounded. A huge dragon is flying right here. Adult.

As always, the mind as the most terrible curse created only problems. And even the artificial intelligence given by me turned out to be the same curse.

Sighing, I quickly took away from my dragon all the crystals that he had found during his short service. Deciding to hide all traces, I tore out the crystal that was in the dragon's head and the next moment he stopped breathing. Finally, I looked at the approaching dragon and quickly ran back to my shelter. Immediately after entering the corridor, I began to close it behind me, not forgetting to continue walking forward. Of course, such an action took a lot of effort and made it slow down.

In the end, I returned to the lava lake again and completely closed the corridor behind me. In the next moment, loud trampling and even blows on the ground were heard from above. Fortunately, I made the hill strong enough. I didn't waste so much magic for nothing. Sighing, I carefully put all the crystals in a corner, next to the nonsense of dragons. My gaze quickly filled with frustration and irritation. All the crystals that my dragon brought were, to put it mildly, not very good. All of them were either cracked or very small or a combination of the two. This will not be able to contain my soul.

Slowly my gaze went up where the dragon was still trampling around as if looking for something. And then the realization dawned on me. Now I am weakened as never before and my strength is just pathetic, especially considering the goal of liberation. I'm not sure I can create a temporary body out of pure magic. Although I'm not sure that this is possible at all. And if this dragon somehow manages to break through the hill and get here. . .

My millennial existence will be over. Even when I was chained to the throne and slowly rotted, I knew that I would not die. But this is a completely different case.

Swallowing, I slowly shook my head and walked over to the place where the free man was sleeping. Because of the noise from above, he had already stopped sleeping and looked up. I slowly walked up to him and bent down and gently took him by the hand. Slightly hissing, the free man looked at me in response to which I scratched him on the head and said: "Free, there's not much left. In the near future, I will relieve you of my presence. Simply . . . just give me some time okay?"

As a response, the snake made a momentary barely audible hiss and stared at me. Taking this as a yes, I looked again at the crystals that my dragon had brought before his release. None of them will be able to fulfill the task of a vessel for my soul. My gaze slowly shifted towards the lava lake. But I can fuse them into a single substance.

But then the vessel will turn out to be too big and along with this, the whole body will have to do more. The stock of high-quality crystals remained in Tartarus, which should definitely be under observation now. There are no other options left. We'll have to take risks.

Assuming what consequences this would lead to in the future, I approached the crystals and began to concentrate magic under them. Slowly, the stone began to turn into something vaguely similar to a bucket with a long handle. With difficulty, I picked up the instrument along with all the crystals and carefully brought it to the lava. What if I make a mistake? What if all the crystals just evaporate? What will they even do in response to such a temperature?

"Always remember that all the troubles in the world are because of the curse. And unfortunately I can't afford to be released right now. "I muttered to myself before slowly lowering the ladle into the lava until all the crystals disappeared into it. After a few moments, despite my fear, I raised the bucket slightly and saw that the crystals had not yet shown any reaction. Well, it's better than their disappearance.

Sighing, I lowered the bucket into the lava again and began to think about what to do next. Even if it turns out to fuse all the crystals into one large one, a new problem will arise - an increase in the size of the new body. I already don't know where to find good muscles, skeleton and organs, and now I need to find larger versions. In my current state, an adult dragon will be too much for me. I'm not sure that even by combining all the magic I can create a long enough spike. Plus, some parts of the young dragons' bodies just won't fit. For example, the lungs where there is always a department to generate fire.

Shaking my head slightly, I pulled the bucket out of the lava and saw that many crystals had taken on a red hue, as if they were preparing to start melting. Nodding slowly, I returned the bucket to the lava and continued to ponder. In addition to the muscle problem, I have a problem with nonsense. I am not sure that it will be enough to create a new body if it is too big. Of course, I could replace weak areas with a stone that I know how to control. But then I will have to direct additional efforts to ensure that the body exists at all. And I'm already in for a tough fight. Trouble.

Sighing, I once again pulled the bucket out of the lava and saw a very pleasant picture. Many crystals began to melt and form a single mixture. However, there were some instances that either did not react so strongly to the lava or did not react at all. Well, it's better than nothing. After the bucket returned to the lava, I heard a hiss right next to my right ear. Reacting to the sound, it twitched slightly and my eyes focused on the source. A snake, a free creature, climbed right onto my shoulder and wrapped around me, trying to borrow. Have I earned his favor?

No, it can't be. I have no right to waste the time of a free being.

Sighing, I lightly scratched the snake on the head with my claw in response to which he closed his eyes. Before I could smile, I felt the bucket slipping out of my paws and quickly connected my other hand before pulling on myself. Unfortunately, I overdid it a little, and the crystal alloy fell out of the bucket, collided with the wall behind me and finally landed on the ground. The crystals that did not become a single whole just hit the wall and finally split. Well, that's something.

Suddenly I realized that my eyes were wide open. If I remember correctly, after something is melted, it is watered with water. But I'm in the wasteland. The nearest reservoir is located at a great distance from here. Thank you for at least having it. In search of a quick solution, I put one hand to my ear and listened carefully. Not a single sound, everything is quiet. I hope my dragon hasn't been moved anywhere. Because his blood is the only thing that can be found nearby.

Taking a deep breath, I carefully removed the free creature from my shoulder and apologetically gently put it on the ground. After making sure that both hands were free, I closed my eyes and concentrated the magic in the staff before directing it into the stones. In the direction where the corpse of my dragon lay, a stone spike headed. The next moment, I felt a thorn pierce through something and released a lot of blood into the air. Swallowing, I transformed the spike into a small tube that was directed clearly to the crystal alloy. Now we can only hope that everything turned out right.

Sighing, I took my other hand off the staff and grabbed my chest. It's getting more and more painful. Could it be that the wounds left by the cursed creature are reopening? Trembling slightly, I removed my hand from my chest and looked at the place that had previously been pierced through. There was still the stone I had distorted. It's okay, it's okay.

I will definitely survive. I won't die until everyone is released. I can't die.

Suddenly, there was a loud hissing sound and a tiny cloud formed. Looking in the direction of the sound, I saw how blood slowly began to drip from the pipe created by me. And to my own surprise, it dripped directly onto the crystal alloy. But it will be too little. At this rate, the alloy will never harden.

Fortunately, after a few drops, a small waterfall began to go on the rafting, which created a lot of steam and noise. It looks like most of the blood has just started to reach. Focusing my gaze on the alloy, I noticed that very slowly it began to lose its heat and began to look more and more solid. In the end, the alloy left behind a bright orange light, but already began to look solid. I hope that such an alloy will be able to store my soul in a new body.

Sighing, I looked at my companion before focusing on the pipe through which the steam was slowly leaving the room. I'm almost ready, but there's a problem. To find a good skeleton, a lot of muscles and working organs, I will need a lot of creatures. Go even further southwest to the dragons? No, I can't beat even one adult. I'll have to go back to where I ran from. To the pony. I can't afford any more secrecy. The loss of the population of an entire village will not be left unnoticed. Although maybe I will have a couple of days before the active search begins.

I will be moving out tomorrow to restore at least a little strength. Time is not playing in my favor. With each passing second, this body is becoming less adapted to combat. The free one will support us.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath and said: "It's time to attack."

POV Daniel

Finally, everything went according to plan. And do you know why this happened, crybaby? Because you listened to me in everything. We've had only one setback in the last week. Luna's workouts were ineffective, to put it mildly. Well. it looks like she has nothing to teach us anymore.

I smiled a little and leaned back in my chair. At the moment, I was sitting in my room and waiting for the happy news. Probably need to remember what was done in the last week. Well, first I sent my soldiers into the mountains and collected money. After careful recalculation, it turned out that the dragon had plundered himself for a total of forty thousand bits. So I have exactly the amount that will allow me to pay for the work of the FSF. How I will pay for the tanks is unclear.

At the last thought, a grin appeared on my face. A few days ago, I went with an improved drawing to the Cheap victory factory and was able to agree on payment in the future. In the bright future, when I will have money to pay for the production of two tanks and thirty shells for them. Oh, I almost forgot. There are eight more walkie-talkies on top for communication between soldiers.

"Let's make two tanks, Mr. Ctumer. One with thick armor and a good radio station. The second with thin armor and no radio at all. We'll see what's better. Great offer, idiots." I muttered, remembering Flim and Flam's suggestion. Perhaps my rejection of Starlight for her ideological views this time came out sideways to me. Unlike the two brothers, she persistently offered to make several tanks at once almost without armor but with walkie-talkies. Although no, it's too expensive.

You know, it's expensive to do where you can save money, this is generally a feature of fascists and especially Nazis. Eh, the rat that was supposed to devour all the steel of the Reich is just beautiful. It's a pity that they didn't build it.

Grinning, I opened the top drawer in the desk. Before heading to the factory with the tank drawing, I asked the FSF to draw me a copy. What for? Well, it looks nice, though very strange. Pulling out a copy of the drawing from a drawer in the desk, I put it on the table and began to admire it from the bottom up.

The first significant detail that has been replaced is the wheels, whose place has now been taken from the tracks. To my surprise, there are already crawler tractors in Equestria. How could I not give priority to such an option? The question is rhetorical.

The next part was the steam engine in the back, which completely replaced all the silver poles with crystal ones that Starlight offered. To my great pleasure, there will not be a separate person sitting in the tank who will throw coal. Starlight came up with a small device in the form of a pipe and a pair of crystals that react to heat. As she herself explained, at the moment when the temperature drops, the pipe will open and throw coal. Despite the fact that Flim and Flam noted that the coal would run out very quickly in the pipe, I agreed to Starlight's offer.

Then my gaze moved to the main body where there were two question marks and a hatch on top. I think there is no need to talk about the hatch. How else should soldiers enter the tank? Exactly. Question marks are more difficult. Starlight insisted on an almost complete lack of armor, but at the same time a walkie-talkie. Two brothers offered a diametrically opposite option with thick armor and without a walkie-talkie. Well, I decided to mix their ideas and see what would be better. Or I just wanted to annoy them. It's hard to remember considering that I can't sleep again.

The fact that you can't do it is even good. Look how much you've achieved just by not sleeping the last week. Isn't that a success?

Sighing, I nodded to myself and drew attention to both the best and the worst parts of the tank. That's the thing. I decided not to experiment and just take the concept of the projectile from Starlight, but replace the crystals with gunpowder. Trite cheaper. This is the best part of the tank in my opinion. But there is a small nuance. The engine in the back of the tank is huge and heavy. So that the tank would not be envied back, it was necessary to somehow increase the weight in front. And the FSF did not come up with anything better than just giving the tank a long, sharp nose. I hope that he will be able to drive at least over a small hill.

Hoping for the best, I looked away from the drawing and looked away. Before going to the factory, I was given a condition for the FSF. They have to pick up the tanks themselves, find a place where to test them, how to do it and send a letter to me before starting. Yes, I took off all the logistics work and am proud of it. Ahem. Of course, they were not left unattended by a couple of soldiers who eagerly wanted to observe. Well, mostly Flying and a couple of people I ordered to accompany.

Stretching slightly, I suddenly stopped when I remembered one detail. When I went with Rising to get dragon gold, he asked how I knew about this place and why there was no dragon nearby. And instead of a normal answer, I said to ask in a couple of days. The question is what period of time the thestral will perceive as a couple of days.

What's the difference? If he asks, just tell him you killed the dragon. If he asks why you did it, answer as is. You just really wanted to kill.

Shaking my head, I adjusted my glasses and glanced towards the door. Don't want. I just don't want to. The thought of me telling Rising about such and such a way of me . . . not happy. Even saddens. As if his reaction would really matter. As if his gaze directed at me and filled with disgust would cause me real harm.

"This is wrong." I muttered, putting one hand to my forehead and leaning over the table. Where did this idea come from at all? Logically speaking, what will disgust from one particular person do to me? Nothing, absolutely nothing. In the case of Rising, he probably won't even dare to voice his disgust. The maximum that he can do is get away from my command. Objectively speaking, this is not critical.

That's enough, crybaby. The more you think about such nonsense, the worse. Besides, they're coming to us.

My eyes widened slightly when I felt the rapid movement of the lines. Looks like one of the princesses is coming. Or both, which would be the most undesirable option. Sighing, I got up from my chair and with magical tentacles grabbed the coat that was lying on the bed. Quickly putting on my coat and making sure that the Chrysalis amulet is not visible to the outside eye, I went to the door and stood a couple of steps away from it.

After a few seconds of waiting, the door opened and I saw Luna, who was looking a little higher in advance, as if she expected me to stand right in front of the door. Not hearing a single word from me, she rolled her eyes and said, "Yes, yes. As always, you won't say hello, so let's get down to business. I came to train you, you follow me into the garden."

After that, Luna moved away from the door to my room and walked down the corridor. Grinning, I quickly caught up with her and slightly adjusting my glasses said: "What happened to you? You're kind of unhappy for no reason. And as you know, everything around is my business. "

As soon as she turned her head to me to answer, I saw that she had big bags under her eyes. We should stand together in front of the mirror to find out who has more. Anyway, she sighed and asked, " What the Tartarus are you not sleeping for?"

Hearing the question, I tilted my head to the side. I've slept three times in the last week. An incredible result, no kidding. An obvious sign that I've finally started doing everything right. If she really knows how to get into the dreams that I saw, then why is she asking this question?

Most often dreams occur in the fast phase. But you, as a real businessman and a pretender to Perfection, are limited only to the slow phase. That's all.

Chuckling, I waved my hand and finally answered the question: "I just haven't been able to sleep lately. But your question is worded incorrectly. I've slept three times in the last week. So your ability to penetrate dreams is in doubt."

Luna growled slightly, but decided not to answer anything and just continue moving forward. Deciding to take advantage of the initiative, I put my hands in my pockets and said: "Well, can you arrange a normal workout today? For the last week, all I've been doing under your guidance is practicing invisibility. And I would like to move on to something more interesting. "

She gave me an annoyed look before taking a deep breath and calmly replying, " This will happen as soon as you start to control your magic normally. " And this will happen? I asked, glaring at Luna. Where did the local ponies get such an annoying habit of not finishing a sentence?

"Judging by the success you've been showing lately, about never. I don't know how, but no matter how many times you repeat the long-proven and effective magic control training, you still don't develop anything. A real miracle. " Luna replied with annoyance in her voice. It's as if my lack of success pisses her off. How strange.

Probably wanted to use you as an excuse to brag. Because she herself has nothing.

Shaking my head slightly, I was silent for a few seconds before asking, "I still don't quite understand why you can't teach me something other than invisibility."

Luna sighed irritably and replied: "Because everything that happens after invisibility will be just an impossible task for you. Complex attacking spells, weather changes, teleportation, and the like simply require a large amount of magic in one rune. So you won't even be able to finish creating the rune. "

" She herself said that using nature in the rune allows you to spend less magic. In other words, if I do teleportation using blood, then I will have to concentrate less magic. What's the problem? " I instantly retorted, looking at Luna in a puzzled way.

The problem is that she is interested in you as a toy that she can brag about and not as a possible threat. Under her guidance, you will never become stronger than her.

Before I could chuckle, Luna sighed again and answered: "You just won't let up and will continue to demand learning something new as a child a beautiful toy, right?"

Frowning slightly because of her analogy, I reluctantly nodded and she abruptly suggested: "Let's have a sparring match. Just like in the good old days. Only this time I'll be a little more serious. If you win, I will make concessions so that you can see your failure for yourself. But if you lose, we close this topic forever. You're not scared, are you?"

You shouldn't have said that now, friend. I've already thought through millions of options for your defeat. And in each of them you didn't have a single chance to win. You will fall before Perfection.

I laughed a little and answered with anticipation: "Finally we speak the same language! I will not refuse such an offer in any case. So you can already get ready to teach me teleportation. Preferably over long distances."

With a little giggle, Luna calmly and with restrained anticipation replied: "Don't be so self-confident, Daniel. All our past sparrings you lost outrageously, and I held back very much. This time the fight will end a moment after the start. "

Rolling my eyes, I adjusted my glasses again and focusing on the road ahead said: " We still have to look at this. You should have noticed a long time ago that I don't tend to stand still. Besides, I have a cube with me. "

" Until we talk about controlling magic. You can use the cube, it won't help you anyway. " Luna corrected instantly. Frowning slightly, I looked at her face trying to get some kind of information. Fortunately, unlike her sister, she showed at least some emotions. To be specific, there was a small smile on her lips. It's like she's waiting for an opportunity to fight.

She wants to blow off steam on you and nothing more, crybaby. In her understanding, you don't have a single chance. Right now, all she has in her head is the pleasure of winning and nothing more. Remember that she is primarily your competitor. And she thinks the same way. Sooner or later, one of you will eliminate the other. And you want to live, don't you, crybaby?

With a slight nod, I continued walking alongside Luna until we reached the garden. Also, as always, the snow was a frozen pond that reflected the moonlight and there were various statues. Out of the corner of my eye I looked at the statue of Discord and felt that I was being looked back at. Shaking my head slightly, I accelerated to overtake Luna and stood right in front of the frozen pond and said: "I chose my place. So you can get up and start counting down to three."

Luna was silent for a few moments before taking a few steps back and throwing the snow away from her position. Taking a deep breath, she slowly began to count down: "One."

I took a deep breath and stood in a fighting stance while Luna continued to stand and said, "Two."

My eyes focused on Luna's whole body trying to figure out what she would do. The wings are folded, she will not fly. There is no semblance of a rack, it will not defeat me in close combat. No magic around the horn is concentrated, no spells. In the end she said: "Three"

First we'll dodge and then . . .

Interrupting my thoughts, Luna instantly took off and the next second it dawned on me that she was a few feet away from me. So fast, I didn't even notice the start of the jerk. But it looks like she's lost some of her original speed. Gritting my teeth, I raised my right hand and instantly brought it down on her head. Just so that there was an outbreak and it disappeared. Yeah. Moreover, the lines returned to normal as if Luna had never been here.

Feeling the lines start moving again from a point above my head, I quickly turned around and lifting my head up, I saw that Luna was diving at me from above. And it's only picking up speed every moment. Holding the glasses in my left hand, I jumped back and grabbed the cube out of my pocket before starting to charge it. Of course, it's just sparring.

But for the sake of victory, you can become a little more serious.

As soon as Luna was a couple of feet away from hitting the ground, there was a flash, and she disappeared again. Hearing the crunch of snow behind me, I quickly turned around, putting a cube charged with magic in front of me and saw Luna make a dash to me again and was a couple of feet away from me. Grinning, I activated the rune and the next moment a swarm of arrows flew out of the cube aimed directly at Luna's face.

Her eyes widened slightly and with another flash she disappeared. I felt the lines slowly begin to diverge away from the point behind me. Right after I turned around, there was a flash and Luna appeared in front of me with a hoof aimed at my face.

You won't be able to block it. Dodge too. We will hit back.

My left hand quickly went up from the bottom towards Luna's jaw while her hoof flew straight into my jaw. Wanting to keep the glasses intact, I turned my head to the side in the last moments so that the blow fell on the temple. Then I felt an anvil-heavy blow to my temple, followed by an unpleasant buzzing in my ears. But to my delight, I felt my own fist reach Luna's jaw. And judging by the buzzing of my knuckles, my blow turned out to be at least not weak.

After this exchange, Luna and I recoiled from each other a few steps. Lightly rubbing the place where the blow was struck, I looked at my opponent. To my own surprise, I saw a small scratch on Luna's cheek, from which a drop of blood was coming. Could one of the arrows have hit her? Great. Even better, she rubs her jaw as if I blow turned out to be really significant.

Just look at the way she's rubbing her jaw. She's in pain. Crush her. Destroy it here. Now!

Taking advantage of the opportunity, I made a dash from the spot with my fist thrust forward in response to which Luna instantly ducked and activated her horn. Will he shoot? Assuming the worst, I tried to kick the crouching Luna, but I didn't have time and she just teleported away. Well, it's better than what could have happened. Feeling the next movement of the lines behind me, I turned around and the next moment Luna appeared out of the air with a hoof already flying at me. And the most annoying thing was that a grin remained on her face, as if she already considered herself a winner. Although she had already seen the ineffectiveness of this technique.

I took my right hand far back and slightly bent down and put my face forward. If it works out, I'll probably break her morale. If it doesn't work out, I'll get a brain creation. Before I could take a breath, Luna's hoof overcame the remaining distance and hit my forehead. Gritting my teeth, I quickly grabbed Luna by the back of her head with my right hand and directed her head to my knee, which also began to move. Eventually her head and my knee collided with each other somewhere in the middle.

Luna quickly teleported, and after a few moments I felt her appear behind me at a distance of ten feet. Turning around, I saw that she had lowered her head down and was feeling her nose. To my surprise and, of course, pleasure, I was able to notice a thin strip of blood. There is another breakout. Alas, Luna quickly raised her head and said, piercing me with an angry look: "Daniel, I suggest you admit the threshold now. Otherwise, I'll really get serious."

Don't back down, crybaby. Even if she breaks all your bones, you will have information. We will be engaged in exploration.

Grinning, I took a fighting stance again and, despite the headache, said: "No, no, no, Luna. I came here to win. Besides, we didn't agree on what counts as a defeat, so we'll fight until someone sits down. Cute isn't it?"

In response, Luna laughed a little and concentrating magic in her horn said: "Yes, very cute. For me."

As soon as she finished speaking, a curved sword similar to a sickle appeared in a flash. Wait, really? Slightly adjusting my glasses, I looked at the sword again. Yes, this is the same sickle that I mined on her behalf many months ago. Only this time it is polished to a shine and devoid of any rust. Well, this is a more productive activity, something that Celestia usually does.

Before I could chuckle, Luna flew into the air and began to dive down with a sword in a magical grip. Rolling my eyes from such a readable attack, I jumped back a few steps and adjusted my glasses. To my surprise, instead of another teleportation, Luna made her sword glow before plunging it into the ground. A blue glow passed over the surface, and I felt the cube in my hand trying to fly into the air, which was stopped by me. But what I didn't stop was the snow that flew into the air a few feet before randomly falling to the ground.

Antigravity? Lunar gravity?

Luna grinned and straightened up and said: "I'm sorry for this farce. I haven't fought seriously for a long time and I need to remember some techniques. Are you still confident in your choice?"

After seeing me get into a fighting stance again, Luna briefly laughed before teleporting again. As always, she appeared behind me and turning around, I saw that she was swinging her sword from left to right. Grunting, I ducked and dropped the cube to the ground and pulled out something better. Knife. My eyes noticed how Luna opened her wings as if she was waiting for the footboard. But instead, I grabbed her by the neck with my left hand and, applying my weight, dropped her to the ground. Sitting on top of her, I quickly put the knife to her neck and muttered: "The victory is mine. As it should be."

For a moment Luna looked surprised and even shocked, but it quickly passed and she asked with a grin: "Are you so sure about this? Then maybe you should take a better look?"

Cold steel on the left side. One good jerk and the stomach, pancreas, along with the intestines and kidney will be damaged if not destroyed.

Out of the corner of my eye, I looked towards my left side in the hope that it has been just my imagination. But no, it was there, exactly in the area where the kidney is located, that the Luna sword was placed. Damn. Reluctantly, I focused on Luna again and noticed one thing instead of a question. The deep scratch that I left with the arrow and the nasal bleeding disappeared. She completely repaired the damage. With a disappointed sigh, I said, "My knife is at your neck. One swing and your breath is over."

Luna grinned and replied, "My moon sickle is at your side. One swipe and you'll decompose like a house of cards, bleeding profusely."

"I'm on top. If necessary, I can kick you with my feet. And you won't even have time to get up. "

" I'm from below. If necessary, I can beat you with my hind hooves. And you won't even be able to see them from your position. "" A draw? " I asked irritably, assuming that she simply wouldn't recognize my victory.

"Yes, it's quite fair considering that you were able to catch me off guard. Now get off me." Luna replied with a slight nod and a look filled with some strange emotion. Some kind of incomprehensible emotion. indescribable. But as soon as I focused on her, that look disappeared. Maybe it's messed up? It doesn't matter, though. It's time to get up from it.

Not so fast, crybaby. This is a good opportunity to show her who is in charge. Come on, show a useless woman how you can dominate!

No, no, this is some kind of nonsense. Shaking my head slightly, I returned the knife in my pocket and climbed down to Luna. While she was getting up, my eyes were trying to find my cube among the white canvas. Not finding it, I lightly patted Luna on the head to attract her attention and asked: "Didn't you notice there's a cube here? I dropped it before I picked up the knife."

In response, Luna snorted loudly and made her horn glow. The next moment, the same radiance enveloped a small piece of snow before my cube rose into the air. Luna threw the cube in my direction and seeing that I caught it, said: "Here it is, the mole. Now stop touching our mane."

Rolling my eyes, I obeyed her order and returned the cube to my pocket. : "A mole? Of all the nicknames that you could choose, did you choose this one?"

Yes, this is copyright infringement. The nickname mole can only be used by me.

Luna covered her mouth with a hoof and giggled softly, "What other nickname should a captain of the guard have who has the worst eyesight of all his colleagues?"

"In general or from the living?" I asked, hoping for a second answer. I can't be the worst in terms of vision among other captains, right? Right?

"If my memory does not fail me, then in general. Congratulations, Daniel. You have the worst eyesight of any guard captain I can remember. Luna replied with a grin after a couple of seconds of silence.

Taking a deep breath, I adjusted my glasses slightly and muttered: "Great, now my desire to kill Ahirata is even greater. I don't even know whether to thank you or not."

For a moment I felt Luna looking at me with her head bowed. But as soon as my gaze focused on her again, she straightened up. Obviously, he does not want to show that he is lying about his knowledge. She has never met him and does not know his abilities. The corpses of soldiers are somewhere and they will be found.

Why strive to find ton of tasteless and already rotten pony meat?

Before I could breathe, I noticed that Luna's ear jerked sharply and she turned around on the spot. My eyebrow rose reflexively, and I asked: "What happened?"

She didn't answer and I was about to repeat my question, but suddenly I heard a sound. I put my hand to my ear, listened and was able to understand that it was the clatter of hooves on the floor. Someone is coming here. It's good that it is now and not a little earlier.

No, on the contrary. It would be better if someone came here right in the middle of a fight. That would be a reason for you not to back down, crybaby. And you always need it.

Shaking my head, I looked in the same direction as Luna and started waiting for someone to come. The sound of hoofbeats got closer and closer, and eventually I saw who had come here. My eyes widened when I discovered that the newcomer was Rising, who was holding a letter in the wing. How was he able to detect me? And even more so, how could he get here?

Noticing me, Rising started running towards me quickly, but when there were only a couple of feet left, he stopped to catch his breath. After a few seconds of shortness of breath, he took a deep breath and said, handing me the letter: "Sir, Sir. Some unicorn asked me to give this to you. She said it was urgent."

She's a fascist. I wonder how she got the right to write a letter and hand it over? And of course the most important question is why Rising agreed.

Shaking my head slightly, I took the letter with two fingers and quickly tore open the envelope and began to read the contents to myself.

Good day, Mr. Ctumer/Daniel/Captain (or how to address you better)

I take upon myself, as the most responsible person in the team, the honor to inform you that all the preparations have been completed. The machines, the original drawing of which was invented by me, are ready and placed on the plain right under Canterlot. This decision was made because I thought it would be preferable for you to learn about the abilities of the prototypes as early as possible and even attend the tests. We will be waiting for you or a response from you under Canterlot. It will be easy to find us, there is a continuous plain and I built a fire. I hope that you will come as soon as possible.

With impatience and devotion to you, Starlight Glimmer.

Loyalty. This in itself is a vile word, but from the mouth of a fascist it is even worse. Remember, the cooperation will be finished soon. Possibly with fatal results.

Chuckling, I turned the letter in my hands a little before tearing it into two parts. Then two parts for two more. And once again, to restore the letter was as difficult as possible. While my hands were busy with this, I could feel worried and puzzled looks from both sides. In the end, Luna grinned and asked: "Bad news?"

I looked at her and raised an eyebrow and replied, "Hmm? No, no. I would even say that the news is great. Everything was done exactly as I wanted."

Luna looked at me puzzled and asked: "Then then you started tearing up the letter?"

Really. What for?

For a few seconds I just stared at the tiny pieces of paper in my hands. Then he glanced briefly at the blackened fingers on his right hand. In the end, I slowly shook my head and said: "I don't know. But it doesn't matter. I have great news. So great that I suggest you come with me to see everything in person. It's not far, right under Canterlot. "

For a while Luna just stared at me with incomprehension before slowly nodding and saying, " Okay, I'll trust you. Lead me. Although if it's very important, then you need to wait for Celestia wake up. "

" Or we can just do important things right now. Let's go. Rising, you're coming with me too. I want you to see it too. " I said, already starting to walk and beckoning with a wave of my hand. Fortunately, neither of them needed any additional orders to start following. A grin appeared on my face. Tank, tank, tank. I will look at the first tank on this planet with my own eyes. Yes, what can I say, if it wasn't for my decision, tanks would never have appeared on this planet.

A place in the history textbook has already been reserved. Now we need to pick up a few more places for ourselves. By a few, I mean all the places.

Grinning, I continued to make my way through the castle at a brisk pace. It seemed that the whole body, along with every organ, was aware of the importance of the moment. My legs perfectly remembered the route and led me away from the castle. The eyes themselves ran from side to side. and the brain came up with all possible words describing this event and the tank itself. A triumph. Victory. Unsurpassed. Completely. It's devastating.

When I got out on the snowy night street Luna suddenly asked: "You've always taken the train to Canterlot, haven't you?"

Without stopping, I continued to walk forward and nodded and asked in response: "Well, yes. Why are you asking this?"

"Have you thought about the fact that in order to get to the plain under Canterlot you need another way?" Luna asked, confusing me and forcing me to stop. From what I remember and saw, the nearest train station to Canterlot is in Ponyville. And trains don't have the property of stopping in the middle of the field. Yeah.

Quickly turning around on the spot, I saw that Luna had stopped for a long time and Risng was standing a couple of steps away from me. Well, at least someone is loyal. Quickly shaking my head, I focused on Luna again and shouted: "What are you waiting for? Show me where it's going!"

In response, she snorted loudly and calmly turned in the opposite direction from me. At what she did it so slowly and calmly, as if she specifically wanted to piss me off. Gritting my teeth, I quickly ran up to her before slowing down. As a result, there was a distance of a few feet between us.

After a few minutes of a boring walk during which absolutely nothing happened, we stopped in front of the stairs. She can't be serious. Turning to Luna, I pointed to the long staircase down and asked: "So you mean to say that in order to go down to the plain, under Canterlot, you need to overcome this ladder?"

She nodded in response to which I groaned. Judging by the appearance of this staircase, no one has used it for the last decades. What is there to talk about if this staircase doesn't have a railing? Noticing my annoyance, Luna supplemented herself: "You can still go down the carriage road. But it will take a lot of time and judging by your expression, you want to get down as soon as possible."

Wings. Your two companions have them.

Turning to the Rising and quickly examining him from head to toe, I firmly ordered: "Take off your armor. Completely. Quickly."

Fearing my anger, Rising quickly took off his helmet and awkwardly reared up and threw off the main plate. Chuckling, I examined him again and said: "As always, you do everything well, Rising. Now fly into the air and put your hooves forward. You will carry me. "

" What? " Asked Luna and Rising at the same time. Is it really not clear? The stairs are long and dangerous. It's out of my interest if it collapses and someone falls.

What the hell are you talking about, Plaska? the collapse of the stairs is in your best interest. If Luna dies, then the real competitors will end. And Rising? Well, a pawn for a queen is a profitable exchange.

Shaking my head quickly, I pointed to the stairs and said: "Do you see the distance to the ground here? Huge! And I want to get down as quickly and easily as possible. So I don't see any problem in Rising carrying me while he plans down. Considering that I haven't been eating much lately, I don't think I'll weigh much more armor. "

Luna stared at me incredulously as if my idea was the stupidest thing in general. But Rising instead looked down as if he was thinking it over carefully. In the end, he flapped his wings and, once in the air, stretched out two hooves to me with the words: " Grab on, Mr. Sir boss. I'm sure you don't weigh much more than armor. "

Grinning, I gently grabbed his hooves and tucked my knees to my chest. To my own surprise, Rising only slightly dropped the height, but quickly returned it. Solemnly looking at Luna, I said, pressing one hand to my chest: " See? My ideas are always clearly thought out and simply doomed to success."

Luna rolled her eyes before flapping her wings and being in the air to answer: "Yes, yes. Let's just go down and see what happened and I'll get back to my duties."

I was about to answer something, but Rising muttered with tension in his voice: "Captain, in no way do I want to distract you or order you. But I'm uncomfortable when you hold on with only one hand. The balance is shifted. "Grunting, I grabbed his other hoof again and answered: " Okay, I hope it's more convenient for you. Now it's time to go down."

Luna reluctantly nodded and began to slowly plan down. After a few seconds during which Rising gathered his strength, he began to flap his wings faster and plan ahead. Seeing the complete absence of land under my feet, my heart instinctively began to beat faster. If you think about it, falling from such a height would be painful. Hmm, if I hadn't thought about it, I wouldn't even have started to worry.

Just don't look down. Or try to distract yourself with something specific.

Sighing, I glanced towards Luna and opened my mouth but didn't say anything. What is there to talk about now in such a situation? Nothing to talk about. In addition, it is better to keep quiet so that Rising can focus on the flight. Shaking my head slightly, I looked at the ground below trying to find the FSF and tanks. After a few moments I could see smoke and fire in the darkness of the night.

Taking a deep breath, I cleared my throat loudly and asked, "Luna, do you see the fire? We're going there. So adjust your flight somehow."

She didn't answer anything, but fortunately she listened to me and slightly adjusted the route. After that, I heard even more active flapping of wings and raised my head up. There my eyes noticed that the veins on Rising's neck were swollen and he clenched his teeth. Obviously, I'm a little heavier than the armor.

You need to eat less and work harder.

I focused on the fire again, but quickly realized another unpleasant thing. I'm hundreds of feet above the ground, both my hands busy holding onto the hooves of Rising. What will I do if my glasses accidentally fall off?

As if to punish my thoughtlessness, my glasses began to slowly slide off my face. My eyes began to quickly run from side to side in search of any solution. The earth is slowly approaching. Too slow for me to grab the glasses with my other hand and not shake the falling Rising. If he starts falling like a stone down, there's not much I can do to help.

The extra glasses fell off my face and started falling. My hands are busy, if I catch with my feet I can break it. Hmm. Suddenly, a single idea came to my head. Jaw. I quickly shifted so that my mouth was at the level of the falling glasses and to my own surprise was able to catch them. And judging by the absence of any crackling, I did it quite accurately.

Unfortunately, because of my movement, Rising swayed slightly in the air and asked through puffing: "Sir, what are you doing there?"

Drop your glasses down and answer. An object in the teeth is not a reason to ignore the interlocutor.

I slowly shook my head and tried to mumble something. But I quickly realized something was not an option. Taking a deep breath, I tightened my grip on one of Rising's hooves, which caused him to let out a painful real sigh. Then he lowered his head and seeing my position said, "Oh, I see."

I just nodded back and tried to do something similar with a smile. I'm not sure that this is even possible considering the object between the teeth. Slowly shaking my head, I lowered my head down and focused on the earth, which seemed not so far away. Maybe fifty feet. Or even less. In any case, from this distance I could already make out the blurry outlines of the pony.

Eventually Rising approached the ground and immediately after I jumped off it, it collapsed to the ground. Seeing this, I quickly put on my glasses and got down on one knee in front of the lying Rising asked: "Are you feeling okay? Can you walk by yourself? Should I carry you?"

After a few moments Rising nodded and lightly waved his hoof said: "I'm fine, Mr. Sir Boss. It's fine."

I squinted at the thestral, whose fur was completely covered with sweat from the flight and dirt along with snow from a recent fall. Sighing, I lightly brushed the snow off his head and said: "Okay. In that case, get up and follow me."

In response, he quickly nodded and struggled up on all four hooves. Barely noticeable shaking my head, I turned around on the spot and saw Luna smiling behind which there was a bonfire at some distance. Sighing, I put both hands in my pockets and headed forward completely ignoring Luna's fun. Fortunately, she decided not to say anything.

After a few minutes, the three of us reached the campfire, next to which the FSF and several soldiers stood. And behind them were two tanks whose metal armor glistened slightly in the night light. I stopped a few steps away from the two tanks and asked with my hands on my hips: "Well, that's it. Is everything ready for the test?"

There was a cheerful silence in the air for a few seconds, as if no one had thought about who would give the answer. Eventually a hoarse voice raised Flying: "Yes, everything is ready. If anything, the walkie-talkies were left inside the second wagon. "

A good solution. It would be inconvenient to carry as many as six walkie-talkies on humps. Just need to come up with a normal name. Well, or just take the usual name.

Chuckling, I turned towards Flying and asked: "The second tank is the one with more armor, right?"

He shrugged his shoulders and raising an embarrassed eyebrow asked: "A tank? "

I smiled broadly and replied, "Yes, tank. I think this name is the most optimal and familiar. It will be inconvenient if everyone calls the same device in their own way."

Flying chuckled softly and said, "Whatever you say, madman."

Great nickname. Much better than boring.

Rolling my eyes, I focused my attention on Starlight and the two brothers before asking: "Good. I want to get some information that was not specified in the drawing."

All three of them started to clear their throats, and I quickly supplemented myself: "Let Starlight do the talking. You brought this fate upon yourself, Flim and Flam. "

Starlight cheekily smiled at the two brothers before saying, " Well, Captain, during a small experiment we concluded that the number of ponies in the crew varies from two to three. Two people in case there is no radio in the tank. That is, the driver and the loader. Otherwise, the pony responsible for the walkie-talkie is added."

They didn't think about the commander. And about the gunner. Although I'm not sure about the second one.

I tilted my head to the side and asked: "And who do you think will aim the weapon at the target?"

Starlight briefly grinned and keeping a wide smile replied: "He doesn't need to be guided. Me and my, uh, colleagues were thinking about making the weapon mobile. But they quickly realized that the recoil from the shot would be too strong. So we decided to make it a fixed part of the structure."

What else were you hoping for? The towers have not yet been invented so that the tank can shoot strictly in front of itself.

I was about to answer, but I felt something. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Luna standing far away from the tank. Her face darkened and she lowered her head down. It must be unpleasant to see my triumph. I grinned and said: "Okay. Let's start the test. To begin with, let the tank drive a little and make a shot."

Starlight only smiled wider and said, "You don't have to tell me that. This should be said to the tank crew. "

My eyes widened and I asked cautiously: " And who is sitting in the tank? "

Instead of answering, I heard a loud creaking of the hatch, from which a few seconds later a thestral in armor climbed out, who cheerfully said: " We, captain!"

Hold on. They just took and retrained in tankers? It smacks of insubordination. I think we need to have a preventive conversation. With a tire iron and tying to a chair, of course.

I grinned and asked: "Can you at least drive? And why did you decide to do it anyway?"

"Well, we trained all day in the ride to show you the highest class and I roughly understood how everything works here. And to answer your second question, Captain. I just thought that the bow is a bit inefficient. Well, I decided to change the direction. To be honest, I myself wonder what will happen if I use this long thing."

"What will happen." Hmm, it looks like they haven't tried shooting yet before you came. Correctly considering the limited number of shells.

Chuckling, I waved one hand and said: "Okay, let's see what you could do. Make a small circle and shoot. Then repeat the same with the second tank. And then I'd like to check the armor."

The Thestral quickly saluted and climbed into the tank, closing the hatch behind him. For a few seconds, nothing happened except for some unintelligible conversations that I could hear from the tank. But eventually there was a loud series of clicks and a sound as if something had fallen. Then silence. And silence.

Well, that's it. No tank exercises today

I turned to Starlight and asked: "Is this how it should be?"

In response, she shrugged her shoulders and reluctantly tilted her head towards the two brothers as if saying, "Such questions to them."

Flim and Flam just smiled and the first one said: "The steam engine needs time for the water to boil. "

Then Flam continued: " Then the water evaporates and the resulting steam begins to perform its function in the mechanism. We have to admit that Ms. Glimmer made some decisions to speed up this process."

Sighing, I reluctantly nodded and focused on the tank. After what seemed like an eternity, quiet gurgling sounds began to be heard. Then it became more active and louder. And in the end, the tank's caterpillar moved slightly forward, pushing the snow back. Then the tracks began to work and the tank drove forward. I couldn't help but smile at the way it moved and the way its long nose was shoveling snow. And to my surprise, the tank continued to gain speed even after it reached walking speed.

Everything is right. This tank's armor is so thin that it doesn't seem to exist. Weight less = speed more. Let's see how he can accelerate.

Grunting, I carefully watched as the tank moved away and developed more and more speed. Then it began to turn extremely slowly in an extremely wide arc. But in the end, the car, releasing a bunch of smoke into the air was able to make a U-turn and start driving towards me. As he approached, Starlight came closer to me and said, "I recommend you to close your ears. It will be loud."

I waved my hand dismissively and didn't answer anything. She muttered something but decided not to insist. The tank drove forward at its maximum speed, scattering snow to the sides and eventually made a loud shot. My ears were blocked by such a sound, but despite this, I smiled broadly and looked at where the tank was aiming. Slightly wiping my glasses with my coat, I was able to see how the cast-iron core reflected the moonlight and pierced into the mountain, leaving a bunch of cracks. Amazing.

With a solemn expression on my face, I turned to Luna and was about to brag. But suddenly she hit the ground hard with her hoof and shouted furiously: "QUICKLY, EVERYONE STOP!"

My ears only hurt more as the tank behind me slowly slowed down. Enduring the pain, I asked irritably: "What happened? We actually need to check the second tank. And armor..."

Luna instantly appeared right in front of me and grabbed me by the front of my coat and continued to shout: " You can't even imagine what you've done! Believe me, this is the biggest mistake you've ever made in your life. If I had my way, I would EXECUTE you right on the spot!"

Rolling my eyes, I tried to remove her hoof from my coat. But I couldn't move him an inch. Hmm. Sighing, I looked into her eyes and asked: "Now don't yell and tell me exactly what happened."

Taking a deep breath and closing her eyes, she removed her hooves and said: "Something terrible has happened. Let me tell you this as simply as possible. A thousand years ago, an agreement was concluded on the non-use of gunpowder in weapons. Although I advocated the complete destruction of this terrible substance from history. Do you already understand what this means, or do I need to hammer understanding into your skull?"

Let's omit the phrase about a thousand years and get to the heart of the matter. It seems that on this planet, firearms were equated with nuclear weapons. In other words, we can say that the fact of this tank is a crime against everything. Cool, right? Although a thousand and one questions remain. Why didn't anyone know about it at all? Or, for example, why the factory agreed to produce weapons that are considered banned all over the world. Maybe they knew some kind of loophole?

I looked irritably at Luna and asked: "If it was banned all over the world, then not one plant would not agree to production. This is the first. Secondly, why does none of those who developed the tank knows about it?"

"I have heard that if something is forbidden to a child, he will only want to get it more. That is why this contract is not talked about everywhere and always. So that no one even thinks what this creature of Tartarus is capable of. Moreover, I'm almost sure that you didn't bother to tell the factory where the weapons would be used. They might well have thought it was a mini ship." Luna replied coldly, continuing to look at me with fury.

No, I didn't say that. I just showed the head of the plant a drawing of the tank, asked if it could be done together with the shells and he answered yes. All.

"That is, no one knows about the ancient treaty, but everyone must abide by it? Don't you feel the absurdity yourself? Logically, if you blame it on the factory that produced the weapon. Or on the FSF. But I like the first option better. " I suggested putting my hand on my chest. Come on, the fair world, show your real face. I know you!

"Daniel, don't throw off the responsibility. In a good way, you should have asked me or my sister before starting production. So the only one to blame is you. And for violating a contract of this level, I'm not going to stand on ceremony with you for a long time. " Luna replied harshly, squinting.

Sighing, I looked at the tanks again and cautiously asked: "Do you have an agreement stating the prohibition of gunpowder in weapons? I'd like to read it."

The next moment there was a flash and a piece of parchment that looked extremely ancient levitated in the air in front of me. Hmm, how helpful. I carefully took the parchment and unfolded it and went through the contract. The basic message is very simple. The use of gunpowder in weapons is prohibited all over the world. However, the exception is ships. All. No more, no less. And a tank doesn't really look like a ship.

I carefully folded the parchment and said: "Can you give me a day or two to think about it? Maybe I can find some loophole?"

"Of course you can do it, Daniel! Why are you asking? There is only one condition. You can ponder the treaty as much as you want, but before that you must dismantle this creation of Tartarus. It's very simple." Luna replied firmly and restraining her anger.

You know what it's going to be, crybaby. We'll have to compromise.

"Maybe, just maybe we'll limit ourselves to the fact that I'll take off the guns and take the shells somewhere? And the car itself will remain for transporting soldiers? I politely suggested pointing with one hand at both tanks.

Luna stared at me intently in response to which I awkwardly smiled. After a few tense seconds, she snorted and said, " Okay. Only you will do it in front of me. Right now. "

I nodded slowly and gave her the parchment for safekeeping. Then my eyes started wandering in search of Rising. When my eyes fixed on him, he looked upset and very scared. It was as if he was ready to turn around and run away from here in tears. Sighing, I waved my hand at him and said, " Rising, help me. At least morally."

He nodded quickly and ran up to me as if he was afraid of every second of being next to Luna. Sighing again, I slowly walked to the tank and looked at the promising assistants. All the soldiers and the FSF were trembling slightly with fear. However, there was one exception. Flying that held very tight. I waved my hand at him and said: "You too, Flying. Since you've been watching them throughout the whole process, you should have an idea of how to remove the gun. "

Fortunately, he didn't say anything and just ran up to me before starting to follow. In the end, I walked straight up to the tank and saw two theatres leaning out of the hatch looking at me. I reluctantly nodded and said, " Lick it off. We'll have to do the dismantling. "

They slowly saluted and jumped off the roof of the tank. I put my palm on the cold metal of the tank and closed my eyes. If I'd just agreed to Starlight's offer. If I had just decided not to save everything would have been much better. if the owner of the factory would just refuse me. Well, why. Why absolutely no one from my entourage knew about such a ban!? Or did they all know and not trust me? They want to set me up, bitches!

I took a deep breath calming myself and before I started thinking about how to remove the gun, one thought occurred to me.

There must be a loophole in the contract. Just need to find it. Just find and win.

Our goal is victory

"Think, sleepy head, think. There should be at least something here." I muttered, bending over the document that Luna provided. I got this piece of paper at the cost of only two broken cannons and a bunch of shells. All this is destroyed. Completely. And the worst thing is that I was forced to personally break it all. And then Luna took all the few fragments that remained and hid them somewhere. Or finally destroyed. I don't know.

And I said that it was necessary to deceive her and just make the guns along with the shells invisible. But no, the crybaby decided that it was necessary to be honest. Are you happy with your distance from Perfection?

I took a deep breath and slowly shook my head and focused on the document again. I still have hope that Luna didn't destroy the wreckage. If I find a loophole, I can restore weapons from the wreckage and make a tank again, well, a tank. Drilling the document with my eyes, I once again began to reread it and highlight the most important points. When the contract was signed: August 8, 210 ADE. I have no idea what ADE is. A pony version of BC? No matter. Who signed the agreement: Equestria, the Griffin Empire and a bunch of other countries. I don't see any clue. What prohibits: The use of gunpowder in weapons. The exception is ships. All.

"Maybe remake the tank so that it can swim? When crossing the river, it will be easier and it will be possible to say that it is a ship. No complaints. Hmm. " I muttered, frowning. Maybe, just maybe, it's a good idea? The contract says in black and white that weapons using gunpowder are not prohibited on ships. So why is a floating tank not a ship?

There is no money to build more tanks. Hmm, maybe sell Ahirata's body for organs?

Grinning, I nodded to myself and focused on the open window. The sun was high in the sky, and judging by the position it is now the middle of the day. It looks like I've been sitting here thinking about the contract for almost a whole day. And all this time I didn't sleep or eat. I don't even want to know what my body looks like under my clothes. Considering how often I forget to eat.

Leaning with both hands on the table, I slowly got up from the chair and slightly stretched my back. Yeah, sitting for several hours in one position practically without moving is harmful to the back. Just like hunger is not good for the whole body as a whole. And I need to be as strong as possible in case Ahirata shows up.

After a brief warm-up, I turned around on the spot and headed out of the room. Along the way, I could feel that all the other thestrals were in the nearest rooms and judging by the lack of rapid movements, they were sleeping. I hope there's no one in the dining room. And I hope that I remember the route there correctly.

You know, it feels like we forgot something. Something that had to be done in the shortest possible time. Okay, if you didn't remind me, it doesn't matter.

Shrugging my shoulders, I stopped in the middle of the corridor and looked first to the left, then to the right. So, which way is the dining room? Of course, I could wander around the castle until I die of dehydration and hunger. But I would really like to choose the right direction. On the other hand, the later I come to the dining room, the more likely it will be that I will not cross paths with anyone.

I had no time to lean against the wall to start thinking when I felt the movement of the lines from the point coming from my right. I hope that Luna has already calmed down and will not miss me where it is not necessary. Grinning, I put my hands on my hips and focused on the approaching visitor.

Eventually, Celestia slowly came out of the corner. I don't even know whether to be happy or sad. At the sight of me in the center of the corridor, Selesatia's eyes widened a little and slightly accelerating the pace, she approached me almost point-blank. We exchanged glances for a few seconds before she sighed and said, "Luna, told me what happened last night. "

With a dismissive wave of my hand, I took a step forward and answered looking Celestia straight in the eyes: "Calm down, this time I behaved like a good boy and obeyed. All weapons and ammunition were dismantled and hidden. All that's left are vehicles for transporting soldiers. Or is there a separate ban for this, too, which absolutely no one knows about? Come on, tell me, my hands are itching to sort out what's left. "

She took a deep breath and slowly shook her head and replied, "No, you don't have to worry about that. I just wanted to calm you down a little bit because I can see how you feel after, ahem, the incident. You see, Luna has some. . . unpleasant experience with gunpowder weapons. Therefore, the shot could frighten her very much and make her behave a little sharply. "

And why do I need this information? Wait, though. If Luna panics because of the loud pops that the artillery produces, then you can scare her with something similar. For example, to detonate a firecracker right next to her ear. Oh, yes, that would be great.

I spread my hands and asked irritably, "Is that all? In that case, compensate for my time spent and show me where the dining room is. I haven't eaten or drunk in a very long time. This is a good offer, agree."

Celestia sighed in disappointment, but still turned around on the spot and walked away. Hopefully towards the dining room. Putting my hands in my pockets, I started following her along the way, looking around. Although it doesn't seem to help. I won't remember anything anyway. But it's better to try than not, right?

After some time on the way, Celestia took a deep breath and asked: "By the way, have you already moved, as you called them, the strike brigade to another place?"

So that's what we forgot. Hmm, yes, it should have been decided right away.

Scratching my head, I shook my head and replied: "No, I didn't do it. Moreover, I don't even know where Luna placed them. Against the background of FSF developments and a trip to the factory, I completely forgot about them. I even forgot to inform their commander that he would be commanding someone at all! "

Celestia giggled softly, but not paying attention to this, I quickly said: " Tell someone appropriate that Report Stutter can be released from prison. I don't know how, I don't know when, but he will become the commander of the shock brigade. And his soldiers will obey him implicitly. Somehow. Necessarily. Oh! And don't forget to find a speech therapist for him. I know from my own experience that this is a useful doctor. However, like everyone else. "In response, she nodded slowly and replied: " Okay, I'll do it soon. "

" Today. " I instantly added, forcing Celestia to cast an irritated glance in my direction for a moment.

But the next moment she sighed and slowly shook her head and said, "My little human, I have my responsibilities. And there are many of them. Even these minutes during which I'm talking to you, I have to gnaw out of a busy schedule. I'm sorry, but all I can promise is that I will do it soon. "

Just take off your authority and give it to someone suitable. For example, me. Or your sister. But the first option is certainly better.

Chuckling, I didn't answer anything and just continued walking next to Celestia. Fortunately, no more conversations arose, and the rest of the way passed in silence. Eventually we reached a large wooden door next to which ponies in golden armor stood at attention. At the sight of Celestia, to my surprise, they did not bow but saluted before starting to open the door. I don't even know which is worse.

Slowly shaking my head, I continued to follow Celestia as the doors opened. Once in the dining room, I looked around the room and noticed several ponies. However, no one seems to be looking at me. Well, that's good, I guess. Before I could shrug, Celestia pointed her hoof at one of the chairs and said: "Wait here while I ask the cook to have something cooked."

She won't take no for an answer, crybaby. If you say no, she'll just order it. A one-way situation.

Sighing, I reluctantly sat down on a wooden chair and propped my head on my fist before focusing on Celestia. When she saw that I obeyed, she nodded slowly and went towards some kind of metal window. Yeah, it doesn't look good. Sighing, I rubbed my glasses lightly and closed my eyes and tried to get some sleep. Maybe now it will be possible to sleep in order to return to the document with a fresh head? Although, no, it sounds like nonsense.

Without opening my eyes, I carefully took off my glasses and put them on the table and began to think. It will be expensive to make completely new tanks that I can swim. I doubt that it will be possible to simply rebuild normal ones into floating ones. But I want to use already made tanks as a normal combat unit and not just as a transport. Hmm. You can adopt the idea of Starlight. Although I don't want to greatly strengthen the influence of the fascist. The less money she gets in the end, the better. Or you can use something powerful. Deadly. Frightening.

A flamethrower. It does not use gunpowder, only a flammable liquid is required, a mechanism that throws it forward and some kind of igniter for the liquid. In addition, successful applications of flamethrower tanks are known to history.

"Yeah. Successfully, until they were banned." I muttered, opening my eyes and putting my glasses back on. It's a good idea, but I'm afraid that fire could also be banned on this damn humanistic planet. Although it would be nice to check.

Just after that, Celestia came up to the table and sat down opposite me and said, "I asked the cook to cook you something satisfying. The food will be ready in just a few minutes. "

I reluctantly nodded and slightly adjusted my glasses and asked, " Celly, is the use of fire and combustible materials in weapons prohibited?"

Hearing this, she froze abruptly. Then, blushing slightly, she looked around as if making sure that no one could hear her. What's the blush about? Shaking my head, I just continued to sit and wait for her answer. In the end, she sighed and replied softly: "First of all, don't call me that in public. Ponies might think something wrong. To answer your question, fire and combustible materials are not prohibited. Although I have no idea how you intend to use this information."

I intend to wait until all the top authorities gather in one place. Preferably in a wooden mansion. All exits will be barricaded. And in one second, hundreds of guns will bring down fire on the building. No one will survive at sunrise. And I will personally make sure that you, fool, die the most painful of all.

Chuckling, I didn't say anything to Celestia and looked away trying to find something interesting. But of course nothing like that. What can we say about wooden tables at which almost no one sits? What can we say about white marble walls where there is not a single crack? Oh, wait, there are a couple of cracks near the ceiling. A very bad palace. It is necessary to completely disassemble and sell.

I slowly shook my head and began to sink into boredom. But fortunately, after a few moments, a pony came around the corner with a cart on which there were many trays. With a quick and efficient route, she walked past our table, placing trays in front of me and Celestia, the contents of which were covered with a food dome. When I took it off, I could see scrambled eggs and a couple of pieces of bread on my tray. Not that it was terrible. It just doesn't seem very nutritious. Well, but there is protein. Also, judging by the appearance of garlic bread. I probably won't touch it. Harmfully.

Food is food. Wait, crybaby. Do you smell that?

I sniffed and winced reflexively. It smells like some berries. No, no, it's a banana. I don't even know how I could mix it up. And oh no, is it baking? With extreme reluctance, I looked up and saw that there was a two-tiered cake in front of Celestia. And judging by the yellow stripe between the layers, it's a banana filling. I don't even know what is more disgusting, the terrible product itself or the one who consumes it.

Swallowing, I leaned over to my plate and grabbed a fork with my left hand and began to quickly eat scrambled eggs. It was a little difficult to keep my hands from shaking, but I managed to cope. I could have done it even faster if I had something to drink. Oh, wait, there's a small glass of water to my right. I don't even know how I didn't notice him. Okay, then I'll manage. Continuing to eat, I felt a slight pain in my jaw. It's strange, considering that quite recently I was able to bite off a piece of a pony's hoof. Probably pain due to too fast movements.

When there was nothing left of most of the scrambled eggs, I gulped down all the water from the glass and Celestia asked anxiously: "Are you in a hurry somewhere?"

Slightly choking, I was able to keep food in my mouth along with water and swallowing answered: "No, I just don't like to spend a lot of time on food. You know, as a child, I even tried to eat my breakfast faster than my father. Not that he knew about this competition. But it has developed a very useful skill for me. I also advise you to develop this skill. Or at least some. "

For a moment, Celestia looked slightly offended, and taking advantage of the moment, I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. At the sight of this, she grinned and replied: " I can strongly advise you, Daniel, to learn good manners. Especially at the table."

We already know how. If they wanted to, they could look more intelligent at the table than you, you fool. We're not doing this to give you at least a minimal chance, right, crybaby?

Sighing, I ate the last piece of scrambled eggs and said: "Just so you know, my father was very careful about my upbringing. And in his opinion, the behavior at the table was a very important aspect. If I wanted to, I could use a napkin right now and hold the fork and knife in the correct positions. But as you can see, I don't do that. "

Celestia nodded slightly and whispered softly: " I see, good manners relate to your trauma."

She wants you locked up in a mental hospital, crybaby. She already understands your danger. So I decided to take action. Fortunately, she didn't come up with anything better than sending her to a mental hospital. There is not enough political will.

Swallowing, I stared at her in shock and slammed my fist on the table and said firmly: "You're the only one with an trauma here. I presume in the area of the frontal lobe. I'm perfectly fine. My development is more stable day by day than even your degradation. I don't care what guesses were born in your empty head. The fact that someone is different from you does not mean that he is abnormal. Do you know why? Because the concept of norm is so extensible that everyone has the right to perceive anything as a norm. So I'll ask politely once. Please stop looking for any injuries and just leave me alone. Agreed?"

At first there was silence in the room. I felt the eyes of various ponies focused on me. Probably, judging me. As if their opinion matters. I grabbed a piece of garlic bread and took a bite out of it and focused on Celestia again. She looked very upset but, unfortunately, shook her head and said: "No, Daniel, this is not going to happen. Whether you want it or not, I will help you become a better person. "

With your help, only death will be the best outcome. Yours of course.

Chuckling, I focused on the bread and continued to load into my mouth piece by piece, staring into the void. I don't think I have anything to talk about with Celestia right now. In fact, the conversation should have ended at the moment when she said that fire could be used in weapons. Closing my eyes, I focused on what was happening around me. The eyes are still focused on me. I've already realized that you despise me. Maybe you will do something new?

Right after I shook my head, I heard the sound of hooves hitting the floor from behind me. Judging by the pace the pony is running. I slowly chewed a piece of bread and turned around in the hope of seeing something at least interesting. A few moments later, a unicorn in golden armor ran into the dining room and silently saluted Celestia. Looking closer, I noticed that in his magical grip he was holding back something similar to a letter.

After a few moments of saluting, the soldier ran up to Celestia and whispered something softly and handed her a letter. She frowned slightly and carefully took off the envelope and quickly looked at it. For a few seconds she just stared at the letter with her eyes wide open. But in the end she put the letter on the table and said, "Daniel, given the circumstances, I think the moment you've been waiting for has finally arrived."

Jumping up from my seat, I threw a piece of bread on a plate and leaning on the table asked: "Where?"

She swallowed slightly and after rereading the letter said: "There was an incident in a small village south of Baltimore. Of the entire garrison and the civilian population, only one Pegasus survived and reported that a Bipedal monster attacked the village."

Bipedal = Ahirata. Not a fact, but it's better to check.

Turning around on the spot, I quickly ran to the exit, but then stopped abruptly and said: "Find Luna and tell her to take the shock brigade outside. The report is not prepared now, so don't tell him anything. I'll go get the others. You'll tell me the location later, on the street."

Without waiting for her answer, I quickly rushed forward through the corridors, braking with difficulty on turns. Fortunately, I still managed to remember a few landmarks. For example, a purple pot in which many daisies grow. Maybe break it? No, don't think. We have more important things to do.

In the end, I almost fell several times and rushed into the familiar corridor. After taking a few quick steps, my right foot rose and kicked open the nearest door loudly. Going inside, I saw several very simple beds on which the thestrals slept. Fortunately, the kick turned out to be loud enough for the thestrals to start moving slightly, waking up.

Clapping my hands loudly, I shouted: "It's time for holy revenge, soldiers! You have two minutes to get ready, get organized, and go outside. And two minutes are the limit! In a good way, you should do it even faster!"

Great, now we need to repeat the same thing a couple more times. As soon as everyone is assembled, we will have to think. Firstly, Celestia will most likely call the shitty heroes as she demanded before. Okay, let's leave them behind while we fight ourselves. now transport. If there is a train to the right city right now, then we will leave the tanks behind, we will take only the radios. If there is no train, then we will go on tanks. Oh, it's a pity that the guns had to be removed. But transport for transporting soldiers is also not bad, right?

I nodded sharply to myself, turning around on the spot and headed for the next door. Before knocking it out, I whispered to myself: "Hold on, you bastard. Today you live your last day."

POV Ahirata

My heart starts pounding slowly. Magic flows through the veins and saturates even the most remote areas of the new body. Including my own eyes, which have finally taken their rightful place. Breath. Exhale. The lungs are fine, the ribs are set correctly. The normal body is ready. Slowly, my eyelids opened and I looked around the cave in which I was located. Right on top of me was an old body that had already left the soul. A free creature lay curled up in the corner. I hope he won't be too surprised by my change.

Taking another deep breath, I carefully removed the old body to the side and got up on both legs. When I stood up to my full height, my head hit the ceiling of the cave, but no particular pain came. Taking the skull of the biggest pony I could find was a good idea, I think. Perhaps my appearance will frighten others. Considering that my eyes are much smaller than the socket of the new body. Well, fear is a sign of a curse.

Bending slightly, I examined my new body and flexed my muscles a little. The legs were probably the most difficult part. I had to collect them from a lot of pony bones. Breaking them, putting them back together, redoing everything from scratch was an extremely difficult task. And even the final result I had to supplement with small pieces of stone. Well, it could have been worse.

Sighing, I took a couple of steps from side to side to stretch my legs and after making sure that I could at least walk, I looked at my hand. Almost like the legs, this part of the body was constructed from many bones. But there is still one difference. Due to the peculiarities of the pony's skeleton, I had to make my fingers completely out of stone. Another place I have to be constantly focused on. On the other hand, this body is capable of using a lot more magic at the same time.

Smiling a little, I clenched both my hands into fists before I burst out. Everything works fine. Sighing contentedly, I cautiously approached the free creature curled up in the corner and knelt in front of him. To wake him up, I gently rubbed him with my claw-less finger. After a few moments, he hissed softly and raised his head. Seeing his attention, I stopped stroking and said: "Free, do not be afraid of my new face. I want to inform you that danger is coming soon. I will understand and respect your choice if you decide to run away. Do you want me to make you a way out?"

Anticipating his answer in advance, I concentrated a little magic in my right eye and directed it at the nearest wall. With a slight movement, I pushed the stones apart so that a small tunnel led out, which was slightly larger in diameter than a free creature. Pointing in the direction of the tunnel, I again raised my voice: "Go, free. This road leads to the street."

To my surprise, instead of leaving, the snake hissed briefly and lowered its head again. He. . . Does he trust me with his safety? Does he want to stay with me even at this time?

It looks like it. Don't let him down, Ahirata. Soon, the creature that freed you from your abode should appear in this area. And it will search for you until it kills you. This time, you can't afford to underestimate.

I nodded confidently and carefully stood up to my full height so as not to frighten the free creature. Seeing that the conversation was over, he slowly lowered his head down and seemed to have returned to rest again. Well, you have the right. And I have a duty to protect you. Taking a deep breath, I turned around on the spot and walked to the far wall of the cave, which was once a passage. Approaching her, I began to concentrate magic in both eyes and direct it into the wall from them. With extreme ease, I made a wide opening looking straight out. Ha, I've forgotten how easy it is when you can use normal amounts of magic.

Slowly shaking my head to focus on the important things, I left the cave and stood in a small clearing in the middle of the forest and sighed. At any second, a creature obsessed with its curse and thirst for revenge will descend here. Reflexively, I clenched my teeth. And I also dared him to steal my eye. Who knows what he did to him? After a moment of intense thought, I slowly shook my head. No, he couldn't do anything significant. Only I can use them to the fullest.

Looking up, to my surprise I saw the moon. It's already night, and I can see so well. Why? I don't remember that the night was famous for normal visibility. Maybe it's just very bright today?

Then, when the realization dawned on me, I put my hand to my forehead and laughed: "So much time has passed. I almost forgot that I can see normally in the dark! I wonder what else I have forgotten during the thousand years of imprisonment?"

Probably a lot. Slowly my laughter subsided and I focused on the matters of the day. I don't need a surprise attack in the back. So it's better to cover as much territory as possible. Nodding to myself, I once again directed magic into my eyes and out of them into the ground. A huge amount of magic spread out in all directions over a huge territory. To my delight, I could easily hold these volumes in the ground. How nice it is to finally be in a normal body.

Suddenly, II felt something strange. A lot of ponies are moving a mile or more away from me. Fifty to be exact. But the strangest thing is the two wide areas behind the pony. There I could feel something crushing the earth and throwing it back. Is it a living being? A golem?

So that it would not be better to keep a low profile. Could it be a trap? No one would be exposed to such a large group. It's probably a distraction so that the creature can come up from behind.

Nodding to myself, I focused on the ground again and without feeling any presence behind me and began to follow the trees. If I don't feel someone, then he's either not here or he's in the trees. In any case, it won't go away.

Continuing to follow the trees, I noticed how a number of birds flew into the air. Then I felt a tremor running through the ground and the approach of a crowd of ponies. But suddenly everything stopped. No movement. If they don't move for too long, I won't even be able to track them.

I squinted and began to closely follow the tree line. Somewhere behind them, a crowd of ponies and strange objects stopped. Absolutely nothing happened for a few seconds. No sound, no movement, nothing. Then I felt the crowd of ponies moving forward again. The battle begins.

In preparation for the attack, I took all the magic out of the ground and concentrated it in my eyes. As soon as I see the enemy, I will release him. Everything will be quick. The main question is - where is the cursed creature? Well, he'll show up sooner or later.

Maybe he's not even here? The pony seems to have a guard or something similar. Could it be them?

I slowly shook my head and continued to follow the tree line. You can't relax too much. Especially considering those strange objects. A few seconds later, one by one, motley ponies began to emerge from the darkness of the trees. Without any weapons or armor. Nonsense. . .

Eventually, fifty ponies stood tens of feet away from me and frowned at me. On the back of one of them was a strange coat similar to the one worn by the cursed creature. No, I must have imagined it. Looking at them in response, I began to think about what to do. Judging by their appearance, these are real live ponies. Hardly anyone started using them as a trap. Sighing, I closed my eyes for a moment.

I'll squeeze them in an instant.

Opening my eyes, I directed magic into them and out of them into the air. While I was doing this, the ponies looked at each other and started running towards me as if they were attacking. Well. After a few moments, the whole air around me was filled with magic and the ponies suddenly froze. First there were a few quiet crackles. Then, almost simultaneously, all the ponies bent over and groaned in pain. And finally, they were crushed into a red shapeless mess.

"How strange. Even some free being wouldn't do that. Not to mention the damned. I muttered, looking at the red mess under my feet. Usually, the damned fixate on the life of each of their own kind. None of the damned would do such a thing.

Suddenly, I heard the sound of something piercing the air. Turning around, I saw eight arrows consisting entirely of magic that were flying at me quickly. Grinning, I quickly directed the magic into the ground and created a thick stone wall in front of me. The arrows collided harmlessly against the wall and completely dissolved. As expected, it was a trap. A very cruel, strange trap.

All in the style of the damned.

The next moment I felt something touch my wall but quickly moved back. Frowning, I took a step back and for good reason. A second later, my stone wall was completely destroyed by an explosion, splitting it into small pebbles. To my shock, one of the stones, instead of falling to the ground, hung in the air and then headed straight towards me.

Directing part of the magic in my hands, I tried to block the fragment of the stone, but I found a strange detail. It's not an easy stone that someone threw, someone is holding it right now and trying to push it. Squinting, I saw an almost transparent body.

The damned creature!

Having seen his head, I hit it with all my strength with my right hand while continuing to restrain the stone. There was a strange crack and my opponent dropped the stone and staggered back. Without giving him a break, I quickly concentrated the magic in the ground and created several spikes. But, unfortunately, instead of blood splashes, I didn't see anything. He escaped. . .

Gritting my teeth, I brought my magic out of the air and began to distribute it through my body, shouting: "Come out, damn creature! Give me back my eye and I swear that your release will be painless. Come out before I change my mind!"

Looking around, I eventually saw how footprints leading to me began to appear quickly in the snow. Grinning, I swung hard and struck a blow in a wide arc. But instead of colliding with the opponent's body, I felt only cold air. And in the next moment, something collided powerfully with my leg, causing it to buckle. Losing my balance, I fell to one knee and clenched my teeth. That's the little shit.

Before I knew it, I felt something grab my head from both sides and sharply lowered it down. At the last moment, my eyes were able to see a transparent knee flying straight into my face. Before I could do anything, I felt a sharp pain in my nose and threw my head back. Looking in the direction where the curse one was supposed to be, I saw two runes forming in the air.

"I won't let you!" I growled, jerking forward sharply and grabbing the damned man by the arms. Then the magic started flowing through my hands. Maybe I won't have time to take the soul, but dispel the invisibility without any problems. After a few moments, the air sparkled red and blue before the damned one appeared before me in all its glory. And for some reason without his coat. Looks like he gave it to one of the ponies.

What for?

Suddenly, I was pulled out of my thoughts by a sharp pain all over the right side of my body. Shifting my gaze to the source of the pain, I saw several arrows being shot into the right half of my body. Fortunately, nothing vital has been touched. I can easily restore it. This made me slightly loosen my grip and the next moment I regretted it when a strong kick from below flew into my jaw. Then, to the temple on the right. And finally the damned one jumped back and grinned and said: "The soldiers say hello. They are asking for the bodies of their fallen comrades to be returned. "

While I was trying to get up despite the pain, he pulled out a strange object in the form of a cube from his pocket. To which my eye was attached. What a nit! Seeing the fury on my face, the damn creature grinned again and started charging the cube with his magic.: " Don't worry, you'll tell me about it later. After they make a couple hundred holes in you."

When eight arrows flew out of the cube, I quickly teleported behind the creature and threw it with a powerful kick into the mess of dead ponies. He quickly turned over and exposing his face stained with blood tried to get up but slipped. Without wasting time, I teleported right over him and put a heavy foot on his chest and asked: "Do you have something to say before being released from the curse?"

He put both his hands on my leg and tried to move it. But absolutely unsuccessfully. Then he sighed and putting his head on the blood began to take a breath and silently drill me with his eyes. A frown appeared on my face. Doesn't answer. Maybe he's thinking? No, wait!

It's a trap.

I quickly jumped back and the creature also rolled to the side, away from the bloody mess. In the next instant, all the blood turned into a multitude of spikes pointing straight up. As I assumed. Seeing that the cursed creature had successfully stood up and started running towards me, I started concentrating magic in the air again. Maybe the pressure won't kill him instantly, but with my new body, it's not even necessary. Ordinary strength is enough.

Soon, the pressure began to build up and the creature stood on the spot trembling. All his strength should be directed to standing straight. Rejoicing at the upcoming victory, I took a step forward and struck a powerful blow forward. To my confusion, the cursed creature did not fly away from the impact. It didn't move at all. Slowly taking my hand back, I saw how the creature stood firm despite the split eyebrow. Blood dripped slowly from his face down onto the snow.

"Come on, come on, hit. Or don't you need your dear little eye?" The creature muttered, barely taking a step forward. What self-confidence. How deeply he is mired in his curse. I'm not sure it's even possible to release people like him. But it's worth a try.

Gritting my teeth, I gave him another blow to the head. Then he kicked in the chest, causing several cracks. But the creature continued to stand. Seeing my substitution, it again raised its voice: "What happened, bastard? Your little head can't understand why I'm not backing down? Well, no wonder. Because you can't finish anything. Even your own death! You're so pathetic!"

A frown appeared on my face and I was about to create and drive a stone stake into him while he continued to speak loudly. But just before I started putting the plan into action, my ears picked up a strange noise. Turning to the source of the sound, my eyes opened wide when they saw a strange metal thing moving towards me, on top of which sat a lot of armored ponies. Faster than I could do anything, this thing flew into me and carried me forward.

Quickly destroy it!

I tried to concentrate the magic in my eyes, but I was interrupted by a sharp pain all over my body. The ponies sitting on top of the metal beast stabbed and cut me with their weapons. Leaving various wounds all over the body. The hellish pain does not allow you to concentrate for a second. Calm down, Ahirata. I can safely restore such damage by inserting stones into the place of all wounds.

While my damned mind was trying to find a way out of the situation, the movement stopped abruptly and I felt a sharp pain in my spine. Turning my head back with difficulty, I saw a second iron beast on which several armored ponies were also sitting. And what is more scary, six ponies on the neck of each of which was the most terrible. Symbols of unholy power or, as the damned like to call them, Elements of harmony. Faster!

Enduring the pain, I directed magic into my hands and pushed away the iron monster that pinned me in front. Then I quickly turned around and was preparing to squeeze them all with pressure, but I felt something grab me from behind and then throw me to the ground. Turning around in a panic, my eyes noticed that the cursed creature, despite numerous wounds, reached me and grabbed me by the waist and knocked me to the ground. I started frantically hitting his stomach with my elbow in an attempt to escape, but he didn't move a bit.

Six ponies with elements of harmony on their necks looked at each other and nodded and flew into the air. The elements began to glow brightly and send their magic into the sky in a single whirlpool. A typical bullying procedure. And you know what the worst part is? While the elements are active, their potential target cannot move. Not an inch. Even if the cursed creature stopped holding me, I still wouldn't be able to escape. Realizing all the hopelessness, my eyes closed, not wanting to see how the whole body would be paralyzed again. Before the unholy force descended on me, I heard a whisper: "Be kind and tell me where the bodies of the soldiers are, okay?"

There are none. They are destroyed. Completely.

I opened my mouth to say something, but was quickly overwhelmed by a wave of harmony elements. After a few moments, I felt the pressure on my body relax. To my surprise, I was able to open my eyes. And even look around. Unfortunately, I couldn't move my arms and legs. But even so! I can. . . I can survive! If I manage to teleport to a cave to a free creature, then I will be able to collect another body. There's still some meat and bones left.

Closing my eyes, I barely started channeling magic into my eyes. It was getting harder by the second. It's as if an unholy force is trying to destroy me completely. In the end, I was able to concentrate enough magic in my eyes, focused on the memory of the cave in which the free creature remained. And teleported there.

I didn't even have time to make sure that I did everything right when I felt a blow in my face. Then they grabbed me by the shoulders and threw me into a stone wall. I started coughing from the blow and bent in half and tried to raise my hand, but of course nothing happened. While I was trying to stop coughing, another blow flew into my chest and the cursed creature asked: "Answer, bastard. Where are the corpses of the soldiers?"

Forgot. I forgot that he was holding on to me. This is the end. There's nothing I can do in my current state.

"" They are destroyed. Completely and completely. I filled their bodies with magic and they were incinerated instantly. I needed to throw away the excess magic somewhere. " I wheezed with difficulty between coughs. Looking from under the brow, I saw how the cursed creature stopped in the middle of the swing. Hadn't he assumed that?

For a few moments he just stood there. Then, growling, he struck me another blow in the face. . . The pain spread all over the front of the skull. . . The kick flew into my chest causing several cracks... it's hard to breathe, several ribs are broken. . . Heavily.

Hit. . . Blow. . . Blow. Enduring terrible pain, I was able to slightly open my eyes and see the silhouette of a snake. Free? While the damned one continued to beat me, a snake slowly crawled up to his leg. But unfortunately, as soon as he opened his mouth to take a bite, the cursed creature took a step to the side and grabbed the free creature with one hand before lifting it in front of him.

He'll kill him. Do something before you die!

Taking advantage of the respite, I was able to combine some magic again and by combining it around a free creature, I was able to teleport it to a corner of the cave. Then another painful cough came out of my mouth before I said: "Don't touch him, please."

The damned one turned his whole body to me and hissed: "Please? Oh no, asshole, it doesn't work with me. Every second of your existence costs me a kiloton of nerve cells. You're living in debt. And you don't have anything to make up for it."

After this sentence fell from his lips, he again took a step forward as if he was going to continue beating. In an attempt to defend myself, I unsuccessfully tried to raise my hands, but I was able to say: "Stop! Just tell me what you want! I remember when you broke into my dear Tartarus you took some books. You must have a reason to do this!"

For a moment, the damned one stopped his swing. Please don't hit me. After a few seconds , to my surprise , he laughed briefly and lightly hitting me on the top of the head with his palm said cheerfully: "Okay, motherfucker. Suddenly, an incredible compassion awoke in me. Tell me about your motives. I really want to find something to justify you."

He's lying to me. But only partially. I feel like he's really interested in hearing about my motives. But he doesn't even think about mercy. Well, maybe that can change.

With difficulty taking a breath, I was able to briefly say: "The mind is the source of all the troubles in the world. Pain, hatred like yours, sorrow, and so on through the endless list. The mind is a curse that at least someone has to overcome. "

For a few seconds, the cursed creature looked down at me. Then he leaned against the same wall next to which I was sitting and put his fist on my head and said: " You know, we are somewhat similar. Of course, our similarity is the same as between a monkey and a human. But there is something in common."

Human? Is it a kind of monkey? Or something remotely similar?

To my surprise, I managed to raise my head slightly to meet his gaze. But in the next moment, he lowered my head down with a weak blow and continued: "Tell me how you came to this conclusion, bastard. I want to hear your speculation. to explain their inconsistency later."

Coughing up blood once more, I was able to squeeze out: "My life has been wonderful. In everything. Not a single bad place. But it happened... "The cursed creature abruptly interrupted me with irritation in his voice: " Not so fast. I am not satisfied with the short answer. Let's go into all the details. What kind of relationship did you have with your father, mother, grandfather, grandmother, peers, and so on. Don't forget to mention the financial situation and childhood in general. And only then tell me about the traumatic event. "

Frowning, I struggled to remember. Father. . . Emptiness, no eye color, no voice, absolutely nothing. Mother is the woman who gave birth to me. . . The same thing. And exactly the same with everyone else. Complete calm. Sighing , I shook my head slightly with difficulty and said: "I don't remember. All that remains in my memory is the fact that everything was fine then. "

"Maybe a little shake will remind you?" The cursed one asked coldly and calmly, raising his right hand up again.

Fighting for my life, I was able to take a breath and shout out: "The unholy force known as the elements of harmony has chained me from the throne for a millennium if not more! I don't remember my exact age, my family, the name of my species, or even my own sex! I have only a goal, some knowledge and my own name. I literally can't even cry about it because there are no necessary glands in this body! "

The next moment, a palm blow flew into my face and looking me straight in the eyes, the damned one said: " Stop whining and feeling sorry for yourself. What you are doing now does not cause any pity. You literally just admitted that your goal has no basis. There is no explanation in your head why you need this goal."

"I'm freeing the world from the curse." I said despite the growing pain in my chest. Is the rib slowly making holes in the lung?

Another palm strike and the damned one asked a question, pointing his finger directly at me: "Stop fooling around. There are no one hundred percent altruists in the world. Everyone wants at least a sense of self-satisfaction. What is there to talk about? I want every person on the planet to abandon universal human values and become egocentric so that the society I despise falls apart. You must have a reason, too. Or don't you remember it too?"

I don't remember . . .

My head slowly lowered down I coughed up blood once more I said: "I don't remember..."

After I said that the damned one raised my head with his hand so that I was doomed to look into his eyes and said: "Then why do you need this goal at all?"

To free everyone from the curse? No wait, why would I do that? To. . . Just to justify the fact of its existence. Yes, it should do. With difficulty, I was able to take a breath and said, "I need a goal to live. Or are you suggesting that I give up on this and deprive my life of any meaning?"

"You haven't thought about finding a new target, have you?" The cursed one asked, putting his hands on his hips. New. . . purpose? But it's probably too late now.

"I was on this path for a long time. There's no turning back." I replied hoarsely. Damn, I won't be able to breathe soon.

"Who said that? What happens if you say right now that you were an idiot and give up your goal? What makes you hold on to it so tightly if you have no reason to pursue a goal?" The damned one asked calmly and measured, taking me by surprise. If I give up on her and start looking for another one. . .

"But then all those deaths that I caused will be in vain. Meaningless." I replied quietly.

"So you don't want to take responsibility? Are you as a child not ready to admit your guilt and are looking for any excuses despite their quality? Are you completely satisfied with this? You're absolutely unwilling to move forward, it seems. How pathetic you are. " The damned one countered with a frown. There's something strange in his voice. It's like he doesn't want to say it.

The ringing in my ears must have intensified. Soon this body will completely fail.

I need to think about it. And a lot of. Maybe I can convince him? Well, this is my last time. After taking one of the last breaths, I said hoarsely: "Can you listen to my request?"

"If you're talking about saving your skin, then don't even hope. I already want to cut you into small pieces and serve you to the table." Hissed the damned one before pulling a knife out of his pants pocket.

With difficulty, I shook my head and continued: "Inside this body, next to the heart, there is a crystal where my soul is stored. I can completely withdraw my magic from this body and close it in a crystal. In that case, this body will die, but my soul will continue to live. Then my fate will be in your hands. If you think I deserve to live, then just find me another body. I can do the rest myself. "

Grunting, the damned one rolled his eyes and said: " Okay, I was going to tear your body into small pieces anyway. I'll find the crystal and break it."

Come on, Ahirata! One more breath!

I began to channel my magic inward into the crystal and with difficulty taking a breath I was able to say, "I have something to say. The elements of harmony that these ponies used today should not be used again. Never."

The damned one noticed how my body was slowly dying and made a dash to me and started shouting: "Why? Idiot, if you don't tell me now, I'll definitely kill what's left of you! "

Slowly, my breathing and heartbeat slowed down and my magic was slowly locked in the crystal. Before my eyes went out, I was able to say, " It is because of the elements that we are here with you. But. . . not. . . at home."

POV Daniel

" It is because of the elements that we are here with you. But. . . not. . . at home." Ahirata said before his eyes dimmed. Growling, I kicked him in a futile attempt to wake him up. Of course, it didn't work. However, I could still feel the lines moving away from him. He didn't lie, he's still alive.

Sighing, I slowly slid down the nearest wall and groaned in pain. That bastard. Broke my glasses. Killed a lot of soldiers, even if you don't count the strike brigade, which was completely destroyed. And so on and so forth. Most annoying of all, he didn't even have a decent motive!

The main thing is that we won. Now you just have to go outside and take out the body. Then we'll go to Canterlot and start cutting meat.

Nodding to myself, I grabbed the bastard's head with my right hand and slowly walked to the exit. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a snake that was in this cave. Does this bastard have a pet? Well, she'll be at dinner with him. Like a snack. Chuckling, I used my magical tentacles to grab the snake and quickly pulled it to me despite the hissing. When the animal was in my hand, I made sure that it could not bite me and continued to drag the corpse forward.

Judging by the lines, all the ponies are right in front of me. It looks like the cave is not too deep underground. Sighing, I looked at the enemy's body again. His entire right side was riddled with arrows that he didn't even bother to pull out. The rest of the body was no easier. In every part of the body, there was at least one cut from a sword or a prick from a spear. In this state, it looks like cheese. It's amazing that he was able to maintain a dialogue for a while.

With a grunt, I stopped right in front of the wall and took my hand off Ahirata's head for a moment. Quickly creating an explosion rune, I put it against the wall and took a couple of steps back. Well, the explosion will happen any second. While waiting, I looked at the snake that I was holding tightly in my hand. She stared intently at the corpse of her supposed master. Hmm.

No sooner had my thoughts even begun than an explosion occurred that lifted a pile of dirt into the air. After a few moments of coughing, I looked up again and saw a hole leading to a cold street. Damn, I should have picked up my coat. Enduring the cold, I grabbed the corpse by the head again and slowly walked forward.

Once outside, I felt even more pain all over my body and cold. Squinting, I saw something like a pony running towards me. I won't see it without glasses anyway. Trying to regulate my breathing, I continued to walk forward and drag the corpse with me. Damn, everything is starting to double. I'm switching off.

Come on, come on, crybaby. At least get to the tank and switch off there!

Gritting my teeth, I continued walking and soon saw a thestral run up to me. Focusing on it, I saw that it was Rising. Although I didn't expect anyone else. When he got to me, he sighed and asked worriedly, "Mr. Sir Boss, how are you feeling?"

"Disgusting. The whole body groans in pain. It's good that the plan with the tank worked." I muttered, continuing to walk forward. My eyes could hardly make out two tanks and a lot of ponies next to the trees. Come on, go.

Rising nodded slowly and backing away so that I could keep going said: Yes, you were on top as always, the way you decided to use yourself as a distraction just because you wanted us to contribute to the fight is freaking me out. You could have defeated the enemy alone, I'm sure!"

Yeah, come on, keep going.

After that, he abruptly stopped talking and was silent for a few seconds before nervously adding: "But it seems to me that your decision with the killers is a little too tough."

I focused my gaze on him in response to which he shrank slightly. Sighing, I looked at the red spots on the snow a few feet away from me before saying, "Listen, Rising, I really wish I could lose fewer lives. But I had to figure out how his ability to handle pressure, works by using big numbers. That's why I put my coat on one of the killers. I needed to make sure that his ability only works on living beings. "

" But there had to be an option where no one would get hurt! Or at least a lot less! " Rising objected loudly, startling me. Is he actively arguing? Wow.

Yeah, wow. It doesn't make any sense now. Throw it away. As a tribute, let's let him choose his death.

Quickly shaking my head, I sighed and said: "Rising, this option may be, I do not deny. But the decision has already been made. In the end, we won. Now let's postpone the conversation for later. I think I've got a couple of broken ribs. Again."

"Maybe you need to get to the nearest hospital? You must be hurting now." Suggested Rising with concern in his voice.

I chuckled a little when I started looking at specific faces among the ponies next to the tank and replied: "Rising, I plan to get on the tank or inside to sleep later. While I'm sleeping, you'll take command. You'll decide then what to do with me."

"I will decide..." Rising muttered faintly in response to which I rolled my eyes. He'd better be more determined.

Sighing, I threw the corpse right in front of the feet of many soldiers who were standing next to the tank. They all looked at the body with an incredible cocktail of emotions in their eyes. Sighing, I pointed with difficulty with my left hand towards the cave and said: "His old body is lying in that cave. If you want, take it. "

Without waiting for someone's answer, I looked at the six heroes who were standing a little to the side. After looking at the trinkets on their necks, I thought for a moment. These things have released some kind of rainbow ray. While this was happening, the lines completely froze. They didn't react at all. It is unclear how this is connected with my arrival on this planet.

In any case, you can't trust them with such a thing. For the future: we need to take these so-called elements of harmony and study them.

Taking a deep breath, I said: "Okay, heroes. You definitely did something in this fight. I hope you are very happy about this. Now get out. If I remember correctly, you came to this country by train and then found me, right? Here, come back the same way."

Rainbow Dash flew into the air and wanted to object something, but she was quickly interrupted by my irritated look. Groaning, she landed on the ground and all six of them looked at each other and decided to turn around. Except for Fluttershy. She carefully looked at the snake that I was holding in my hand and asked cautiously: "Why are you holding this cute creature on your hoof?"

After looking at the snake, which seemed to have already tired of resisting me, I briefly said: "This is supposedly a pet, a bastard that we are all gathered to kill today. "

Seeing this, she cautiously came closer to me and looked into the snake's eyes and cautiously asked: "Can I take him home? It seems the poor thing was fed too actively. I would even say forcibly."

Force-feed an animal. Did he want the animal to get fat before eating?

Shrugging my shoulders, I loosened my grip slightly and extended my hand forward. To my surprise, the snake quickly crawled over my arm and moved onto Fluttershy's hoof. She looked at the animal with a smile before looking at me and opening her mouth. But then she stopped talking as if she saw something. After a few seconds, trembling slightly, she raised her wing to her right cheek and said: "You have there..."

Seeing that she did not dare to finish, I ran my hand over my right cheek. And I felt something cold and small. Damn, it looks like one of the shards of glasses stuck in the cheek. Taking a deep breath, I grabbed a small piece of glass with two fingers and yanked it out. Exhaling, I threw the bloody shard on the ground and asked: "Is it just one? Or do I still have others in my face?"

Fluttershy didn't dare to answer, as if she was still scared. Perhaps just now she noticed my bloody and battered face. Eventually I heard a familiar hoarse voice: "Oh, madman, I don't even know where to start. But you definitely don't have any glass left."

Rolling my eyes, I turned towards where the sound was coming from and saw Flying who was sitting on top of the tank. Grinning, I carefully climbed into the seat next to him and said: "Don't worry, I'll just look in the mirror. But you look like a man with nothing to do. So kindly get down and bring me my coat."

Sighing, he shook his head slightly and replied, "Well, I don't even know. It's so comfortable here and your cat is probably so dirty right now. You know, unlike some people, I care about my cleanliness. "" This is an order. And it must be done as soon as possible. " I answered, looking into his eyes. Fortunately, he did not arise and jumped off the tank and ran to the red spots on the snow.

After taking a few deep breaths, I said, "Okay. Give me five minutes to rest or three hundred seconds. Then we'll load the bastard's body onto a tank and go to Canterlot. Until then, gather your strength. Spiritual and physical. "

For a few seconds, some of the soldiers just looked at me with some demands Oh, yes. Sighing, I slowly put my hand on my heart and said: " Let me please arrange a farewell dinner for all of you, okay? After that, you will be free to leave. Are you satisfied?"

Dare only to refuse food prepared by perfect hands.

After a few seconds, all the soldiers slowly nodded and. Nodding in response, I lay on my back on the armor of the tank in an attempt to rest. But I didn't take into account something. The eyes began to slowly but surely close and a long yawn escaped from the mouth. Eventually, my mind slowly started to shut down. And honestly? I don't even mind. I deserve to sleep. Before I passed out, one pleasant thought appeared in my head.

Victory, the enemy is defeated. I deserve a rest. Finally.

And we always achieve the goal

Warm steam swirled into the room even more reducing the already small visibility. Hot water was actively pouring from the tap. The clothes were left in the other room, on the bed. Well, it's probably time to see how I look after yesterday.

And here it is again, a crybaby. Flying laughed a little and you're already afraid to look at your face. Think for yourself. What's the worst thing that could have happened?

"Scar like a German officer?" I asked aloud standing in front of the fogged glass. Even taking into account the fact that I washed in, I'm still scared. Butchering Ahirata's body for meat wasn't even nearly as scary. No, it wasn't that scary at all. Although the main cooking is still ahead.

Yes, but you forgot to break that bright crystal. We don't want the bastard to live too long, do we?

"We need to end it soon, yes. But it would be better to revive him first and interrogate him further. You just need to understand what kind of body he needs. And how to provide it to him without risk to himself. " I whispered, continuing to look through the fogged glass. Now my reflection looks absolutely illegible. It is difficult even to understand where the head is and where the torso is. Or is it just my eyesight?

About the bodies. We can just find a lonely pony and, you know, use his body for the benefit of science. Or are you too weak even for that, crybaby?

" The fact that it can be done this way does not mean that it is necessary. You can put it in, in. . . I don't know. The main thing is not to have to kill someone for no reason at all. At this rate, Unit 731 is not far away. " I said quietly, continuing to look in the mirror. I think I'm ready. A couple more seconds and you can look into the reflection.

Let me ask you, Unit 731 has advanced pharmaceuticals in many areas for two HUNDRED years ahead. So don't whine about inhumanity here, every year the research results of these Japanese people save dozens of times more lives than they have killed during their entire activity.

Shaking my head quickly, I took a deep breath. Don't, you need to at least pretend that I'm normal. And with such thoughts, it will be impossible. Sighing, I brought my right hand to the glass and slowly wiped it. Focusing on the reflection, my eyes began to study the whole face. Surprisingly, the nose has not changed in any way. It seemed to me that it should be ground into meat. The eyebrow also, judging by the appearance, did not suffer any damage. What a good thing regeneration is. Then my gaze moved to the cheek where there was a shard of glass.

"As I assumed, a German officer," I muttered, looking at the scar on my cheek. Unfortunately or fortunately, he was exactly like his German colleagues. Thin, almost perfectly merging with the skin and next to a smile. Turning my head slightly, I couldn't help but grin. At a certain angle, the scar from the fragment looks like an extension of the mouth. I wonder why the wound healed this way? Like, the scars on the leg completely disappear, but on the face they remain like this?

It's just that the body knows how it should look. And I have exactly the information about what is left to bring the face to perfection. We need the same scar on the other cheek. Mega smile brings mega perfection mega pleasure, you know? Come on, take the knife.

I turned my head towards the bathroom exit door. The knife is well sharpened, and my accuracy is not bad. To do this will not be a big problem. Maybe it's true? I quickly shook my head and turned off the water flow before muttering, "No, cutting the face to create additional scars doesn't make sense. It will literally give me nothing. Moreover, I will lose my resemblance to a whole stratum of people. "

To give more weight to these words, I quickly nodded to myself and finally left the bathroom, closing the door behind me. Once in the room, I glanced in the direction of all my clothes. A normal person wouldn't put on clothes right after a shower. Especially considering that I had to carve the meat in these clothes.

As if you have a choice.

Sighing, I reluctantly started grabbing clothes and putting them on. As I did so, I couldn't help but periodically glance towards the drawer in the desk. Inside one of them I left the crystal that I found in Ahirata's body. And judging by the fact that the lines are far away from me now, the bastard's soul is sitting in this crystal. I can barely contain the urge to break it. But first you need to get information about the elements. And to do this, you need to find him a body.

" Or I can just finish what I started here and now. " I muttered, stopping dressing for a moment and focusing all my attention on the box. Most likely, what he said about the so-called elements of harmony is just nonsense so that I would want to save his life. But at the same time, he could have told the truth. That bastard.

Gritting my teeth, I finished dressing and turned away from the table. It is better not to risk the opportunity to get something important. What if these elements are really the key to getting off this planet?

Then you need to assign them to yourself. Oh, I would like to nationalize it in order to use it more competently. That sounds better, right?

Shrugging my shoulders, I took a look at myself and making sure that everything was more or less normal, I headed out of the room. But I hadn't even taken a couple of steps when I heard a knock. Who could it be? Not finding a decent answer in my head, I went to the door at point-blank range and jerked it open.

There, Luna appeared in all its glory in front of me. I was expecting Rising, to be honest. Splashy coding. Shaking my head, I quickly turned my head back and looked out the window. Dawn is just beginning now. Hmm, isn't she sleeping at this time? Well, the main thing is that she doesn't change her mind like the last creature. After arriving in Canterlot, it was difficult to convince her to let me have dinner.

"Good morning, Daniel." Luna said before yawning slightly. There was something in her voice, as if she didn't want to come here at all. HM.

Not hearing any further, I rolled my eyes and replied: "Good morning, Luna. Can you get down to business faster? Meat can't wait."

Luna yawned again and then sighed and answered: "My dear sister wants to give you a reward for defeating a dangerous enemy. Don't be too happy, you won't choose a reward for yourself. Moreover, Celestia has already chosen. There will be a Grand Galloping Gala in the spring and you have been invited there. And plus a medal."

How much money do you think you can get for selling a medal? And for selling a ticket to some obscure GGG?

I shrugged my shoulders and said, "I don't really care about anything. I would prefer that instead of a medal, they just gave me money. And a lot of. I still have to pay for the production of tanks. And no one will give me discounts for the guns that had to be disassembled. "

Luna successfully suppressed a yawn and replied: " Look at it from the other side, you will have a day off in the spring. And a medal, well, it's nice. I can tell from personal experience."

I am sure it is very pleasant to receive medals when you hand them to yourself.

Grinning, I put my hands on my hips and asked: "Is that all? Or another useless topic for discussion?"

In response, Luna smiled wearily and, starting to walk away, replied: "No, that's all. And by the way, the scar on you looks good. You look like a very old friend of mine until he grew a beard."

Yes, it just needs a couple.

Grinning, I took a step out of the room and slowly began to remember the way to the kitchen. While the route was forming in my head, I remembered one important thing. Glasses, or rather their absence. Turning around on the spot, I loudly called out to Luna: "Find someone who will make me new glasses, okay?"

Continuing to walk, Luna slightly waved her hoof and replied: "Yes, yes, I will. As soon as I get some sleep. Or you can just ask my sister for the same."

You're going to get points sooner or later anyway, aren't you, crybaby? So we need to go to Celestia's anyway. I have an idea how to get the money.

Nodding to myself, I turned back towards the corridor and began to think about the route. You need to somehow get through the castle so that you can look into Celestia's office and at the same time not be late in the kitchen. I would not like to cook and serve rotten meat for a farewell dinner. At least this time everything should go fine.

"At least we need to try with all our might," I whispered to myself before walking briskly forward down the corridor. Along the way, my eyes successfully found the right landmarks. A pot of daisies. If I turned left right now, I'd get to the kitchen. Unfortunately, I need to visit a fool.

Pushing irritation into the background, the thought of how to get money from Celestia began to process in my head. As she has said hundreds of times, there is not enough money. Well, I'll make sure there are more of them. And in return I will ask for money to cover expenses.

Given my genius, Celestia should give a lot of money from above for such support. Besides, we want to expand the army to "protect" this territory, don't we?

A grin appeared on my face at the thought. Yes, of course, for "protection". To protect against the plutocratic rule of Celestia. Ha, I've been wanting to use this word for a long time, but I didn't find it as a reason.

Eventually, I got to the door with the jeweled sun symbol. I'll never get used to such waste. But okay, now you can and should be patient. Taking a deep breath, I jerked open the door and took a step inside. There my eyes immediately fixed Celestia bent over a table over a lot of papers. It's early morning now. Hmm, did she sleep here?

It's only good for us, crybaby. In this state, she will be much more willing to accept any offer.

Smiling, I walked up to the table and leaning on it with my hands said: "Good morning, Celly. Ready for a little chat?"

Celestia, despite her fatigue, slowly straightened up and looked at me with a slight smile before answering: "My door is always open for you, my little human. What do you want to talk about?"

Slightly pulling away, I raised one hand up and said: "I'm very glad that you asked. Lately, you have often mentioned a financial problem. Well, I remembered that I have half of a higher education in politics. And I managed to learn one thing. Taxes are cool. "

Celestia's eyes opened slightly and she asked cautiously: " Do you want to suggest that I introduce new taxes? If that's the case, then I hope you understand how carefully this should be done."

Caution is not necessary if you have the support of the army. And I am the army.

Nodding in response to Celestia, I waved my hand and said, "Yes, yes, I know. Now listen to me. Proposal number one is a childlessness tax for all citizens over twenty-five. I will allow you to regulate the amount of tax. "

I paused briefly to let Celestia's little brain absorb this sentence, but unfortunately she took advantage of it to say, " That sounds very cruel. I don't think any pony in Equestria would approve of that."

How pathetic are your attempts to find a reason to abandon a good idea. But don't worry. I'll make you!

Rolling my eyes, I calmly put one hand on the table and answered: "Just think about it. Theoretically, this law will stimulate the birth rate because no one wants to pay extra money. And as a result, the country will receive much more taxpayers in the future. Plus, from above, we will receive money right now from those who still do not want children. It remains only to fix the profit. "

Seeing that her face took on a thoughtful expression, I smiled and said, " Think about it for now and I'll move on to the second sentence. And this is Mr. Progressive tax. "

Before I could continue, Celestia interrupted me: " No, I won't do that. The nobility will not approve of this in any case. "

Well, as you know, plan B is always better than plan A.

Smiling, I took my hand off the table and said: "And this is an absolutely natural reaction. A progressive tax is something that no one will approve of. Because most of the political regimes on the planet by their nature belong to the rich. But let's be honest, you have an unpleasant aftertaste now after my proposal, don't you? And that's what needs to be prevented. So I propose to conclude an agreement with all the nobility on the complete security of their interests. I think the name itself says that we will have to do for the nobility. I'm sure anyone wants to feel that their interests are officially protected by the state. "

Celestia narrowed her eyes and asked suspiciously, " As I remember, earlier you insisted on the complete destruction of the nobility. What suddenly changed?"

Oops, I didn't think it through. I said in a parallel universe, but not in this one!

I waved my hand and quickly replied: "Well, during the time that has passed, I have analyzed the local order and made conclusions. Obviously, this is a feudal state with authoritarian power. So in order for it to continue to exist, the support of the nobility, the army and the church is necessary. Judging by your words, you only lack the first one. "

I ended my speech by pointing my finger directly at Celestia. Knowing her indecision in important matters, I supplemented myself: " If you really want, I can help in the execution of the contract and in negotiations with the nobility. Or not. All I want is just to ensure stability here and get more money to modernize the army. "Celestia continued to look at me suspiciously and, despite her drowsiness, firmly asked: " You have another reason. What is it?"

The destruction of the nobility may arouse suspicion. But this does not mean that they cannot be used to their advantage.

My face took on a serious expression, and I answered firmly: "Since the money allocated by you is too small, I came up with another method. I want to get sucked into the finances of the nobility directly. So if you accept my offer with a security agreement, I want it to be mentioned who proposed the idea, that is, me. And do you know which nobleman would refuse a man in the army who is clearly willing to cooperate? "

Celestia looked surprised for a moment, as if she was seriously considering it. Taking advantage of the pause I added: " Look at the benefits for yourself. The nobility should become more supportive of you. And who knows? Maybe they'll make a little concession in return. "

Celestia continued to stare at me for a few seconds before sighing and saying: " I'll definitely think about it carefully, Daniel. I promise. Do you have anything else to say?"

Quickly turning around, I went to the exit, but after a couple of steps I stopped. Maybe it will turn out to give up this GGG and ask for something else in exchange? For example, money. In any case, it's worth a try. Nodding to myself, I turned my head in the direction of Celestia and asked: "Can you throw this offer away from Gala and give me something else? For example, money. "

Slowly shaking her head, Celestia clearly replied: "No. You should get some rest and relax. And the usual week-long vacation is not suitable for you."

A week is a great time to do important things. After all, a vacation is a time to do outside things.

Seeing my look, Celestia sighed and continued with a small smile: "And, look at it from the other side. There will be a lot of very rich ponies at the Gala, including nobles. Maybe you can get funding from them, too?"

Grunting, I reluctantly nodded and continued: "Okay. But I want my soldiers to be guards. There will be security at this event, right? "

" I'd like to do that, my little human, but I'm afraid you just don't have enough soldiers. The gala takes place in the castle and it takes more than a hundred ponies to cover it completely. And you know yourself that you have a little less. " Celestia finished with an awkward smile. Like she's really sorry. What a good actress.

Well, it's time to expand the army. I suggest taking Flying, Rising and Report by the scruff of the neck to conduct accelerated courses for them. We will teach them the tactical basics and consolidate our influence along the way. Then each of them will take on fifty soldiers and in the end there will be one hundred and fifty. A plan? Plan.

A grin appeared on my face and I asked, slightly tilting my head to the side: "What if I have new soldiers? A hundred and fifty, for example?"

For a moment, Celestia seemed surprised before quickly nodding and saying, "Actually, Luna has been insisting on this for a long time. So just say the word and I'll announce the recruitment of volunteers among the thestrals."

Luna's training took three months. If we cut out everything superfluous and leave only training in tactics and strategy, then we will manage in a month. Although you can add a week on top to develop leadership skills. Or at least create their visibility. No, no, let's devote two weeks to this. Mistakes cannot be allowed. Never.

Grunting, I turned around and grabbed the door handle with my hand. Before I left the room I said: "You can announce the recruitment of volunteers in six weeks. This time will be more than enough for me."

Without waiting for her answer, I quickly took a step outside and closed the door behind me. Sighing, I looked around. So, should I turn left or right now? Hmm.

"The kitchen is around that corner on the right. I hope." I muttered, starting to move in the voiced direction. Moving away from Celestia's door, I began to feel the lines. Eh, that's the good old headache feeling. I've missed you so much. As I continued walking, I felt a lot of thestrals away from me. Hmm, have they already guessed where to sit?

It looks like it. Now they need to figure out what to say about food.

Slowly shaking my head, I turned the corner and saw the door to the kitchen. And next to her was Rising and Flying. What are they doing here? Slightly speeding up the pace, I started walking to the kitchen door and asked: "What are you two doing here?"

Rising jumped slightly on the spot, and his partner calmly turned in my direction. For a few seconds they just stared at me as if I shouldn't be here. Eventually, they exchanged glances and Rising cautiously said with a yawn, "Well, Mr. Sir Boss, it's getting late. And we wanted to check out what's going on with dinner. Some are already worried and ready to go to bed."

And I said that putting off cooking to look at your face is stupid. I did, but you didn't listen to me, you crybaby!

Sighing, I lightly scratched the back of my head and approaching the door to the kitchen said: "Tell them to wait a little. The food will be ready soon."

As my hand reached for the door handle I heard Flying ask with a sneer in his voice: "When is it soon?"

If we serve the dishes as they are ready, then we can give the first meal in fifteen minutes. Meat in a normal kitchen is fried quickly and pasta is cooked even faster.

Slowly opening the door, I said, "The first portion will be ready in fifteen minutes. Maybe a little bit longer. Just wait in the dining room with the others."

Fortunately, no additional comments were made and I was able to calmly enter the kitchens and close the door behind me. After taking a look at Ahirata's body, which was mutilated and without my intervention, I sighed. Now his body was chopped into separate pieces of meat and his bones were broken. For normal people, a farewell dinner for soldiers looks definitely NOT like this.

You know what's funny? I don't remember that we told the soldiers about what they would eat. They don't even know what they're going to eat! Ho, ho, at parting we will make these ponies cannibals and if they say anything bad about us we will blackmail them!

My face paled for a moment. How could I not tell them that? How could I not ask them about it? What will I say if they ask what the meat is made of? Am I going to have to lie!?

Hey, hey crybaby, calm down. If we throw a lot of spices and sauce into the meat, then it will be impossible to determine the individual taste of the meat. Even you yourself won't understand that this is pony meat!

Taking a deep breath with difficulty, I slowly approached the knives and closed my eyes. It's better not to think about it. I'm cooking a farewell dinner. The most ordinary, normal and not strange.

POV Rising Moon

For the last hour in the dining room, the noise did not fade for a moment. It seemed that every five minutes the captain came from the kitchen with a new meal and everyone else ate it loudly. Things got even louder when the captain finished cooking and joined all of us in the dining room. Now everyone is so actively talking to each other. As if everything is fine.

As if nothing had happened. Absolutely nothing.

My gaze was completely blank and directed at the plate in front of me. Unlike all the others, it was completely empty. Everyone took their own food. But not me. Slowly, my gaze began to take in what was happening around me. Everyone was actively communicating with each other with a smile on their faces. Judging by the frown on the captain's face and Flying, they are arguing about something. I can't figure out what about. It was as if the brain had completely drowned out all the sounds around.

Fifty-one people died yesterday. Maybe each of them did something bad, I don't deny it. But none of them deserved such a result! And why does absolutely no one care!? I'm not like that. . . it is wrong?

My thoughts were interrupted by a sudden sensation of someone grabbing my right shoulder and shaking me slightly. My eyes widened and returning to reality, I heard the captain's voice: "Rising, be kind and support one of the parties to the conflict. Neutrality is not accepted."

I looked from side to side in surprise and saw that the captain and Flying were looking at me with hope. But I don't even know what their argument was about! What if there was no dispute between them at all and it's about something else? What would they think if I asked what exactly they were talking about?

No, they won't like it. It is unlikely that my opinion would be asked about something important. But still the only option is to choose a side.

"I think you're right, Mr. Sir Boss," I muttered uncertainly and nodded to myself several times in an attempt to confirm my words.

Hearing my answer, the captain smiled and took his hand off my shoulder and said: "That's great. Now I have the right to raise the rank of any soldier without taking into account the opinion of the soldiers. And I got this right through absolutely honest and transparent elections.

" Yeah, honest. Except that there were three people involved, including you. Thank you, Rising. " Muttered Flying sarcastically. Oh no.

There should have been a better solution here. But because of my cowardice, others have suffered again. Maybe if I had tried to convince the captain yesterday, I would have been able to avoid all those victims.

Despite the stress, I was able to find the strength to look up at the captain and carefully ask: "Why do we need to hold elections at all? I thought there was some sort of list of things you can do."

The captain looked at me puzzled for a couple of seconds before shrugging his shoulders and answering: "Well, yes, there is such a list, but with a slight nuance. It exists only verbally, and I remember for sure that I can raise the rank of any soldier without consulting the princesses. While this rank is below mine, of course. "

" But I'm sure you don't have the right to do that if the soldier you're promoting doesn't agree. " Interrupted Flying with some irritation in his voice. It looks like he really didn't like my choice.

But how could he be so sure? Or is it just a feature of all normal people?

The captain waved his hand dismissively and continued, "Yes, yes. Since I'm too lazy to wait for Luna to wake up, this is a kind of gray area. And your voice, Rising, has made this zone crystal clear and clear. Because the rest, as you can see, are busy with other things. For example, they eat."

But was it the right decision? Before I could even begin to think, the captain put his hand on my shoulder and said: "You and Flying should come to my room tomorrow at midnight sharp. Then I'll take care of your preparation."

"Preparing for what?" I asked cautiously, hoping for the best. It's definitely not about promoting. How can you even imagine me in the leader's place? That's right, nothing.

"To prepare you for promotion, of course. For the next six weeks, I will be engaged in your training so that you can take command of new soldiers and train them in everything necessary. The army should be expanded after all." The captain replied, making me turn pale.

I will command someone. And train something. No, I can't do it. I'll embarrass myself. The captain, at best, will kick me out and fairly take away everything that I have received in recent months.

Seeing my expression, the captain took a deep breath and said: "When dinner is over, you can come into my room and talk. For me to explain my position."

Hearing this, I calmed down a little and actively nodded. The captain nodded back and changed the subject: "So, have you eaten anything at all? I understand that this is far from the best meat in the world, but the rest at least tried it. "

My gaze fell back on my empty plate and I answered quietly: " I have no appetite. But I am sure that you have prepared a very delicious meal. "

Before the captain had time to answer something, someone behind me cheerfully said: " Yes, the meat is really incredible! I've never tried anything like this!"

How can you eat in peace when fifty people with their dreams, feelings and friends died yesterday?

To my embarrassment, the captain just scratched his head slightly and said, "Yes, this time I had access to sauce and spices. But, if you, Rising, don't want to eat, then this is your choice. I've already had enough, so if you want, we can go to my place right now. "

I actively nodded in response to which the captain sighed and slowly got up from his seat and said loudly: " Okay, finish eating and kindly throw all the dishes in the sink. Although I would appreciate it if you washed the dishes and cutlery after yourself. "

After that, out of the corner of my eye, I noticed several theatres nodding. Well, all my dishes are crystal clear. Smiling faintly, I got up from my seat and started following the captain who had already started walking. Quickly catching up with him, I started walking beside his hoof to hoof.

Soon we left the kitchen and started walking along the marble corridors. With every step, tension and fear increased in my head. What if the captain is disappointed when I say I'm not ready to command anyone? Maybe it's not too late to turn around?

But then I won't be able to explain. The captain has already seen everything in my face. He definitely won't appreciate it if I try to deceive him.

Continuing to walk through the corridors, I began to slow down and my hooves began to tremble slightly. Noticing my slowdown, the captain looked at me, making me freeze. For a few moments he just looked at me curiously. Or irritation? Oh no.

To my surprise, he slowly approached me and asked: "So, do you think you can't be trusted to command anything like that?"

Not daring to answer, I just stood there. A lump had already formed in my throat, which I swallowed with difficulty, but still did not answer. The captain chuckled and continued: "Don't answer, it's written all over your face. Okay, then I'll ask another question. During the exercises in the city, you were able to take temporary command without any problems. Why are you so concerned about the prospect of promotion and permanent command?"

"Permanent command! I was just lucky last time. Moreover, you yourself said that if I am promoted, I will have to train new soldiers. I have no idea how to do this! Oh." Escaped from me before I closed my mouth with my wings and closed my eyes. That's all. This is the end. The captain is disappointed. Now I'm going to be thrown out on the street like garbage.

After a few seconds, I felt the captain put his hand on my head. I cautiously opened my eyes and saw that he was looking at me with an absolutely calm expression on his face. Before I could ask a question, the captain said, "Rising, don't worry. You will succeed, especially after I take care of your training. Let me tell you something. Before I became a captain, I didn't command anyone at all and didn't train anyone. I was taught this in three months. But don't worry, your training program will be much smaller, so we'll manage in six weeks. "

Maybe. . . no, no, it won't work. A little over a month is not enough for me. A mediocrity like me will need at least a year. At best.

Seeing my doubt, the captain frowned slightly before suggesting, "What if when you command your soldiers, I give you a radio with me? Then you can contact me at any time to ask for help."

"But we tried to figure out how to use this radio. And it didn't work out for us." I muttered, remembering how we went to that very battle yesterday. Where half a hundred people died. And I didn't interfere in any way.

"Hey, we have plenty of time. In six weeks we will definitely learn how to use walkie-talkies." Confidently say the Captain slapping me on the shoulder.

"I hope so. at least you will definitely learn." I answered with a slight smile.

Having finished with this, the captain took a couple of steps back and said with a yawn: "Okay, I'm going to sleep and get ready for the first lesson. You can do anything at this time."

I nodded slightly in response, after which the captain turned around on the spot and walked forward while I was standing still. When he turned the corner, I heard him say irritably, "Damn! I need to figure out how to release the Report from prison
We also need to inform the FSF about the flamethrowers. The feeling that today is a birthday and you can relax, was definitely deceptive! Although that's right, today is not the fourth of November."

A flamethrower? What's it?

I shook my head slightly and decided that the words I had heard were clearly not meant for me. Sighing, my gaze began to wander along the corridor while my brain was trying to figure out where to go. Maybe go eat with the others? Or go to sleep, it's too late after all.

After what seemed like an eternity of reflection, I slowly began to walk forward and look for landmarks. It's better to sleep so that you can be ready tomorrow. Nodding to myself, I began to accelerate the pace and after a while I switched to running. Along the way, my eyes were trying to find landmarks, so now I will turn left and see the picture.

Slowly, I turned the corner and saw. A completely bare wall. Reflexively, I took a deep breath. Got lost. I'm lost. Before turning around and going in search of a way to bed, one impossible, but pleasant thought formed in my head.

I can do it. I can. Yes! Everything will work out! I won't disappoint the captain! I will go through his training and train the new soldiers in the best way!

Solution, solution and solution

The sun had almost completely set below the horizon, but still illuminated the street. There was not a single cloud in the sky. Since there is less time left until the end of winter, it has become much warmer outside. But the snow has not gone away. Fortunately, most of the ponies have already returned to their homes. Squinting, I could see far ahead of the station where the train had already arrived. It's good to have glasses again.

Yes, yes. Now hurry up the new sergeants on the train. Until it left.

Nodding to myself, I quickened my pace a little and looked back. Behind me were three Thestrals, each of whom had a small bag on his back. Each of them was neatly packed with a walkie-talkie and a map with a marked place where their soldiers were located. Report looked completely detached, as if he had sunk deep into himself. Rising looked down and seemed to be shaking slightly. And Flying calmly walked forward and even grinned when he saw my gaze on himself.

Sighing, I again focused on the road ahead and began to say: "So let's repeat it again. Each of you will train fifty soldiers. Since I've been teaching you for the last six weeks, I don't think you'll have any problems."

"If you don't take into account that most of the time we solved stupid puzzles. " Muttered Flying. I'm sure if I was looking at him now I would have noticed that he rolled his eyes.

Without looking back, I pointed to Flying and said: " Said the person who solved each of these problems in two ways. Or a frontal attack if there are more people than the enemy, or a retreat if there are fewer people. In my memory, you have not even once taken into account the peculiarities of the terrain, the weather and the race of the soldiers. "

Yes, it's boring. Such a commander will never do some cool trick with the murder of several hundred people being in an absolute minority. Why do we need a commander who can't do that?

In response, I heard Flying chuckle and replied: "Don't think about the little things if you just have more people. And there is no point in joining the battle if you have fewer people. This is understandable even to me. Although you won't understand, you're a madman."

Rolling my eyes, I said, "In any case, you have to get in touch at midnight today and report on how you are doing. I really hope you understand how this thing works. Or at least I remembered that after I finished speaking, I had to say the reception. And remember, the charge is not infinite, so be kind enough to talk less. "

" Yes, yes. " Flying replied with reluctance and irritation.

If you call me for help, you won't get it.

Sighing, I focused on the road ahead and seeing that the station was still far away, I said loudly: "Report Stutter."

"Yes, sir?" The thestral behind me asked as if he had just woken up. Hmm, there is no stuttering. Did the speech therapist help him so well?

Slowly shaking my head I said: "I want to remind you that now you are free only because I have been actively pushing Luna's demands for several days. So you need not just to cope with the task, but to do it perfectly. Understand? "

" I w-will d-do my b-b-best. " Report replied with a slight nod. Hmm, he sounds so emotionless. It's like he's not nervous at all or doesn't take it seriously. Although stuttering gives the opposite.

Nervous or not, he is OBLIGED to do everything he can and beyond that.

Taking a deep breath, I said harshly: "You really have to try. Luna wants to see what you and your two colleagues were able to achieve, and she will watch it at the Gala. And that's in about a month. So you have a month to make ordinary ponies the best soldiers possible."

In response, I felt a small nod followed by no words. What a good boy, always knows when to communicate nonverbally. Taking a deep breath, I checked the distance to the train station again and seeing that there was still time, I said: "Rising, have you lost consciousness yet?"

He swallowed the lump in his throat with difficulty and replied trying to sound confident: "No way, Mr. Sir Boss! I have fully learned your lessons and am fully prepared!"

So weak. Barely able to speak clearly. Most likely, on the next sentence, he will fall down like a house of cards. Maybe you'll leave him here before it's too late? In any case, he is useful as a person nearby more than as a commander of troops far away.

This thought lingered in my mind for a few seconds before it was discarded. No, there's no turning back. Slowly shaking my head, I said calmly and with a little gentle: "Just remember, Rising, that you can call me on the walkie-talkie at midnight. Until then, you should at least not let the soldiers scatter in all directions. You can definitely handle this. "

" Yes, I can handle it! " Rising answered straightening up and making me chuckle slightly. How hard he tries to give him confidence. But at least he doesn't show his insecurities as much as before. The obvious evidence of my incredible teaching skills.

The training has definitely benefited. No wonder I took the time to ensure that a leader should always look confident, even if there is no plan, as well as hope.

Nodding to myself, I slightly adjusted my glasses and found that I had already reached the entrance to the station. Taking a step to the side, I pointed to the train and said: "Well, you'll be working hard for the next month. I really hope that you, Flying, will be able to understand when to change trains and that you will be able to train soldiers somehow. "

" Don't call me an idiot. " He replied irritably, squinting. Ha, I forgot that he is so offended when his intellect is touched.

Grinning, I did not answer anything and calmly continued: " We go further down the list. I really hope that you, Report, will not disappoint Luna and will be able to stay free. It's in your best interest. If you don't want to rot in a dungeon, of course. "

At the mention of the dungeon, he seemed to stiffen slightly and replied: " I d-don't want to, and I'll d-do my b-best."

It looks like when he gets nervous, he starts stuttering again. Well, just don't be nervous.

Raising one hand up, I said: "Don't stutter."

In response, he nodded and I focused on the most nervous thestral. As soon as my gaze fell on him, he straightened up and even smiled slightly as if he felt great. Seeing this, I couldn't help but chuckle and said, "Rising, just get on with the task. No one demands more from you. "

He nodded quickly as soon as I finished speaking and putting a hoof to his forehead said: " I won't let you down, Mr. Sir Boss! "

Nodding slowly in response, I turned around on the spot and said, " Hop on the train and get ready to work. See you later."

Fortunately, no one said anything, and all three theatres quickly ran to the train before going inside. Just a couple of moments later, the train doors slammed shut and after issuing a loud horn, he slowly began to drive forward.

Well, here the main work is finished. Now it's time to think about what to do next.

With my hands on my hips, I looked around the street and began to think. The last month of winter, that's it. Although this does not change the situation in any way. Just yesterday I received a letter with a "polite" request to pay the production costs. And I didn't have any money. The only good news is that the FSF made a drawing of the flamethrower before I disbanded them. Moreover, Starlight made a couple of sketches of a mini flamethrower that you can carry around with you.

"If it weren't for money problems, I would have already transferred the entire army to flamethrowers. But alas, now these drawings can only gather dust on my desk. I muttered with a disappointed sigh. It looks like my idea turned out to be an absolute failure. No nobleman came and thanked me with a check for a lot of money. And it looks like Celestia hasn't introduced any new tax. Trouble.

Well, I think the solution is obvious. We just need to find a beautiful wooden house and rob it. Along the way, you can arrange a small arson. Preferably while all the residents are sleeping. By the way, half-burned corpses can be used as a body for Ahirata. If you're still pushing so hard for his revival, crybaby. You just need to keep a biology textbook handy. Standard homework.

Taking a deep breath, I put my hands in my pockets and slowly started walking forward. There will be no mass slaughter. I'll just find a nice house, turn invisible, and steal all the cash I find. I'm afraid one house won't be enough. An exasperated sigh escaped from my mouth and I muttered: "Thirty-five thousand bits. Much less than FSF services, but still a lot."

Shaking my head, I focused on the road along the actively darkening street. No need to whine, we need to solve problems. And if necessary radically. Nodding to myself, I allowed my gaze to study the nearest buildings. To my left was a row of various shops. And again the damn doughnut. I won't eat this stuff.

I took a deep breath to calm down and looked in the opposite direction. There was an alley that led to a seemingly lively street, judging by the lack of bright signage. Well, it's time to try your luck.

One of three. Option number one is the area of the poor, that is, the perfect place for you. Option number two is a middle-class neighborhood, that is, just an uninteresting thing. And of course option number three is the rich people's neighborhood, that is, the jackpot.

"Every little thing helps." I whispered to myself before starting to slowly walk forward through the alley. Just in case, my hands started searching my pockets for something. And it's empty. If I am attacked, I will have to fight back with my fists. Not that this is a problem, it's just that some knife has a greater intimidating effect.

After only a few steps, I finally left the alley and found myself surrounded on two sides by rows of houses. My gaze shifted to the nearest house to my left. Triangular roof, a couple of windows, closed curtains. Bottom line: it doesn't look too expensive. We are looking further. Then my gaze focused on the opposite building, to my right. The curtains are not closed, there are no windows, there are many cracks in the walls. Most likely abandoned. It is unlikely that there will be anything useful there.

Wait, I feel like there's someone there. On the second floor. Maybe homeless? Hmm. Nothing interesting. Wait a minute, what's that over there?

My eyes caught a particularly bright building and focused on it. A three-story building with white columns and light gray walls towered over all the houses. I don't know what kind of material it is, but it looks pretty good. Not feeling the presence of anyone nearby, I took a few steps to take a closer look at the light gray building.

There were exactly three steps leading to the glass entrance door, next to which a lamppost was located. I don't know if it belongs to the owner of the house personally or just conveniently located next to the plot. In any case, I looked up and saw that at the level of the second floor there was a wide balcony from which the light was shining. It looks like the owners are still awake.

It's even better, you know. If there is some cool, safe inside the house, then we can interrogate the owner. Before killing him of course.

Sighing, I turned my attention back to the lines. Judging by their curve, there are three ponies inside the house. Judging by the smaller size of one of them, it is a child. I don't even know what to think about it. Maybe we can somehow do without the massacre? For example, to steal a safe and then find a person who will crack it. Flying is quite suitable.

"But it will be available to me only in a month. It won't be fun to hide some safe at home." I whispered softly to myself. Maybe the idea of stealing was still a bad one? Like, it doesn't seem like a good idea at all when you think about it. Starting from how the robbery will take place and ending with how I will answer such an elementary question as where I got the money from.

Quiet, crybaby. They're coming to us. So turn around quickly and go to the alley. If you are followed, we will tear the pursuer to pieces.

I took my eyes off the building and slowly headed back to the alley with my hands in my pockets. The presence of one pony was clearly felt from behind. To be precise, a unicorn. For a moment, my gaze checked the sky. It's already dark, the sun has set, go to bed, you idiot! Why the hell are you following me?

Taking a deep breath, I tried to calm myself down as I continued walking towards the alley. It seems that against the background of the approach of a disgusting spring when I will be allergic to, I don't know what, and against the background of the next day without sleep, I got paranoid. So you can safely ignore it. This is not a reason to strain and waste nerve cells.

No, no, no, crybaby. This is not called "paranoia". The correct name is "one hundred percent prediction". Only the body of a perfect being is capable of such a thing. That is, my body.

During the time while the stream of thoughts was passing in my head, I managed to get to the middle of the alley. Deciding that it was already possible to stop pretending that there was no one behind me, I slowly turned around and squinted at the pony following me. A white unicorn with a light azure mane and a monocle at the left eye appeared in front of me. I wonder if he really has a vision problem on this eye or is he just following fashion?

No sooner had I started thinking about this question than the unicorn briefly cleared his throat and said, taking a few steps closer: "Good evening, Captain Ctumer, yes?"

Just listen to him. It sounds so so. . . Disgusting. Too polite and refined. He definitely wants to deceive you. Now he will ask you to shake hands and, having shortened the distance, will release some spell of an instant heart attack. So. . . A preemptive strike? This is not a question, I'm thinking exactly how to do it.

Carefully following his every move, I slowly nodded and asked with a wave of my hand: "What do you want from me? It's almost night now. The vast majority of people are sleeping or thinking about it at this time. "

In response, the unicorn just smiled slightly and after closing the distance, handed me a hoof and said: " Well, you see, Captain Ctumer, I found out that you left the castle territory for the first time in a month. And I've been wanting to meet you for a long time. By the way, my name is Fancy Pants."

Oh my god. That name is so stupid. How does a person with that name live at all? Like, you were bullied at school because of your surname, remember? You were told that such a surname does not exist, that you just misspell Cumer and then you cried. Remember? Great, now forget it. In any case, if it was because of a strange surname with you, then how did he live with his name?

Sighing, I reluctantly shook his hoof and asked hurriedly: "Well, you met me. Are you going home now, or do you have some real business with me?"

Fancy didn't seem to react to my rudeness in any way and as soon as I removed my hand from his hoof, he replied: "Well, how about we continue our conversation elsewhere? I know a griffin cuisine restaurant nearby, which I think you will appreciate well. It should still be open."

Judging by the pizza itself, the griffin kitchen is all that contains meat. It's very kind of him to offer such a place. Agree, meat is good for the body.

After a few seconds of silence, I shrugged and reluctantly answered: "Okay, take me to this restaurant. I don't have any business and problems anyway. Except making money."

Fancy nodded slightly and waved his hoof and said before turning around: "Yes, I've heard that both guards don't get the best money. If I had the opportunity, I would make sure that you get more money. "

" Instead of a salary, I would prefer direct financing of the army. " I replied, putting my hands in my pockets and starting to follow the unicorn with a monocle.

Listen, what status do monocles have now? Like, have they appeared here only recently or are they now causing only laughter and ridicule? Hmm, in the first version we have an influential nobleman in front of us, and in the second it is not clear who at all.

Slightly adjusting my glasses, I focused on Fancy trying to find something useful. Okay, monocle. The information received is uncertain. Let's go on, something similar to clothes. How to identify it is unclear. But judging by the gold cufflinks on the front hooves, this is something not cheap. Although on the other hand, I have seen that some soldiers are wearing golden armor. Damn bourgeois.

Taking a deep breath, I decided to stop finding information in the mud and began to look around. It seemed that each successive house became richer in appearance. Hmm, I always thought that rich people like to settle closer to the city center. But I don't seem to understand something.

While my thoughts were going on, Fancy had already led me through several alleys and I saw a bright street with lots of glowing signs. It looks much richer than an analogical place in the city center. And lo and behold, there are no stupid pastry shops here, and even more so donut shops! Looking around, I grunted contentedly. Yes, nothing like that. Only luxury restaurants, shops and the like.

Fancy brought me out of my thoughts, who said, waving his hoof towards the line of posh establishments: "Welcome to the largest business district of Canterlot, if not the whole Equestria. Great, isn't it?"

A great place for a robbery, yes. Here, everything is directly asking for the benefit of perfection. So, drop your Pants and go rob.

Slowly shaking my head, I focused my gaze on the unicorn and asked, "Yes, it looks very good. But in the meantime, I politely ask you not to waste time. Show me the restaurant, I'll eat quickly and we'll discuss what you wanted. Whatever it is."

Fancy only nodded in response and calmly walked forward, along various restaurants. Sighing, I followed him and looked up at the sky again. The moon has already risen and the sky is filled with stars. I hope I still have time before midnight. I would hate not to answer Rising's challenge when he really needs me. Besides, I promised that I would receive the signal exactly at midnight.

No, think about it, crybaby. If you don't give him any answer and don't get in touch at all, then he will have to deal with everything himself. He'll get a little stronger. And we only need strong allies, don't we?

I thought about it seriously for a moment. Maybe, just maybe. No, it doesn't matter. I promised that I would turn on the radio at midnight and talk to the new "officers". It doesn't matter if it's right or not. I promised to do it.

By the time the chain of thoughts ended and I nodded to myself, Fancy had already reached the restaurant. Lifting my head up and adjusting my glasses, I tried to read the sign. From the beginning, my eyes discovered that it was not English. For several seconds, my brain processed and tried to match the text of the sign with at least something familiar to me.

It's German. Unfortunately, an A in all subjects at school does not mean any high level of language. Of course, if you stand here for a while, you will get something to translate. But now? No, it's just Latin letters. I can say that Krieg is a war. Does this somehow relate to the name of the restaurant? Not very.

I didn't have time to sigh in disappointment as Fancy walked up to the entrance to the restaurant and slightly opening the door said: "Here we are. And I want to assure you in advance that you will not have to pay. I'll pay for everything."

"How nice." I replied, rolling my eyes and following Fancy into the restaurant. Instantly the smell hit me in the nose. So familiar but not too pleasant. After a few seconds, I finally realized what it was. Fish, or, to be precise, seafood. Well, the worst kind of meat after pony meat is still good. Sighing, I looked around the restaurant while Fancy was standing still. To my surprise, I noticed several ponies in the room. No, that's not the right word. Ponies are half of the local visitors! It seems that they are not bothered by the fact that only meat is served here. Then my gaze focused on the other half of the customers of this restaurant. Griffins.

Mmm, immediate memories from Tartarus. Admit it, you really liked killing them indiscriminately because they are empty dummies without a mind. It's morally justified, isn't it? Killing something that is not considered reasonable is fully justified.

After a few seconds Fancy pointed his hoof at one of the tables and before starting to walk towards him said: "Here, let's take that place. It looks quite secluded. To be honest, I just booked it."

Shrugging my shoulders, I followed him and looked at the creatures present out of the corner of my eye. Surprisingly, they didn't pay attention to me at all. Except that a couple of griffins threw displeased glances in my direction. They kind of don't like what I think about their state? Well, judging by the fact that they are here now, and not in their homeland, there is only one thing to say.

Another victory of great and successful authoritarianism over useless democracy. The leadership of authoritarianism is absolute. As always.

With a slight grin, I made it to the table, and as soon as Fancy took his seat, I sat right in front of him. Before I even had time to ask something, a griffin in black appeared out of nowhere and quickly put two menus on the table. Well, it's probably even better. Sighing, I slowly grabbed the menu with my left hand and opening it barely restrained the urge to swear. Everything here is also in German. What kind of restaurant is this where absolutely everything is written in an unfamiliar language? Who comes here at all!?

Having calmed myself down with difficulty, I adjusted my glasses and began to look at the menu. Come on, find at least one familiar word. So, Holundersuppe. Soup? No, I won't get enough of this. And I'm not completely sure that this is the soup. Let's move on. Labskaus. I have no idea what that means at all. I can't single out a single word. Frowning, I looked at the following name. Krabbenbrütchen. Oh!

Krabbe is a crab. You don't need to know anything else. Order it and be calm. We won't drink anything. Something I don't see Wasser here and today we have a non-alcoholic day. As it has been for almost the whole year.

Nodding to myself, I put the menu on the table and said, leaning back in the seat: "I don't know about you, but I've already chosen what I'm going to eat. So, you can get down to business already, or we'll wait another three hours for the waiter to show up."

Fancy just nodded and replied: "Okay, where should I start?"

For a few moments he awkwardly rubbed the back of his head with a hoof. Don't lie to me, you have everything planned out. In the end, he began to speak softly, as if discussing something extremely secret. : "Well, let's start from the beginning. In less than a month, the Princesses gathered all the nobles of Canterlot and put forward an extremely interesting agreement. And what's even more interesting, they mentioned who came up with this idea."

So, has Celestia agreed to at least one of my ideas? Wow. Well, she's probably not that stupid. Of course, it would be interesting to know how much Celestia edited my ideas, but I prefer to focus on the current one. Let him continue, I'm interested. You too, don't you, crybaby?

After a few seconds of silence, I opened my mouth to say something, but suddenly a waiter came up to the table with a notebook in his claws. Before he could ask anything, an answer came out of my mouth: "I'll be Krabbenbrötchen. No drinks are needed. Uh, Ich . . . keine Getranke."

For a moment, the waiter looked slightly embarrassed by my advance, but just nodded and turned to Fancy. While the unicorn was saying what he needed, I took a deep breath. Why did I even decide to say something in German? Ugh. I hope it wasn't too bad.

It was really, REALLY bad, crybaby. But don't worry, it gave me an idea. Perfection should surpass stupid people fixated on their useless common values in everything. So, learning languages is a must for you. As soon as we finish here, we'll take some dictionary with us and learn the words. Every single one of them!

By the time I slowly sighed and accepted a new task, the waiter walked away from the table, leaving me alone with Fancy again. He stared at me in amazement for a while and I stared back at him before reluctantly saying, "Go on. More precisely, go to the part where you explain why you called me here."

For the first time in the dialogue, he seemed confused, as if he had not expected this, but quickly gathered himself and replied: "Well, judging by what I saw, the Princesses are ready to listen to you. So I would really appreciate it if you could help me promote a few of my ideas. "

" And how is the size of this appreciation measured? I asked skeptically, raising an eyebrow. It's one thing to offer your own idea that is good, strong and useful for me personally. But to promote the idea of some kind of left pony? Why would I do such nonsense?

Fancy smiled as if he was waiting for this question and his horn began to glow yellow. The next moment, a small envelope with a golden seal appeared on the table. I carefully stretched out my hand to the envelope and heard Fancy say: "There is a deposit receipt from a local bank inside. In short, you can just come to the right bank and pick up the amount you need. Or all at once. Consider it an advance if you agree to my offer."

Deposit receipt. You can consider it a beta version of paper money. Of course, it would be nicer to see a huge bag of cash, but you can do that. I think there is no need to discuss the decision, right?

Chuckling, I quickly grabbed the envelope, I slightly twirled it in my hands and asked him: "You almost convinced me. Almost, that's the keyword. I want to know the exact amount of my advance. And of course, how much I will receive for each idea that has been successfully promoted. You know, convincing Celestia is not the easiest task. "

Fancy nodded slowly and after a couple of moments of silence replied: " The size of your advance is approximately three thousand bits. About paying for ideas, hmm. Maybe we'll discuss it later?"

After he politely asked the question, an awkward smile appeared on his face. Really, he didn't think it through? Or does he just want to convince me later that the advance is my entire salary?

Crush him. if he does not set strict conditions, then I will take care of it.

I pierced Fancy with an irritated look and said harshly: "No, we will agree on the amount right now. Since you are not making the demand yourself, then I will do it right now. I demand that the salary for each idea be ten times more than the advance. That is, thirty thousand bits. Very cheap, don't you agree?"

For a moment, he looked genuinely outraged by such a price tag. But unfortunately, Fancy chuckled after a second and replied: "I have to admit, you understand the principles of how to bargain. At a very basic level, but you understand. But you didn't even expect me to agree to such a high price for a single second, did you?"

Rolling my eyes, I nodded slowly and was about to answer, but I smelled food and, most importantly, delicious. Looking in the direction of the smell, I saw a griffin waiter carrying plates of food on his wide wings. Hmm, I wonder how many times you have to drop food to learn how to move it this way?

Thousands and thousands of times. Thousands and thousands of mistakes. To achieve perfection, we only need to make zero mistakes. Do you understand how easy it is, crybaby?

Nodding to myself, I watched the griffin until he put a plate of food in front of me. After wiping my glasses and adjusting them, I saw exactly what I had chosen. Surprisingly, no crabs, I made a mistake in the translation. Or the name is blatantly lying. Instead, there was something that looked like a burger on my plate. To be precise, two rolls between which there was a bunch of small shrimp, some white sauce and a lettuce leaf. Yes, no cheese.

I put the envelope next to it and carefully grabbing the food with both hands, I accidentally dropped a couple of shrimp on the plate and, ignoring it, took a bite. After a few seconds of chewing, I mumbled approvingly. Although it's seafood, it's quite tasty. Obviously better than fish. But shrimp is not cheap if I remember correctly.

It's good that I don't have to pay for it. Although it would still be nice to know the price. Maybe I'll come here when I want to eat? At the same time, I will learn German by communicating with the owners of the language.

Smiling, I took a couple more quick bites before putting the burger on the plate and wiping my mouth with the back of my hand, I said, "So where did we stop? Oh, yeah. You praised me for how cool I can bargain. I think this should be backed up with a decent reward. Knowledge should be rewarded in the end. So where are my twenty-five thousand bits?"

Looking at Fancy, my eyes widened for a moment. As a meal, he had, oh my God, a piece of pie. Or a cake. It doesn't matter, it's an abomination anyway. I moved back a little in order to start running away from here as quickly as possible. Fortunately, he pushed the food slightly to the side and elegantly wiped his mouth with a napkin and replied with a grin: "Okay, okay. Six thousand bits for each successfully advanced idea is quite an adequate price. I'm willing to pay it."

(35000-3000):6000=5,333. Consider it six. We need to successfully promote six ideas to Celestia. After that, you can terminate the agreement. And then, you know, this Fancy Pants look like a lot of money. I need to take some for myself.

Nodding slowly, I grabbed the burger with both hands and said, "Well, I basically agree. I could shake your hand, but the hand is dirty. So you only have my extremely strong word. "

Fancy nodded in response and said with seemingly sincere gratitude in his voice: " It's a pleasure to do business with you, Captain Ctumer. In a couple of days they will meet with you and tell you exactly what to offer the princesses. I hope for you."

Do not hope and do not believe. Know that I am never wrong.

Chuckling, I put the envelope in my pocket with my free hand and slowly got up from my seat. After taking a big bite out of the burger, I went to the exit and waved Fancy goodbye. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a clock on one of the walls of the restaurant. Three minutes to midnight. Oh shit.

Quickly covering the distance to the exit, I got out into the street and threw away the remains of the burger. Let the dogs finish eating. Swallowing the piece that was still in my mouth, I quickly began to run forward while looking at the lock. The main thing is not to get into a dead end.

Turning the first corner, I saw a dead end ahead. Growling irritably, I held my glasses in my left hand and, bending my knees, jumped high. To my surprise, I was taller than the local buildings. Are they so low or have I become even stronger?

No, it's just that the buildings here are low. How could you become stronger if all you've been doing for the last month is training useless ponies?

"They're not useless," I muttered to myself, clinging to the edge of the roof and pulling myself up while my other hand held the glasses. Lightly shaking myself off, I ran across the roof, looked at the road leading directly to the castle and, not seeing any people there, jumped down. During the fall, the air fluttered my hair, which had already grown a lot. I need a haircut. Someday I'll remember this and finally get a haircut. But it won't happen today.

Landing on both feet and briefly groaning in pain, I brushed the snow off my coat before starting to run towards the castle again. On the periphery of my vision, you could see a couple of ponies looking at me from the windows. At a time like this? Some kind of nonsense. Zero logic.

Soon I found myself right in front of a gate with two soldiers standing next to it. My soldiers. Fortunately, after an absolutely normal farewell dinner, not all the soldiers left the guard. Just a weighty piece. And now I have twenty soldiers.

Less than half of the original composition. It's all your fault, crybaby. If you listened to me, there would be no problems in the world in principle. But because of you, the liberation of the world is moving further and further away.

"It's okay. I muttered as I walked past two soldiers and kicked open the door to the castle. When they heard my speech, they turned their heads at me for a moment, but did not ask anything. Before I left the soldiers and ran under the corridors, I waved my hand listlessly, calming them.

Feeling their shrug of the shoulders, I sighed and rushed along the corridors ahead. Fortunately, I spent a lot of my free time exploring the castle. I even drew a map. It's a pity it's in the room now.

And this map has absolutely nothing to do with the plans to attack the castle. There will be no flamethrowers in the building. Just me.

Smiling slightly, I turned another corner and saw a familiar corridor with unpainted doors. Looking around, I found a door behind which I did not feel anyone's presence and jerked it open. Instantly, my eyes fixed several metal boxes connected by wires. One of the boxes also had an antenna.

Taking a deep breath, I walked up to the pile of metal and abruptly opened the window. As we discovered a couple of weeks ago during one small experiment, the signal of this walkie-talkie suffers from any disturbances. Even glass.

Yes, and in general it is a very imperfect thing. For example, transportation. In a good way, you need a cart. No, wait! Combat Mobile Radio Communication Point. CMRCP. A separate machine whose tasks will include monitoring the movements of the enemy in the rear and transmitting information to the main army. Each enemy reinforcement will be detected and destroyed before it reaches its destination.

With a chuckle, I mentally marked this idea as something possible before sitting down on a chair. I hope I'm not too late. After taking a deep breath, my right hand reached for the switch on one of the metal boxes. The next moment, the room was filled with an annoying hiss of static. Trying to ignore it, I looked at the small lamp. The walkie-talkie is in the signal reception mode. Great. Slowly, I began to turn a small circle responsible for what signal the walkie-talkie is tuned to. I feel like a safe cracker, to be honest.

As soon as I got to the desired value, unintelligible sounds began to break through the noise of interference. For a while I stared blankly at the radio trying to figure out where I made a mistake. Everything is turned on correctly, the antenna is directed to the street. Then why can't I hear normal speech? We checked everything with Rising just yesterday once again and everything worked without problems!

It looks like they all got in touch at the same time. And this walkie-talkie was not designed to talk to several people at once. Listen and wait until you can insert a word. I hope this walkie-talkie can transmit a signal to several people at once. Pray for this and for Perfection.

After a while, I could hear through the static as three people said at once: "Reception."

Sighing, I switched one of the many switches and a special light bulb turned green. Transmission mode is enabled. You can talk. My gaze reflexively ran in search of a microphone. Oh, that's not how this walkie-talkie works. Here, depending on the enabled mode, the speaker can work as a microphone. I have no idea how.

What else could you expect from a fascist team and two brothers speaking for each other?

Leaning a little closer to the speaker, which became microphones, I said: "So, we have trouble. It looks like I can't receive multiple signals at once. And you three got in touch at the same time. So, we'll have to go in order. Let's start with the most problems. Flying tell me how you're coping. The rest of you wait. Reception."

When I finished speaking, I switched on the radio and grunted at the sight of the red light. For a few seconds, excitement grew on me. What if I was just talking into the void right now? What if they are now waiting for my answer and think that I lied? Damn.

As a sedative, a hoarse voice that seemed extremely distant was heard from the speaker: "Well, nothing interesting. I hit one guy, sent a couple of people hunting and sent the rest for a run. In general, I just didn't steam up and copied you. That's it. Ah, yes, reception."

Copying is the highest degree of flattery and admiration. See? Flying is our faithful puppet, no matter how he denies it. By the way, hmm, I want to know how many people have what weapons. At a minimum, it is necessary to throw all the archers into the tankers. Thanks to Fancy, we will be able to make new tanks. And this time with a real weapon.

Smiling slightly, I switched the radio again and seeing the green light said: "Very good, Flying. Now tell me how many people under your command use what weapons. Don't ask anything, just tell me and preferably the exact number. Reception. "

Switching the walkie-talkie to signal reception mode, I started digging in my drawers looking for paper and pen and ink. Just when I pulled out everything I needed, the answer came from the speaker: " Okay, okay, madman. We have one, two, three, four. Four archers! And by the way, they are all mares. So on with me. . ."

A mare? A woman! Four women! Oh my God, the women's tank squad! What could be better than this?

While my thoughts were spinning around the idea of a tank where the crew consists only of women, I listened to the entire Flying report and returned to reality only in words: "Four plus twenty-six plus twenty is fifty, right? Reception."

Taking a deep breath, I quickly wrote down three numbers, putting question marks after the four archers. I'll ask you later. Switching the walkie-talkie mode once again and seeing the green light, I said: "Okay, Flying, you've been dealt with. You can switch off. The next in line for me is Rising. Just do the same thing as Flying. Reception."

I switched the walkie-talkie mode once again and began to wait with anticipation. Please, Rising, calm down. I've taught you everything you need. Be calm and confident. You can do it. Despite all my expectations, the silence continued. Radio silence, fuck.

Still think we need him, crybaby? In that case, you're wrong. He became completely useless exactly at the moment when he began to argue and show uncertainty. We need to dispose he.

I quickly shook my head. He is useful, extremely useful. Even if he makes a real riot, I do not intend to "recycle" him. Although he won't do it anyway. Criticism is the desire to make me better. Nothing bad, he can.

In the end, a deep breath came from the speaker, followed by the words: "Everything is fine, probably. I lined up all the soldiers in one line and told them to take their places in the barracks. Then he showed the swordsmen a little how to handle weapons. I sent the others for a run. Now to list the composition, yes, sir? Reception."

Even through communication at a decent distance, the tension of Rising was felt. As if at any moment he would just fall down and start crying. But fortunately, this has not happened yet. I still have a chance to calm him down. Sighing, I switched the walkie-talkie and as soon as I saw the green light, I said: "Yes, Rising. Just tell me how many soldiers will use what weapons. And a tip for the future, don't forget to provide food for the soldiers. Otherwise, you're doing great. Reception."

When I finished speaking, I switched the walkie-talkie mode again and waited. But I was met only by a tense silence. Did I say something wrong? No, everything seems to be correct. Fortunately, after a few seconds there was an uncertain response: "Okay, sir. I have six archers, twenty swordsmen and twenty-four spearmen here. That's it. Reception."

Hmm, does no one really want to wield a bow? Or does someone consider them useless? Well, this opinion will change when I retrain all archers into tankers. Although we have a third "officer". It will be cool if only future tankers are there, right?

I frowned slightly when I heard the answer. Judging by the voice, Rising is on the verge of a breakdown. I wouldn't want it to come to this. But just to come and solve all the problems for him when he didn't even ask for it? No, this is nonsense. I guess I'll just wait for him to ask for help. Now? At most, I will send him a couple of people as moral support. Although I think it's not worth doing that either.

Nodding to myself, I switched the walkie-talkie mode and cleared my throat and said, "Very good, Rising. You're doing great. You can switch off and go about your business. Now I'll move on to the last one in line. Report repo, ha. Exactly. In short, just do what your name says. Reception. "

To my own surprise, immediately after I switched the walkie-talkie mode, the answer was heard: " That's right, sir. I first gave the new soldiers a little warm-up with jumps and races to d-determine their c-capabilities. And well, it was a little d-d-disappointing, but don't worry about me! I'll figure something out. Anyway, after that I asked w-who knows how to hunt. Only three people can do it. Well, I sent them to the f-forest for food. P-plus four more people to accompany. So, the composition of the troops. Wait a b-bit, sir. I need to c-count everyone."

See what a good guy he is? Obeys, does everything and does not show a single second of uncertainty. The maximum is a slight stutter. That's who we need, not useless orphans.

Slowly shaking my head, I leaned back in my chair and sighed. It is necessary to discard all these thoughts. I've been teaching these three for a whole month, so I'll use all three of them. And I don't intend to throw them away. Until there are no other options left. And there is always another option.

Just when the flow of my thoughts came to an end, the voice of a stutterer was heard from the speaker: "I've counted everything. I have a whole horde of archers here. Forty, to be exact. And ten more swordsmen. That's it. Reception."

Check. 4+6+10=50. Everything is right. Let's assume that most of the Flying soldiers are spearmen. 26+24=50. Great. And finally the swordsmen. 20+20+10=50. In total, we have one hundred and fifty new soldiers. Success? Success.

Smiling, I switched the walkie-talkie mode and leaned closer to the walkie-talkie and said, "Great. This concludes today's conversation. Contact me tomorrow at the same time, in the same queue. End of communication."

Reaching out with my hand to the switch, I switched it and instantly all sounds stopped. Oh, I've already forgotten what real silence is. But it looks like the hardest part is over. For the next month, I'll just sit here, learn German and work for Fancy. Maybe I can even make new tanks. But mostly it feels like a vacation.

"Yes, that's great." I muttered with a sigh, stretching my arms forward. The wind blows so pleasantly. Not too cold, but refreshing. Maybe leave the window open at night?

Yes, yes you can, I allow it. Right after we destroy this bastard.

Taking a deep breath, I looked towards the door and listened. Nobody seems to be coming to me. Swallowing, I cautiously reached out with my hand to the lowest drawer in the table and slightly opened it. Suddenly, a bright red color hit me in the eyes. Squinting, I still focused on the object where the enemy's soul is imprisoned. It was an uneven and seemingly chaotic crystal in which a red vortex could be seen. Magic? Yes, probably yes.

Out of the corner of my eye I looked at my clay where the knife and cube were lying. Maybe just end it here and now? Like, what is the probability that he has really valuable information? Dangerously close to zero. But, his words about the elements of harmony are really annoying.

"It is because of the elements that we are here with you. But. . . not. . . at home." echoed in my head. If I were him, would I say that to save my own skin? No, I wouldn't say anything at all. Okay, let's try to correct the question. What would a person who wants to save his life say in a desperate situation?

Of course, a crybaby. Look how it looks. Ahirata sealed himself in a crystal and so that you wouldn't break it, he said such nonsense. Every second of his life is a threat! What will you do if right now this crystal released a tentacle and connect with you? That's right, nothing!

Taking a deep breath, I closed the drawer and took off my glasses and said, "I have plenty of time to make decisions. I think by spring, by the Gala, I will make a final solution. I have about a month at my disposal. That's enough time for me. Yes?"

Of course, a crybaby, of course. You will definitely make a solution. And I hope that it will be correct.

"The Best Night Ever"

A pleasant warm wind was blowing through the open window and slightly fluttered my hair, which I had so carefully styled. It's good that over the last month I was able to earn enough money to pay all my debts. And moreover, I was able to buy a couple of things for myself! A whole calendar and a comb. Why is it not flamethrowers? Well, since the last assignment from Fancy, I only have money left for these things. At the next payment, I will definitely order flamethrower systems to insert them into tanks. I have the drawings and they are safely stored with me.

And then we'll go on a victorious, all-burning march to the palace to overthrow the damn corpse from the throne! Khem, I meant all conservatives are old right? So if not today, then tomorrow, Celestia will become a corpse that will have to be dethroned.

Suppressing a laugh, I leaned back in the chair I was sitting on and looked out the window. Looking at the lack of snow on the street and the many houses in which the lights were still on, a memory flashed in my head. A couple of weeks ago, the first day of spring came. And at the same moment I saw the ponies themselves clearing the snow. No, I chose the wrong expression. It was as if the ponies had turned off the winter as an unsuccessful industrial project. It was winter, and the next day it's gone. It's a good thing I wasn't forced to participate in this.

"When winter came, I could still understand it. The Pegasi arrived, the clouds moved and it began to snow. It's super weird, but my brain is somehow able to process it. But when winter is completely curtailed, and the animals do not come out of hibernation on their own? No, this is nonsense. " I quickly muttered to myself. Two whole weeks have passed, and I still can't calm down after that.

Calm down, crybaby. We need to think about other things. Any minute now, all the soldiers and their commanders will arrive here. And a little later there will be this damn GGG. So put on your coat and go to the train station. There is no time to wait.

Nodding to myself, I looked around my desk in search of things that are better to remove from prying eyes. So what do we have here? The crystal in which, presumably, the soul of Ahirata is located. Probably need to be removed. Although I must admit, the red glow is quite beautiful. Can I leave it as a desk lamp?

Chuckling, I quickly put the crystal in a drawer in the table and a moment later put the eyes of the same bastard in another drawer. Some thought was born in my head for a long time while I was looking at them, but nothing came out. Okay, inspiration will come later. Looking around the table again, I saw a thing that is definitely worth keeping secret. A list of ideas that I should offer to Celestia. Yes, I made a list. Fancy had a lot of things and I just couldn't remember them. Especially considering their lack of interest. Increase a couple of taxes by a couple of percent, for example. Boring.

Quietly closing the drawer, I took a deep breath and looked at the last remaining thing on the table. A map of the castle with all the entrances, exits and key points. I think I'll take this with me. I abruptly grabbed the card and got up from the chair and grabbed the coat that was lying on the bed. For a moment, the idea of putting on a coat while driving popped into my head. And then my gaze switched to the necklace that Chrysalis had provided a long time ago. I don't think it would be good if someone noticed it. What will I say if Luna sees this from me?

I have a more interesting question, crybaby. Where did Chrysalis go? Like when was the last time she sent an email? Two months ago? More? It feels like our absolutely crucial role in all her plans has just been forgotten. The only good actor on the stage was lost!

Taking a deep breath, I buttoned up my coat and made sure that the necklace was not visible, headed for the exit. Because of the Ahirata crystal, I can't feel the lines changing near my room. So now there is a chance that someone is coming to me and right now will collide with the door. I wish it was Celestia.

Unfortunately, when opening the door, no collision occurred. What a bore. Over the past month, all I've done is work for Fancy, read the German dictionary, which is called Griffin here, and thought about what to do with Ahirata. Even Rising hasn't shown much uncertainty in the last couple of weeks. I didn't even have to go to him by train and comfort him. No fun. I really hope that something will happen in the Gala. Sighing, I put my hands in my pockets and headed out of the castle. Of course, it would be possible to use map.

But true Perfection is able to move through unknown and confusing terrain relying only on its body. Let me demonstrate. Now you need to go ahead, as soon as you see a pot of daisies, you need to turn right. And in a couple of hundred steps we will already be on the street.

Following my thoughts, I turned right at the right moment and started walking quickly forward. Although, there's probably no need for that. Continuing to walk forward, I began to say to myself: "Like, what time is it now? Is it evening or early morning? And when are the soldiers coming here anyway? All I have is a message from all three of them that they will take the train today. But that was at midnight. "

Taking a deep breath, I partially suppressed my irritation and muttered before fully concentrating on the road: " I'll just come to the train station and sit there waiting for something unusual."

Correction. You're just going to come there and scare the ponies, yes, all living beings with the fact of your existence! Like in the good old days, remember?

I quickly shook my head before kicking open the exit from the castle. At the same time, there was not a single pony nearby. Even the guards. Did they leave their seats? Well, it is logical considering that they will be replaced by my soldiers, that is, people who are a hundred times better than them, but still. Just take and throw a post such an occupation for yourself.

"What if some terrible monster attacks the castle?" I asked myself before laughing briefly. Considering my attack on Ponyville and Ahirata's attack, the guards can't guard anything. Even mine.

That's why we need flamethrower tanks and just flamethrowers. Well, as soon as the Gala comes, we will find Celestia and propose an idea. Or better yet, a few. And it will already be possible to order the production of new tanks and flamethrowers.

Nodding slightly to myself, I put my hands in my pockets and started walking down the street. Not seeing snow and feeling exactly zero cold feels very good. Variety, after all. And the best part? The muck hasn't started to bloom yet and I haven't had an allergy yet. Maybe I'll have time to stock up on napkins or something by then.

"Someday I will definitely go to the doctor and find out what exactly I am allergic to." I said, continuing to walk forward and slightly wiping my glasses, I could see the train station in the distance. As we approached, my ears caught the so far barely audible whistle of the train. It looks like I came at the right moment, as always.

It's nice to see that you haven't lost all the abilities of true Perfection. You always have to be on time. Not early, not late, but exactly at the right second.

Chuckling, I slightly accelerated the pace and, approaching the station, focused my attention on the lines. Despite the fact that it's evening, many ponies are sitting at home. There's no one on the street. But at the same time, in rare houses, I could feel like a pony... going somewhere? I don't know, it's hard to understand what exactly they do because I can't know what exactly they interact with. Shrugging my shoulders, I muttered before focusing on the road again: "Let's assume that some lucky people are going to this Gala. Well, I hope they are quite adequate."

After a short period of time, I finally got to the train station and heard the train horn become many times louder. Leaning against the wall, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. During this time there was no danger at all. And I still haven't found the strength to make a final decision about Ahirata. Of course, I paid off all my debts and learned German words. Although what does it matter if I still don't know how to make sentences correctly in this terrible language?

Oh, just go to that shrimp burger restaurant and hang out with the griffins. I will find the right pattern myself and formulate the rules of the language. It's a matter of five minutes.

Mentally noting this thought, I pulled away from the wall and took a few steps forward when I saw the train. I wonder if the new soldiers will be very shocked by my appearance? Or they won't care about it. Although what's the difference?

"The main thing is that they understand that I'm standing at the top and they have to obey me." I muttered just before the train with a creak of brakes stopped at the station. For a moment, an increased pain shot through my head. Somehow, this huge horde of ponies was able to stand up in such a way that I could feel each one separately. And the brain, to put it mildly, gets rid of so many entities.

I closed my eyes for a few seconds trying to console my headache and opened them only when I heard the sound of many doors opening. The next moment, the commanders came out of different train cars one by one, followed by streams of soldiers in full uniform. At first glance, it was clear who had been doing what for the past month. Flying looked the most relaxed and his soldiers were calmly talking among themselves. They didn't even bother to march in formation.

Do you still think that we need this idiot at least in some form?

At least he was able to teach the soldiers to wear armor. The intimidating effect is also good. Moreover, his criticism can also make me better. Sighing, I focused my attention on the other two groups. Rising looked very tired and tense, although I should note that he hid it very well. But his soldiers, though quietly whispering to each other, adhered to an even formation. Well, not bad.

With a grunt, I focused my attention on the last group of soldiers. The report looked, well, I don't even know how to say it. Large bags formed under his eyes, and he staggered as if the wind could tip him on his side. His soldiers looked similar only to a slightly lesser extent. But despite all this, they stood clearly, evenly, straight and proud. Despite the stagger.

Great, that's who we need. He is ready to torture fifty people and himself to death for the sake of his skin. He has on prospects. So focus on him, throw the rest in the trash.

Taking a deep breath, I instantly threw this thought away and looked at all the soldiers. It was clear that the vast majority were looking at me with at least curious and embarrassment. Taking a deep breath into my lungs, I straightened up and said: "Well, recruits, you have completed about a month of training. And you're going to be guarding that ugly castle today, see? "

I was silent for a couple of moments, pointing my thumb in the direction of the castle so that the newcomers could process the information normally. Not hearing stupid questions, I smiled and said, " Great, now I think I need to introduce myself a little. I am Captain Daniel Ctumer, but you will call me sir. And you have to remember one simple thing. My order is the highest priority in any situation. "

" What if I can't remember? Have you thought about that, four-eyes? " A female voice from the crowd asked with a fair amount of impudence. Slowly, a frown appeared on my face. The women were only in the Flying group. That's who nurtured such arrogance in them.

Well, we'll uproot this movement.

A grin appeared on my face and taking a step forward I said: "Do you want to take a few steps forward, lady? So I can see who I'm talking to. Or will I have to have a conversation with all your comrades?"

After these words were said, I noticed how a movement began in the crowd and after a few seconds a gray thestral with a long dark blue mane and green eyes was pushed out of the crowd with quiet chuckles. Her mane was so long that it slightly obscured her eyes. Not completely, but still too significant for me to ignore. When she was pushed out of the crowd, she briefly turned to them and hissed, removing her mane from her eyes with a hoof: "That's it, traitors."

Barely suppressing a chuckle, I focused on Rising, who looked with amazement at my interaction with the new soldiers. Squinting, I saw a scabbard at his side from which the hilt of a sword protruded. Bingo. Smiling, I took a sharp step forward and released magical tentacles from my right hand. Rising didn't have time to do anything as his scabbard was removed and wrapped in my hand. Grunting, I took a long step towards the thestral and pulled the sword out of its scabbard before swinging.

Pull the root out!

The sword passed less than an inch from the face of the thestral before hitting the floor of the station and striking a small spark. Then my eyes fixed a large cut off piece of mane that flew away due to a sudden gust of wind. What luck.

Slowly, I straightened up, still holding the sword, and looked at the impudent Thestral. She just stood there in a daze and obvious fear. Hmm, I don't know about Celestia, but I don't consider a haircut as harming a pony. Chuckling, I looked into the eyes of the numb thestral and said, pointing to her forehead with a sword: "You don't have to thank me for the haircut, it's free. And now back to your question. If you can't remember who is in charge here, then I can write you a reminder that you will never lose. Right on the forehead. Don't worry, my hands aren't shaking. "

The green-eyed Thestral quickly looked up at me and took a small step back and replied, "I, uh, will do without it, sir. I think I can still remember if I try very hard."

Great, now the newbies know who they're dealing with. Although, I think the effect is not fixed yet. Strike a second blow. But don't miss this time. Hair doesn't get in the way anymore, ha!

Taking a deep breath, I returned the sword to its scabbard and looked at Rising and said: "Take your weapon. The sharpening is very good, but you were extremely inattentive. Your grade for today is C with a big plus."

Rising quickly ran up to me and carefully took the scabbard from my hand before hanging it on his side. Chuckling, I looked at all the soldiers present, who seemed to have become more modest after my actions. Nodding to myself, I looked at Flying and said harshly: "It shouldn't happen again next time, do you understand? No rudeness and promiscuity. And I absolutely do not care how you will achieve this. "

In response, Flying nodded slightly in response to which I turned around and waved my hand before going back to the castle. But I hadn't even taken the first dozen steps when I heard a hoarse, quiet muttering behind me: " Doesn't this psycho want a lot?"

Ignore it. For now. These words will go to the archive in order to remember them to him in the future.

Taking a deep breath, I made this decision while continuing to walk forward to the castle. For a moment, my gaze looked at the sky to check the sky. It got a little darker, but it was still light enough outside. Well, the main thing is that I have enough time to distribute all these fools to the right positions. I hope someone will tell me exactly where they should stand. Otherwise, I'll just have to distribute all the soldiers to random points using my castle map. And in this case, it will be extremely difficult for them to move around the castle.

Fortunately, my thoughts were stopped by a very direct answer. The lines are moving away from some point in the castle. I will assume that this point is located next to the entrance. Well, it looks like someone really wants to give me a briefing. I hope it's Luna. Celestia already annoys me with the fact that today I will have to actively interact with her in any case. So, less talking to fools is what the doctor ordered.

Hmm? And, yes, yes, I am a certified doctor and prescribe to the patient a complete or partial refusal to talk to idiots. Nerve cells begin to run out. Although who needs them?

After a while, I and a huge crowd of soldiers behind me reached the castle gate. Considering that there may be someone behind them, it's probably not worth kicking the door. Suddenly I will hit someone in this way or even smear them against the wall. Hmm.

"No, that's nonsense. Who even cares if someone is too close to the door? " I thought, and when no counterarguments formed in my head, I took a sharp step forward and kicked the door open. And the next moment I saw perhaps the best option possible. Luna with a slight irritation on her face.

Not too relaxed to stall for time and not too angry to scream. Yes, this is definitely the perfect option.

Before I could smile, Luna nodded slightly and said loudly, spreading her wings: "I greet you, our most loyal subjects. Today you have the great honor to keep order at the grand Gala. Don't disappoint your princesses!"

I bowed my head after hearing such a dubious speech, but before anything could fall from my lips, her horn flashed and I caught the sound of a quiet fall behind me. After turning around, my eyes found rolls of parchment on the ground, right in front of each of the commanders. Then Luna's voice was heard, much less loud this time: "For your convenience, we have provided you with maps of the castle where the places that you will protect are marked. Now get to work."

It seemed that the influence of Luna was strong enough to make even Flying obey, wave a hoof and go forward along the corridor. A few moments later, the thunder of a hundred hooves went off into the distance. After a few more moments, I tilted my head to the side and asked looking at Luna: "Can you explain what it was? Mostly I'm interested in why you were talking so loudly. My ears hurt."

Luna looked confused for a moment before her face lit up with insight and she replied awkwardly: "It's called the Royal Canterlot Voice. Previously, this was how my sister and I communicated with our subjects. Although it was canceled hundreds of years ago, but Royal Canterlot Voice has long been a habit for me."

Previously, princesses were incredibly loud at all citizens? Well, it's not bad, though very soft. But it would still be nice to know exactly how to yell so loudly.

"Can you teach me that?" I asked as politely as I could. That is, almost nothing.

"Not until you become a member of the royal family. And I don't think you'll ever succeed. Luna replied almost instantly. But to my surprise, I didn't feel offended. As if there is no need to react to her words in any way.

That's right, you don't have to react to this because you will never become part of the royal family. You will be the killer of this crowd of plutocrats. Stand up, all victims of oppression, The time of Perfection has come!

A tiny grin appeared on my face before I calmed down and said, "Anyway, what should I do? Do I have to go somewhere to visit this useless GGG? Or do I have some incredibly dangerous task for which they will give me an infinite amount of money?"

Luna covered her mouth with her hoof and giggled softly before saying calmly again, "Well, the Gala will start soon, in about fifteen minutes. But I have something for you to do. There is a thing in your room that you must definitely put on. It's a must because the Gala is a grand event and you have to look the part."

Dress? Well, what could there be? A silly hat? Yes, considering that it's funny to her, it's probably a stupid hat.

Taking a deep breath, I walked around Luna from the side and waved my hand and said: "Okay, I'll go put on what you want. I think I still have no way to refuse. In short, I'll see you when this stupid event starts. I hope you won't laugh too loudly at my appearance."

"Actually, I won't be there." Luna said as if she didn't want to say it. Hmm, an unpleasant truth. This is my favorite dish after horse meat.

Slowly turning around, I put my hands on my hips and asked: "Why is that? Like, I'm a simple captain of the guard going to stupid events and you're not?"

Luna took a deep breath and answered, looking away: "It's just that ponies can panic when they see me. Because of my, ahem, past."

A lover of public executions? A child eater? No, that's not it. If Luna complexes, it must be something really interesting. Don't disappoint me, woman.

I opened my mouth to ask directly, but quickly stopped. So far, this tactic has not worked. For some reason, people don't like to talk about their motives and reasons directly. As if they are ashamed. We need some other approach. Hmm, that's the task.

Slowly and hesitantly, I put my hand on my chest and said: "What could you have done in the past to cause a pony to panic now? Like, look at me. At one time I was considered a monster, not that I didn't like it, but still. Now look at me. Ponies either don't care about me and they look at me as a citizen or they have a moderately positive opinion of me. So why can't ponies give you a new credit of trust?"

For a few seconds Luna looked surprised by my sentimentalism. Ha, she doesn't even know how surprised I am by how much these words feel alive. Probably the actor's skills are still in place. At first, I smiled slightly, but frowned before continuing: "And I want to remind you that it was you who dripped on my brain with the fact that soldiers under the command of Report should be impeccable. And at the very last moment, you just don't attend the concert and don't want to watch them?"

Luna's eyes widened at the accusation and she even took a small step back. I was about to start chasing the prey, but quickly gathering her strength, she replied: "I have already seen him and his soldiers, judging by the complete exhaustion he tried his best to earn forgiveness. I think that's enough."

There are no words. There are just no words. But there are hands. Give a useless woman a slap in the face so that she knows her place!

I took a deep breath suppressing this idiot thought and said: "You still haven't answered the original question. What have you done in the past to make ponies afraid of you now?"

Luna closed her mouth and tried to look away. Fortunately, within a few seconds she gathered her strength and said: "I told you that my sister and I have lived for over a thousand years, remember?"

"You know that I don't believe in this nonsense. It sounds much more convincing to me that in all historical records you, your mother, grandmother, and so on are described in the same way. Maybe even everyone in your family has the same name. And as a result, if you look at the records, they have been writing about the same pony everywhere for a couple of hundred years. This is the reality I can believe in. "

Hmm, how would her full name sound if this idea really dragged on for a millennium? Luna XLII? Or even more?

Before I had time to chuckle, I heard a disappointed sigh and Luna's response that followed: "Okay, for the sake of simplicity of your perception, I will speak as if your theory is true. And this is not so. Anyway, let's get started. A long time ago, a thousand years ago, my great-great-great and so on, the great-grandmother who ruled the moon was consumed by her jealousy of her sister who ruled the sun. This jealousy fueled by the dark magic in her soul, and soon the darkness took control of her. Nightmare Moon appeared. "

Luna stopped abruptly and lowered her head down. Barely restraining the urge to swear, I waved my hand and said: "Go on, go on, I'm listening to you very carefully. Nightmare Moon appeared and what? Like, if there's too much magic in the body, does it lead to a split personality or something?"

Fortunately, Luna didn't keep me waiting long and said with a slight nod: "Well, yes, something like that. Nightmare Moon appeared and she had a goal similar to obsession. By any means, at any cost and despite the consequences to make the night eternal. But the sister controlling the sun was able to banish Nightmare Moon for a thousand years. But since then, the image of the pony controlling the moon, my image terrifies the pony."

Horror? Hey, you made a mistake, woman. Here, I instill terror in the pony! And in general, the absorption of the mind by dark magic sounds like complete nonsense, complete!

There was silence in space for a few seconds before I tilted my head to the side and asked: "So, it was definitely a fairy tale. I still don't understand why this is an excuse not to go to this stupid Gala. Like, there will only be children at this event? "

" No, but. . . " Luna tried to answer, slightly scraping the floor with her hoof, but was interrupted by me.

" No? Then just come there and that's it. At most, a couple of kids will get scared and piss themselves. Maybe a couple of people will point a finger at you and say something like, "Hey, look, she looks like that evil pony from ancient fairy tales. But I adore villains!" Or something like that. In any case, I don't see anything at least minimally scary in this situation. And in general, you are a monarch, that is, an authoritarian ruler. If you don't like someone, then just put them in jail for a far-fetched reason. Nothing complicated. " I continued with a shrug and looked at Luna, who looked up at me in surprise. Did it really work. Hmm, now we need to understand what differences from the usual method of doing business I have done now.

Nothing. No changes have occurred. You just lied a little. And you don't want to lie, do you? Of course, you don't want to. So stick to Perfection well and don't write this conversation down as a victory.

My thoughts were interrupted by a slight nod from Luna and a small smile, followed by: "We are thinking. . . I think it's not too late to change the decision. Yes, it's not too late. There's not much time, but I think I'll go to my chambers and prepare for the upcoming event. See you at the Gala, Daniel. And thank you"

After that, she turned aside and walked along one of the many corridors of the castle. With a grunt, I turned around and started walking towards my room. Along the way, a grin reflexively appeared on my face. How nice it is to convince someone with words. Maybe if you practice a little, it can completely replace your fists?

So, crybaby, so that I don't hear such thoughts anymore. You yourself should understand perfectly well that you are not adapted to communicate with people. Solving problems with violence is your style, it's you. To give up the fists is like giving up yourself.

Taking a deep breath, I put my hands in my pockets and continued walking through the corridors of the castle. It's just that the decline in efficiency has been noticeable for a long time. Yes, when I was fourteen or fifteen and I was in school, all problems were really solved with my fists. Studying doesn't count, I didn't have any problems with it. But right now it's, well, just not working. The only jump in efficiency was when I first came to this planet. But from that moment, too, things only got worse. It's time to change something before it's too late.

What other nonsense are you going to tell, crybaby? Maybe you don't want to go back to Earth anymore? Lust takes over and you already want to fuck little horses because it's too hard to return to the human race?

For a moment, everything in my head stopped. So, why exactly do I want to leave here? For the sake of dear people? No, this is some kind of nonsense. In principle, I have no dear people on earth. And here I have at least Rising. Maybe for the sake of prospects? Also not that. What prospects can there be for a person who disappeared for a year and who lost his passport? That's right, no prospects. Maybe, maybe, just give up the idea of returning to Earth and throw all your strength at Equestria?

Instantly, my fist flew into my temple and quickly shaking my head, I said: "No, such thoughts are immediately sent to the trash! I need to return to earth simply because staying here I will be the only human. Yes, that's the reason! I am human and should live in the same. Being in the company of a pony only causes me harm without any benefit."

Whatever you say, crybaby, whatever you say.

Taking a deep breath, I lightly rubbed the place where the blow fell and continued walking forward. Fortunately, during my reflections, I have already walked almost all the way to my room. Soon I saw a familiar door without decorations and noticed that it was slightly ajar. It seems that for the sake of this so-called gift, Luna came into my room.

Sighing, I opened the door, letting it hit the wall loudly and entered the room. For a couple of moments, my eyes fixed in the dark something lying on the bed. Carefully taking a few steps, I lifted the thing so that the light from the window fell on it. It's a suit on a hanger. Well, it's more correct to say a shirt and a jacket plus a bow tie. Looking down, I saw another hanger, this time with trousers. And next to them is the thing I would least like to see. A hat, a top hat to be exact. I'm not going to wear this. Hmm, interesting, have I changed over the past time, or are the old measurements that I made a long time ago still valid?

If you don't try, you won't recognize a crybaby. So pour gasoline on this stuff and set it on fire. To check for fire resistance, of course.

Sighing, I released magical tentacles from my free hand that grabbed the door handle before closing it. After making sure that the door doesn't open again, I nodded to myself and put the suit on the bed and began to take off my coat. During that time, another reflection started in my head.

I am being sent to this Gala to rest. Damn Celestia, I'd kill you if talking to you didn't make me money. Anyway, I'll have to rest today, right? So. And now the question is how to do it, relax at the event? What do they do at events besides looking for useful acquaintances? It seems nothing.

Psst, you crybaby, I'm talking to you. There are four possible answers to this question, see? A)Search for useful acquaintances. B)Complement the atmosphere with jokes and the like so that everyone becomes even more pleasant at the event. C)Tripping people up and the like to cheer yourself up. And D)Drink alcohol to liver failure and fuck like animals. So, the correct answer is D. Yes, I agree, whoever created this test is a rare bastard. It doesn't change that D is still the correct answer. But we don't want to follow the rules, do we, crybaby?

Nodding to myself, I slightly adjusted my glasses and looked at myself. The clothes on me look a little too big. Especially in the abdominal area. Probably lost weight during this time. Although this does not explain why wearing a coat I do not have such a feeling. Maybe, after bathing in the icy water, the clothes have shrunk?

"It doesn't matter. You just need to come to this Gala and find something to do. At best, I'll just talk to Celestia, offer her one or two ideas, and then just leave. I hope that everything will be like this. " I whispered to myself before looking around the room for useful things. Will I need a cube at the Gala? No, I don't think so. Besides, I'm not sure that the pockets of the new trousers are as roomy as my coat.

But you still need a remedy in case something happens. Of course, fists are our best weapon. But I'm afraid the case of a dead pony with a fist print on his face will be solved quickly.

Nodding to myself, I took the knife from the bed and put it in my pants pocket. The blade stuck out slightly, but in general the weapon remained invisible. After looking around again and making sure that everything was in order, I went to leave the room. As my hand reached for the door handle, a question suddenly popped into my head. How do I even understand where this Gala is happening? Like, do I just have to walk all over this disgusting castle and try to find a big gathering of people? Yeah, it's not well thought out.

Sighing, I opened the door and stood in the middle of the corridor with my hands on my hips. So, what should I do? Hmm, if I move away from my room, I can start feeling the lines again. And maybe I can feel the crowd of ponies, if there is one in the castle.

No, wait, there's another option. You just need to leave the castle and wait for a huge crowd of ponies to rush there. Then there will definitely be no mistake. And we will enter there as the most ordinary guest.

"Go through the floor of the castle again. Today I'm a real connoisseur of the terrible." I grumbled to myself, starting to move towards the exit. Along the way, my hands reflexively went into my pockets and my mind began to wander. Elements of harmony and Ahirata. I think from the first it is necessary to deal with an unpleasant personality. I don't want to look for a whole pony and kill it for the sake of one bastard at all. But how else can it be revived? What else is suitable for the body?

Suddenly, a genial thought popped into my head. Fluff. Or more precisely, what is stuffed with fluff, a plush toy. I have already seen that Ahirata is able to control the rocks of the earth and in particular stones. And if I remember correctly from the school chemistry course, almost all substances contain hydrogen and carbon. If you're lucky, fluff and stones have a similar chemical composition. Back and forth, and Ahirata changes a plush toy for himself to use as a full-fledged body. An absolute victory.

"What a productive head I have when I slept for a couple of hours. now I just need to get some money and buy myself a big plush toy. The opinion of others on this issue can not be taken into account. Otherwise, as always. " I said to myself while stroking my head. Damn hair, so unpleasant to the touch. Probably need to buy a shampoo.

A fucking crybaby. You've just got money and you're already spending it on all sorts of useless things. First, the comb, which you used at most three times, then the calendar, which you didn't even hang anywhere, now the shampoo. What's next? Will you go to the local red light district and satisfy your lust? If so, you can forget about Perfection. Generally forever. And then your place of residence will very quickly move down into the sewer.

Taking a deep breath, I slowly shook my head and seeing the door to the exit from the castle in front of me, which was still open, focused on reality. Calmly passing through the gate, I looked around and saw a bench a couple of dozen steps from the castle. Chuckling, I quickly ran up to her and sat on her before focusing my gaze on the entrance to the castle. . . . Nothing. There was no huge crowd with a big sign: "We are going to the Gala!"

Sighing, I leaned back on the bench and closed my eyes. Far away from me, I could feel a very strange thing. A lot of ponies were running forward in pairs while other ponies were moving behind them, not moving their hooves in any way. It would be easier to make sense of it if I saw it with my own eyes. But suppose it's just a carriage. Hmm, it would be even funnier if ponies had horses. Like, a superior race of ponies and uncivilized horses as slaves. So cute.

I agree, slavery and the peak of racism was the best moment in history. Do you know why? It's darkest before dawn. Unfortunately, the people who were supposed to arrange the dawn completely failed their task. Just like you want to do, crybaby. But don't worry, I, Perfection, will take care of it. And the sunset of freedom will never come.

A small smile appeared on my face when I felt the approach of many ponies directly to the castle. So there are only two options left. Or it's my fans that no one has ever heard of and they want to get an autograph. Or it's a bunch of people who were invited to GGG. Do I have to say which option is preferable?

After a while, I heard in the distance, from the direction of the approaching ponies, something strange singing? Putting my hand to my ear, I heard something like a fanfare or something. Greeting guests, perhaps? Continuing to listen, I did not hear any singing. Either it's over or I just messed up. In any case, it's better to just forget about it.

Removing my hand from my ear, I looked towards the approaching ponies, waiting for when I would finally be able to see the crowd with my own eyes. Soon, my wish was fulfilled and I saw a lot of ponies with smiles on their faces and in a lot of different clothes. After a while, the pony who was on the edge of the crowd began to enter the crowd. Sighing, I slowly got up from the bench and said: "That's how it started. I hope this night will be quick."

After a few more seconds, I finally started walking forward while the ponies continued to stream into the castle. Soon my legs carried me to the very end of the queue. A couple of ponies briefly turned around and looked at me in surprise, but did not dare to say anything.

That's good. Let it stay that way.

After what seemed like an eternity, the queue moved forward enough for me to enter the castle. After wiping my glasses, I looked ahead and saw Celestia. Which tucks the hooves of every passing pony and briefly greets. Yeah, it's a very useful activity. Well, since I'm the last in line, then I will have enough time to complete my main task at the Gala.

Unfortunately, I felt the approach of other people from behind. Hoping it was a mistake, I turned around, but as expected, I saw new ponies. It looks like the opportunity to talk to Celestia will not appear soon. Well, then I'll just find the nobles and talk to them.

Hmm, I wonder if we're in line for an event right now, or is it a queue to meet with Celestia?

Hoping for the latter, I leaned closer to the pony in front of me and asked: "Listen, is it necessary to stand in this queue? Or is it entertainment for those who adore Celestia?"

The pony turned around and looked up at me and said: "It's a great honor to attend the Gala and have the opportunity to talk to the princess. Only the stupidest of fools can refuse such an opportunity."

Some familiar face. No, I've never seen a black unicorn with a long horn. And his eyes are the same dark color. And he towers over all the ponies in the queue. Of course not as much as I do, but still significantly. No, it's definitely a stranger, it's the first time I've seen such a pony. Okay, leave him and get out of the queue.

I leaned into his ear and asked: "And you really want to do this? Like just standing in line for a couple of seconds of conversation?"

To my surprise, the black unicorn stopped turning up his nose and whispered with a chuckle: "No, of course not! I just need to just talk to Celestia to do something. And a couple of seconds will be enough for me. "Grinning, I straightened up and asked before leaving the queue: " What's your name, big guy? "

" My name is Dazzle Cause. But I'm not interested in your name, Captain. Even though I know it. The unicorn replied with a chuckle. Wait.

Daniel Ctumer. Initials: DC. Dazzle Cause. Initials: DC. Uh, don't pay attention, but don't pay attention. There are a lot of people in the world who have the same initials as you. And there are many people in the world who have a similar hair color to you. So just ignore it.

Nodding, I waved a little goodbye and left the queue with one long step. After that, I went ahead, along the queue and out of the corner of my eye I noticed that the ponies were looking at me in surprise. Oh, so it might interest you? Damn incompetents.

Putting my hands in my pockets, I continued to walk past the queue while looking at Celestia. As expected, she glanced in my direction every couple of seconds. But soon the attention of Celestia was intercepted by Twilight, who approached her point-blank and, judging by the open mouth, began to say something. But the attention was again intercepted by a new guest, which made Twilight unable to talk properly with the princess. It looks like there is absolutely no point in standing in line. But okay, I wish Dazzle good luck.

Don't wish him anything. It doesn't matter. Or similar initials already make you feel sympathy? Don't answer, it's forbidden to do this if you want to be Perfect.

Sighing, I turned away from Celestia and walked on. In a couple of dozen steps I moved away from Celestia and stopped in front of the fork. Ahead, I felt a lot of ponies standing in small groups. Bingo, a crowd of people is what I need. You just need to find someone who looks good. And "politely" ask for money.

Pulling my hands out of my pockets, I started walking forward to the gate behind which I could hear the music and conversations of the ponies. Once in front of the barrier, I pushed the door with my hand and looked around the room in which I found myself. There were several ponies on the podium at the opposite end of the hall. But my attention was focused on the strange one. An Earth pony playing the cello. I just don't know how she plays, she holds the instrument with her hooves. And how firmly he stands on his hind hooves.

Shaking my head, I focused my gaze on other things in the hall. Firstly, there were several framed windows that looked almost not shabby. Almost. Secondly, most of the ponies gathered around a large table with snacks. Strictly no meat, just tons of sweets, punch and the like. Thank you for not being a chocolate fountain. Thirdly, there was a chandelier hanging on the ceiling under which there was not a single pony.

Very sorry. It would be very nice if there were several ponies under the chandelier, don't you think? No? Well, apparently someone doesn't want to practice throwing a knife, it's a pity.

Sighing, I looked towards the largest of several groups of ponies. And they all gathered, guess where? Right next to a table that can only stand in hell. Trouble. Then my gaze scanned the hall again in search of something interesting. Closer to the wall, there were several tables at which surprisingly no one was sitting. Well, I can take a position and just watch.

Nodding to myself, I reached the tables in a few steps and noticed an unpleasant detail. No chairs. Only the marble floor. Restraining my irritation, I sat down at the table and propped my head on my fist before starting to inspect the room. First of all, I noticed the view from the window. More and more ponies are coming to Canterlot. Looks like I came too early. Also, from a new position, there really were changed. Now everything in the room seems a little higher. It's like I've gotten younger and shorter.

Wait, something's coming. And quickly.

After a moment, I realized the rapid movement of the lines. So fast that I couldn't tell who was moving so fast. Soon, a pink pony in a dress flew into the room like a rocket. Pinkie Pie. Oh shit, she opens her mouth.

Assuming the worst, I quickly put my glasses on the table and covered my ears with my hands. And rightly so. Although despite the closed ears, I could hear the muffled annoying voice of Pinkie, who, judging by the rapid movement similar to a dance, was singing. The main thing is that I don't hear it at full volume. In an attempt to distract myself from this, I focused on the lines. New ponies are coming here. Unfortunately, these are not thestrals. Too bad they could have grabbed Pinkie and thrown her out of here.

After a while, I heard Pinkie finish singing and took my hands away from my ears. Then my eyes noticed a great thing. All the ponies in the room looked at Pinkie with some disapproval. There was silence in the room for a few seconds before one of the ponies asked a reasonable question: "What do you allow yourself, young lady?"

Oh look, now the girl is going to cry. Let's poke a finger at her and start laughing. People will approve of it and join you, I guarantee!

I slowly shook my head and focused on the current situation from my seat. After the phrase pony from the crowd, Pinkie lowered her head down and looked very upset. Even disappointed. Hmm, I think this event gave me enough positive charge to talk a little with the local ponies. The main thing is just not to look at the table with food.

I leaned my hand on the table and was about to get up, but unfortunately, Pinkie noticed me and quickly ran up to me again restoring a smile on her face. Before I could do or say anything, she sat right in front of me and said, "Oh, Dani, I didn't think you'd be at the Gala. Not that I'm complaining, it's always nice to meet a friend, especially when I haven't seen him for a long time. A month is a long separation from friends, you know! By the way, your costume is very beautiful, I think Rarity will like it! Should I take you to her? I'm sure she missed you as much as I did!"

Interrupt her. Make she shut up. Otherwise, she won't stop.

With an exasperated sigh, I slammed my fist on the table loudly, which made Pinkie shut up. Grunting approvingly, I propped my head on my fist and asked: "Yes, yes, it's very unpleasant to see you and all that. Don't you have other things to do? I don't know, dance with a random guy or something. I'm sure there is something much more interesting here than pestering me. "

Pinkie didn't seem to react to my rudeness in any way and replied, glancing at the crowd of ponies to the side: " Well, I came to the Gala because it's the largest party in Equestria. And I wanted to make it even better, because laughter is my element and nothing gives laughter better than parties!"

So, figure out how to distract her. Well, well, well. Right now, right now, something will happen. Now there will be such an idea that everyone will fall.

Eureka. Tilting my head to the side, I closed my eyes and asked: "Pinkie, have you thought about making each guest happy individually? Find out what everyone wants and give it to them. For example, I've never had a plush toy. And if I had a teddy bear right now, I would definitely be satisfied."

"Hmm, that's a great idea, Dani. Thanks! Here's your cute little bear, I hope he will help you sleep like a baby. " Said Pinkie suddenly pulling a teddy bear out of her mane and running away somewhere. Chuckling, I stared at the empty one for a few seconds. It felt so good to be a victim right now. Maybe more often I need to complain about something and ask for something for free.

Don't even think about it, crybaby. The victim's mindset is unacceptable at all.

Sighing, I opened my eyes and looked at the teddy bear on the table. It was brown in color and small in size. Enough so that I could safely hold it in the palm of my hand. Well, Ahirata doesn't deserve a better body. But now I have to walk all over the castle with this in my hands.

"Someone else's opinion is still not taken into account. I said with a sigh. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Pinkie running up to each pony with a smile on her face. Most look at her with some disgust. Well. As long as she's walking around here and pestering people, she won't be able to annoy me with her antics. You wouldn't wish for anything else.

Taking my glasses, I put them on and was about to get up for the second time. But again I was stopped by a familiar voice: "Greetings, Captain Ctumer, nice to see you here."

Turning towards the voice, I saw Fancy. As always in his meaningless clothes and as always with a monocle. While I was looking at him, he just sat down at the table in front of me and looked around and said: "Gala is an incredible event, isn't it?"

This party sucks. I fucking hate these people.

Shrugging my shoulders, I replied, "I have no idea. So far I haven't seen anything interesting or even pleasant here."

Fancy nodded slowly and said changing the subject, "Where did this toy come from? Is it yours? "

Quickly grabbing the teddy bear by the head with my right hand, I replied: " A pink pony gave it to me. So, yes, it's my property. "

Fancy smiled slightly and covered his mouth with a hoof as if trying to hold back laughter. Sighing, I glared at the unicorn and asked: " Do you have any business with me past the main one? Or do you just want to laugh at what things I have? "

These words seemed to make Fancy a little more serious and he said, removing his hoof from his mouth: " No, no. I just didn't expect to see you here and wanted to talk. Maybe I can introduce you to some representatives of my class? So you won't have to sit here in the corner, alone."

I continued to look into his eyes, assuming that he would laugh and distort that this was a joke. But that didn't happen. Is he offering exactly what I want? Well, in that case, you can probably agree to a little help . . .

Stop! Look what's going on behind his back.

Without saying anything, I straightened up and looked behind Fancy. There was a corridor visible, in which there were many thestrals and various ponies were walking. But among them all I could make out two. Pinkie Pie and Flying Night. Squinting, I continued to look at them despite the fact that I felt Fancy's confused gaze on me.

For a few moments, the two ponies just stood in front of each other. From this distance, I can't see if they open their mouths or not. But after a few moments, Flying waved his head somewhere in response to which Pinkie nodded. And they both started going somewhere. How quickly.

Can you trust this idiot to interact with a guest? I'm not either. So to avoid problems, let's go after him.

With a quick nod to myself, I got up from my seat, continuing to hold the bear in my hand, and before running after the two ponies, I said: "It was nice to have a little talk with you Fancy. Don't worry, you'll have the opportunity to talk to me later."

Without waiting for his answer, I quickly ran forward while keeping my eyes on the two ponies. Unfortunately, walking around all the ponies in the hallway so as not to push anyone significantly slowed me down. After a few moments, my eyes widened at the sight of one simple thing. They turned the corner and walked out of my field of vision. And I don't feel the lines for any reason. Wait, these doors are unadorned. . .

Yes, these are living quarters and somewhere here lies a crystal with the soul of ahirat. What do you think two idiots can do in a place like this?

Speeding up the pace and no longer hesitating to push the pony, I managed to catch up and turn the corner. There my eyes noticed a door with a pink tail sticking out of it. But seconds later, the tail followed the main body into the room and the door slammed shut. Barely restraining myself from screaming and hitting in all directions, I started running to the door and said to myself: "If this is what I think, then I will kill you Flying. First I will mock you and torture you before I kill you."

Yes, come on! Come on hurrah! Hurray!

Grabbing the handle with my free hand, I jerked it open and did it so hard that it flew off its hinges. Ignoring this, I stepped over the fallen door and entered the room with clenched teeth. There I saw Pinkie who had taken off her dress and was jumping on the bed. Flying on the other hand just took off his helmet and froze in place at the sight of me.

Looking at him with fury, I clenched my teeth and turned to Pinkie and said trying to sound calm: "I kindly ask you to leave the premises. Whatever this, Khem, my ward tells you, it is not true or something meaningful. I need to have a preventive conversation, okay?"

Fortunately, anger seeped into my voice anyway, causing Pinkie to flinch slightly and jump off the bed. Then she grabbed her dress that was lying on the floor with her teeth and ran out of the room. As soon as I heard that Pinkie's steps were moving away from here, I took a step towards Flying and said with anger in my voice: "You have two sentences to justify yourself and explain what is happening here. Or in reverse order, I don't care."

Flying, to my surprise, grinned and said, "There's love in the air at this time of year, you know. I offered the pink pony to have fun in bed and she agreed, so no compulsion on my part."

After taking a few quick steps, I threw the bear to the ground, grabbed Flying before pinning him to the wall and pulling out a knife to hiss: "Turned on sex, motherfucker. Do you understand that I am responsible for you? Or do I need to explain it to you in the only understandable language? "

Don't wait for an answer. The language of pain is universal.

Flying tried to break out of my grip but realizing the futility of this with difficulty replied: "Yes, yes, I understand. Now let me go, you madman. I'm going to suffocate at this rate."

Putting the knife to his neck, I asked harshly: "Are you sure about this?"

Before he answered, my eyes widened at the sight of the cut I made in Flying's neck, or rather what is dripping from this cut. Green liquid. Blood shouldn't look like that. My old trousers look like that too, but they turned green after a fight with dragons of the appropriate color. But he doesn't look like a dragon.

It's something else. But definitely not a pony.

Throwing Flying to the ground, I did not let him catch his breath and kicked him in the ribs. In response to the blow, he started coughing and tried to say something, but he was interrupted by another kick in the same place. The liar is lucky that I haven't broken anything to him yet. Gripping the knife tightly in my hand, I asked: "What are you and what is your goal? And don't lie to me. I know you're not a pony. "

Flying's eyes widened and he felt the cut on his neck. After looking at the green spot in his experience, he just stared at it for a few seconds. He then took a deep breath and looked around before quietly whispering, " I'm Changeling. A scout to be precise. And I'm from Queen Chrysalis."

Yeah. So now you need to understand what these changelings can do. Considering that he successfully pretended to be your soldier, he can change his appearance. And judging by the same voice, changelings can change muscles. I wonder if he takes your form he will have the same power?

With my head bowed in embarrassment, I squatted down to stick a knife into him in case of anything and asked while the brain was trying to process the situation: "Three questions. First of all, what are your abilities? Secondly, what is your goal? And thirdly, why did you just call yourself that? "

Another cough escaped from his mouth and he answered quietly: " I can change my appearance. And as a scout, it's easier for me to do without absorbing love. I'm here because Her Majesty ordered me to keep an eye on you. And I'm answering all your questions because it's not in your best interest to eliminate me. Or tell other ponies."

Don't look like an idiot and don't ask why he thinks that. Everything is obvious. If you kill him, the agreement with Chrysalis can be considered broken. And we don't even know how many changelings are around. Most likely, everyone around is a spy. All.

Looking down at him, I asked, continuing the interrogation and already assuming the answer: "From what moment? Since when has my soldier been replaced by a changeling?"

"Since all the soldiers had a week's vacation. So in Manhattan, it was me who looked at all the madness that you were doing. And you know, changelings are usually considered monsters, so being terrible by our standards is a real achievement. " Flying replied with sarcasm at the end of his remark. How brave. And I can't even do anything to him. I would not like to break the agreement when I can be completely surrounded by changelings.

See? He's never been your ally or, uh, friend. He was just a spy.

Taking a deep breath, I slowly got up and asked with an empty look: "What is your name? Yes, I'll still call you what I'm used to, but I'd like to know your real name."

The changeling disguised as a thestral slowly got up and rubbing his neck with a hoof replied: "My name is Abdomen. The Changelings don't have surnames, if anything."

Let's call it Flying, okay? Just so that the label in my head matches the words.

Sighing, I asked returning to annoyance: "That still doesn't explain why you tried to get the pony into bed."

Chuckling, Flying replied as if everything was fine now: "If you haven't looked at the calendar, I'll tell you. Today is the nineteenth of March. Very soon, the ponies will begin to burst with love, especially the mares. And even the atmosphere before the feast is already maddening. Here it is already impossible to resist feeding on real love. Although you hardly know what I mean."

Feed on love. Let's put down all the nasty thoughts that are possible, okay? Now you need to be collected, calm and logical.

Tilting my head to the side, I squinted and asked: "Then why didn't you do anything like that when we were in Manhattan? Do you only get thirsty when there are a lot of ponies around?"

Flying looked like he was going to start laughing, but he suppressed the urge and replied just as quietly: "Well, you see, as I said earlier, changeling scouts can get around without love for much longer. And what's more, you can get a little love without touching the pony. For example, wine or other alcohol. Of course, these are drops and it is impossible to survive on them. But at least something. "

Getting love from alcohol. Okay, crybaby, I have a theory. In fact, these Changelings do not feed on love, as he says, but on endorphin. So instead of being parasites, they can switch to, I don't know, drugs? Also a lot of endorphins.

Taking a deep breath, I turned around, picked up the teddy bear and said, "Cover your neck with something so that no one will notice. You can tear the blanket and put it on as a scarf, for example. Simply. . . Just act like it didn't happen."

"Yes, yes. Can I at least have some wine as compensation, eh? After all, you hurt my neck. Flying asked, causing me to freeze in place. How can you be so brazen? Maybe I can't reveal him and kill him, but still. He's being too bold.

Without turning around, I said, barely restraining my rage: "Don't even think. If you want alcohol for yourself, then steal it, for example. I don't care, just don't try to get the pony into bed, and everything will be fine. As good as possible after today."

Fortunately, he didn't say anything and I was able to leave the room calmly. Standing in the middle of the corridor, my gaze fell on the door that was lying on the floor. I really listened to Flying. His opinion really mattered, probably. And what now? He was a spy. Maybe all the words addressed to me were just something written in the manual? Just a way to gain trust? Zero truth?

See, crybaby? You can't trust anyone. No one will ever talk to you voluntarily if there is another option. The whole world works according to the principles of diplomacy, but not you. All you can do is fight until you die. You're a shark. If you stop, you will die. Keep swimming and look for prey.

Taking a deep breath, I looked around trying to find the door to my room. While my eyes were trying to find familiar landmarks, I began to think what to do next. I'm definitely going to need some time to digest this properly and recover. Right now I don't feel at all in a condition to talk a lot. So I guess I'll just throw the bear on the bed and watch the Gala from afar. Maybe I'll see something funny.

At the end of my reflections, I found a familiar door that was the closest to the turn. We can only hope for the best. Nodding to myself, I went to the door and opened it with my left hand and saw that I was not mistaken. Yes, this is my room. Sighing, I took a step forward and threw the teddy bear on the bed. Then a thought occurred to me. Maybe just sleep and that's it? Of course, I'm unlikely to succeed, but what if? It's like I don't have any other useful activities here anyway.

Hey, crybaby, you forgot something! They wanted to give you a medal, remember? This was reported almost immediately after the murder of Ahirata. You don't want to miss the opportunity to get everyone's approval and admiration, right?

"Let the people and their approval go to the ass. And anyway, Celestia said that I was invited to the Gala to relax." I muttered, closing the door behind me and starting to unbutton my shirt. Throwing off my shirt and jacket to the ground, I walked listlessly to the window and closed it. After looking around the room and making sure that the light does not penetrate here, I went to the bed and jumped on it. Then I crawled to the pillow and buried my face in it and exhaled heavily before closing my eyes. Slowly, my consciousness began to disconnect from reality. Before I finally fell asleep, I heard a loud rumble like something big had fallen. Maybe a column or a statue? This was followed by sounds of panic and seemingly animals. Others will deal with this. Or they are also spies and they won't do anything. To throw the responsibility on me.

Looks like someone's having the best night of their life, right, crybaby? Okay, go to sleep, you've almost done it anyway. I'm sorry today, crybaby. You can arrange a holiday for that reason.

And on this thought, I finally turned off and at least for the next couple of hours forgot about this day.

Operation Savant

Take a deep breath through my mouth. A long exhalation in the same way. Attempts to breathe through the nose are initially doomed to failure. Yes, I just feel that April has almost come. And the allergy strikes.

The main thing is that the blow is not struck from the mental zone. You're not going to drink alcohol and cry on the first of April, are you?

Nodding slightly to myself, I looked around to somehow distract myself from my condition. There were several soldiers around me, to be precise, all of whom I had personally trained a long time ago. Except Flying and Report. I think there is no need to explain the absence of the first one, right? I don't even want to know why he agreed to stay in the city so easily. Probably wants to confuse me. And I left the second one as a guarantor, at least some discipline among the soldiers in Canterlot.

Sighing, I looked ahead at the empty train station, where there is no one at such a time. Strange, considering that the sun is almost at its zenith. Maybe today is a working day and everyone is busy right now?

Yes, yes, probably so. Well, the main thing is that the train with our updated tanks arrived on time.

At the reminder of why I and my soldiers are here, a small grin appeared on my face. The only good news lately. Although the fact that Celestia didn't tell me anything for escaping from the Gala is also not bad. But the medal was never shown to me. Okay, I didn't really want to. As if sensing my pleasure, Rising came closer to me and tilted his head to the side and asked: "Did you remember something funny, sir?"

I waved my left hand slightly before answering: "I just reminded myself why we are all standing here and occupying the train station. By the way, did I tell you about this, or did I drag you here again without explaining anything? "

Rising nodded slightly and sat down next to me on the bench before saying, " Well, you were very active in saying that these tanks were sent for a small, uh, upgrade. And we are all here with you to conduct exercises on interaction with these tanks in battle, right?"

Hmm, it looks like you've been sleeping too much lately, crybaby. You explained everything in too much detail. Suddenly one of them is another traitor and will blab about tanks who doesn't need?

I quickly decided to discard this thought in order to keep myself at least in some kind of calm and quietly said, looking at my neighbor on the bench: "Yes, Rising, you remembered everything correctly. As always, you show yourself perfectly."

Rising smiled gratefully at me and quickly nodded. Hmm, each time he takes the praise easier and easier. I don't even know if it's good or bad. I shrugged slightly and looked around. The soldiers occupied several benches and talked to each other. They seemed to have recovered from the loss of many of their comrades. Surprisingly fast. Like how long has it been? Two weeks, more?

None of them ever really worried about their fellow soldiers. At most, they sometimes exchanged a few words. If they had something more interesting to do, they would never have talked to each other in their lives. Friendship at work is a lie. Lying is unacceptable. Work is a necessity. Friendship is manipulation.

Suddenly, my stream of thoughts was interrupted by Rising, who asked in a slightly embarrassed manner: "But I still don't quite understand why we are waiting for the train right here in Ponyville. This city is calling... unpleasant memories. Like, wouldn't it be easier if we were waiting for the train in Canterlot? "

Hmm, there's almost no caution in the voice. I pointed to the city far behind me and continuing to look at the tracks replied: " I am not sure that it will be possible to transfer tanks through the narrow streets of Canterlot. But here, as you might have noticed, the urban development is not so dense. So it may be possible to unload the tanks and start the exercises. Is it reasonable? "

The rising was silent for a while as if he was considering it, but in the end he slowly nodded and said, " Yes, it will probably work. In Canterlot, however, the roads are not the widest, and there are a lot of ponies."

Did you see, did you see!? He was thinking about your words. As if I really wanted to find mistakes in your words. Or do you also call this healthy criticism?

Before I started to refute this idea, a strong sneeze came out of my mouth, which made the soldiers look at me. Before I could refute their experiences Rising asked worriedly: "Are you sick, Mr. Sir Boss?"

I waved my hand slightly and answered with a sniff: "Just an allergy. Not for the first time."

Rising looked around and asked: "Allergic to what? I just don't see any flowers around here."

Hmm, are we crossing out flowers from the list of what could be your allergy?

Slowly shaking my head, I sneezed again covering my mouth with my hand before saying, "I have no idea what I'm allergic to. All the information I have is that the stuff I'm allergic to starts blooming around the middle of spring and fades in early summer. So for the next two months I'll be like this, get used to it. "

Rising looked at me for a few seconds before smiling awkwardly and asking, " This may sound silly, Mr. Sir Boss. But didn't you think that you were just sick at this time? It just seems strange to me that you don't know what you're allergic to, but you're sneezing right now. Like, I know I'm allergic to honey. "

I stared at Rising for a few seconds before paying attention to the environment around me. Grass, grass, grass and a couple of lonely trees. But I feel just disgusting. Like, you can't be allergic to grass, right?

What's the difference? Don't let him use your trust! He just wants to suppress your willpower like any other traitor!

Quickly shaking my head, I looked at Rising again and replied: "No, I don't think I get sick every year at about the same time for the same period. Someday I will definitely find out what I am allergic to. And then I will destroy this plant once and for all. "

Rising seemed slightly embarrassed by my last sentence but didn't say anything. Shrugging my shoulders, I looked around and adjusted my glasses. In the distance, my eyes noticed a gray spot. Here's the train. I can't wait to see the new flamethrower tanks.

Yes, I totally agree. By the way, how will we conduct the exercises? Of course, you can drive through the fields so that everyone can see new developments. Or we can create a new land for farmers. Slash-and-burn method, of course.

Chuckling, I squinted at the approaching train. In just a few moments, my eyes were able to make out an interesting detail of this train. Instead of dozens of wagons, he had only a wagon with coal and a flat platform on which tanks were standing. It is difficult to see at a distance, but I will assume that they were attached to the platform with belts and the like.

Well, this is probably the only and easiest solution for transportation. Shrugging my shoulders, I took a deep breath through my mouth and closed my eyes. I have a training session with tanks scheduled today. Most likely in the forest, fortunately there is one nearby. But then what should I do? Like, I don't even want to see Canterlot anytime soon. Suddenly, all the soldiers who were trained by Flying are changelings? A whole third of all my soldiers at the moment, traitors!

Correction, crybaby. Two-thirds. Rising is also very similar to a traitor. We need to bet on an obedient, characterless puppet. Report is our option.

Taking a deep breath, I got up from the bench as soon as I saw the train approaching. Together with me, Rising rose by four hooves. I put my hands on my hips and, tapping my foot with impatience, looked at the train. When he was very close to me, there was a creak and the train began to lose speed quickly. To my surprise, he drove a little further and so there was a platform with tanks in front of me right away. How convenient.

Smiling, I took a few steps forward and with a small jump climbed onto the railway platform. My eyes began to study the updated tanks with impatience to see them in action. Most of the hull has not changed in any way, except that some dents on the hull of a weakly armored tank have been eliminated. But the main detail was a small barrel sticking out of the front of the case. In addition to him, a silver pole with a small crystal at the end stuck out of the case at an angle a little higher.

Hmm, the tank looks like a unicorn. In any case, according to the drawings, the silver pole accumulates magic and somehow converts the surrounding air into water and already charges it with magic so as to turn the liquid into a flammable mixture. But there is a nuance. The process of this transformation is extremely long. So it cannot be considered an infinite ammunition. Well, they say that the tank's stay in battle is equal to five minutes, right?

I didn't have time to chuckle when I heard an irritated voice coming from the cab of the train: "Take your trash, faster! I can't stand here all day."

Sighing, I squatted down, trying to find the places where the straps unfasten. No such place was found. Before pulling the knife out of my pocket and starting to cut the straps, I muttered: "How good that I took everything I needed with me. And even more."

When I cut off all the belts from the first tank and started moving on to the second, I waved my free hand before saying: "Everyone who has already used tanks, get inside. I just recommend not touching anything inside. I don't want you to burn everything around too soon."

Behind me, I felt a few nods and like four ponies began to slowly approach me from behind. As soon as the last belt binding the tank to the platform was torn, I took a step to the side and jumped to the ground. Seeing the vacant place, thestrals began to climb into the tanks, two for one unit of armored vehicles. Then the hatches on top of each tank slammed shut and a series of clicks were heard from inside.

Now we have to wait for the engine to warm up.

Sighing, I coughed slightly into my fist and focused on the cabin of the train. I really hope that the driver will not start whining again. I'm already on edge because of recent events and someone's whining won't help me at all.

As if sensing my desire, the engine seemed to warm up faster than usual and sounds of active water bubbling could be heard from inside. Then the tank tracks slowly began to spin in the opposite direction and the equipment slowly began to roll backwards. Then with a loud bang, the first and then the second tank got off the platforms and landed on the ground. Just in case, I took a couple of steps to the side and shouted, "Okay, okay. Now pull away somewhere to the side. I would not like you to stand on the rails."

Fortunately, my voice was heard, and the tanks began to drive back slowly moving away. Yeah, if I ever update this technique, I'll take care of mobility. Although it is unlikely that such times will ever come. Like, if firearms are prohibited here, then what can the enemy do to the tank? Right, nothing. So by the time these tanks really lose weight, I will either be on the Ground or this whole world will already be captured.

Hmm, maybe some super magic can break through these tanks? Or poison gas? Precisely! If you can't use gunpowder, then just destroy all your enemies with fire and gas. And now imagine what will happen if you combine it. Incredible, isn't it?

Smiling slightly, I nodded to myself and looked at the tanks that finally went off the rails before suddenly an idea came to my mind. I didn't check how the radio works in the tank. It would be bad if it didn't work at all. Turning to Rising, I waved my hand and said, "Rising, follow me. We need to check the operation of the radio in the tank. The rest of you, get ready for work. "Fortunately, Rising quickly nodded and started walking with me to the tanks, which had to move a couple dozen feet away to get off the rails. That's how slowly they turn. Sighing, I looked down at Rising and said softly: " If anything, you will work with the radio. Of course, I climbed inside the tank once, but that's enough for me to understand that it's very cramped for me there."

Just for a moment, a small grin could be seen on his face. At first I wanted to stop it quickly. But then I sneezed and laughed and said, "Yes, it would be very funny if I got stuck in the hatch of the tank without the opportunity to get out. Or if I was stuck inside and couldn't turn around properly. Comedy is always to some extent a tragedy, right?"

He's going to lie. Check it out.

Rising nodded slightly and replied with a sigh, "Yes, it probably is. It's sad, to be honest. Does someone always have to be offended?"

For a moment I looked surprised by such words and wanted to say something in response. But then my eyes noticed that we had already approached the tank at point-blank range. Sighing, I lightly tapped on the tank's armor and said: "If you want, we can discuss it later, Rising. But now, please, get into the tank and turn on the radio. To begin with, turn on the walkie-talkie on the usual frequency, in case someone from Canterlot is trying to send a signal now. If you don't find anything, then just switch the purity until you hear something, okay?"

Rising quickly nodded and flapped his wings and climbed onto the tank before opening the hatch with two hooves. Then he quickly slid inside and after a few seconds I heard a loud buzzing noise. Sighing, I leaned on the tank's armor and looked into the distance. In the distance, my eyes noticed something pink in the sky. No, I guess I'm just imagining it. Just what I should be doing. There may be traitors and spies around, there is not even an approximate plan to capture Equestria, as well as a plan to return to Earth. Dead ends everywhere.

Just arrange a little cleaning of the personnel. I think we can roll the dice. If the sum of the numbers from two dice is less than seventeen, then we kill three random ponies. Hmm, what are you saying, crybaby? On a standard die, the maximum number is six and it is impossible to get seventeen by rolling two dice? That's the point. This is the author's idea!

Before I could shake my head, I saw that Rising stuck his head out of the hatch and said with some fright on his face: "Mr. Sir Boss, Flying is in touch. And well, that sounds creepy."

Frowning, I waved my hand slightly, thinking that it wasn't too serious and said, "Turn up the volume a little bit and ask him to repeat the message. Oh! And tell him that if this is a joke, then his face will get very bad. It would be better if he told jokes like before. "

Rising swallowed and climbed back into the tank. Since he didn't close the hatch, I could hear him say, " Flying, the captain wants you to repeat what he told me. And you better not joke about how you like to do it. Although, you haven't told jokes for a long time."

Great, we caught a spy. If it is declassified by Rising, then I will have nothing to do with it. Now the problem with at least one traitor will be solved.

Before I had time to grin, a hoarse voice of Flying was heard: "Eh, now is not the time for jokes, yes, now is not the time. In short, the princesses said that some guy named Discord was freed from the stone. And, well, I don't know, they just told me to give it to you, you madman. Maybe you should go back to Canterlot? Reception."

For a few moments I just stared into the void. Discord was released from the stone. To be honest, part of me wanted to believe in the end that Discord has been just the result of my rich imagination and a strange statue in the garden. But there's no denying it now, is there?

It doesn't matter. Now we need to figure out what to do. Driving tanks to Canterlot will take a lot of time and will waste precious coal. Hmm, we need to understand what's going on right now. The phrase "Discord was released from the stone" gives too little information.

Nodding to myself, I took a deep breath and said loudly: "Rising, ask Flying for more information. I do not know any words said by Discord, if there were such or something similar. I need every little thing."

In response, I felt a small nod from inside the tank and Rising began to quickly transmit my message over the radio. After a few seconds, he finished speaking and the answer came from the other side: "Hmm, did I already say that I was closest to Princess Celestia and that's why they ordered me to tell you all the news? So, I could hear that Discord was saying something. It looks like a riddle. I only remember the part about the fact that some Elements are located where it all started. Whatever that means. And that's all I heard from Discord. Reception."

Okay, damn riddles, always hated them. They look like a mockery of intelligence and logic. But today, so be it, I will solve this riddle. First of all, who was asked it? Most likely to Celestia or heroes. That is, they have the answer about where it all started. Hmm, where it all started. The hospital where babies are born. No, I don't want to believe it. I don't want to look for six maternity hospitals where the heroes were born. There must be something simpler. I think we need to ask another question. When did a heroes become heroes?

My eyes widened slightly at the realization. Usually, someone begins to be honored when he or she overcomes some serious threat. A monster, for example. And who acted as a monster for a long time? That's right I am. I don't know what exploits these six heroes had before me. Probably nothing. So it all started in Ponyville. The location of the harmony Elements is calculated.

Great, crybaby, great. Now the main part begins. We need to pick up the Elements of Harmony for ourselves and preferably not reveal ourselves. In short, to deceive all fools and alternatively developed. Such an operation needs a decent and most importantly non-obvious name.

Silently looking at Ponyville and seeing strange pink things above it, I chuckled and took a step away from the tank's armor. I clapped my hands loudly to attract attention and said, looking at the bulk of the soldiers: "So, soldiers, today the exercises are canceled due to new circumstances. There is a threat and we need to build a defense in the most important parts of the city using updated equipment. And do it quickly!"

In response, they all quickly nodded and began to climb onto the tanks. As well, no one asks unnecessary questions. Nodding to myself, I turned to Rising, who stuck his head out of the hatch, and told him in an imperative tone: "Tell Flying to monitor every movement in Canterlot and report on everything important that is happening there. The main goal is heroes. I want to get situation reports every three hundred seconds. No more, no less. Tell him that. "

Rising instantly nodded and swallowed the lump in his throat but asked anyway: "What's going on, Mr. Sir Boss? Is this Discord so dangerous that we need to protect an entire city?"

Tell him the truth. But only partially.

Taking a deep breath, I climbed onto the tank and looking down at Rising answered: "You yourself have seen by the example of Ahirata what the Elements of harmony are capable of. And we cannot allow them to be captured by someone with bad intentions. But if my guess is correct, the elements are in Ponyville. So the plan is simple. I quickly distributed the soldiers to the most important areas of the city before going in search of the Elements. I called this plan Operation Savant. "

It seemed that the fact of having a plan calmed Rising a little and he nodded slowly before asking with a little laugh: " As I understand it, I will sit here and talk on the radio, yes? "

Grinning, I stroked Rising's head and answered loudly: " Yes, you got it right. I hope everyone else understood everything too."

Not hearing any words refuting this, I looked in the direction of Ponyville and pointed at him with my finger and shouted: "Great, so Operation Savant has officially begun. Lets go to the city!"

Since the engines were already warmed up, the tank quickly moved off, almost throwing me and the other soldiers. But fortunately this did not happen and after the equipment moved the rails, the movement was quite smooth. Just like my allergy.

Suddenly, a sneeze escaped from my mouth, the sound of which was drowned out by the movement of the tank. No one even paid attention. It's probably even better. Sighing, I turned around expecting to see the second tank. But I didn't see anything. He couldn't just disappear, right?

A tank with a walkie-talkie has heavier armor, remember? Accordingly, he is slower than the one who does not have a walkie-talkie.

Before I even had time to nod, I saw that a lighter tank was overtaking on the left. The soldiers sitting on this tank waved their hooves with smiles as they moved away from me. Are they really having so much fun overtaking someone? Grinning, I shook my head slightly and shouted: "When you get to the city, split up! The first group will stand with a tank in the town hall. And the second group should occupy the base of the local garrison. Carry out the order!"

Fortunately, they heard my order and nodded in response. Sighing, I finally looked at the tank going further and further away and focused on Ponyville itself. As I got closer, I managed to make out something pink in the sky. Squinting and adjusting my glasses, I froze in shock. These are clouds from which something brown is coming. I wish it was shit and not chocolate. Ugh.

Considering the oddities that Discord likes to do, it's most likely chocolate. Positive:there is no foul smell. Cons: everything else.

Taking a deep breath, I looked at the approaching city and noticed one obstacle. A bridge over a small river on which there were traces of tracks from a lighter tank. That's the problem. Will the bridge withstand a heavier tank? Or will the bridge fail, which can lead to the drowning of expensive equipment?

No sooner had I come up with a solution than I felt a touch on my leg. Lowering my head, I could see that Rising was trying to attract my attention in this way. Noticing my gaze on himself, he cleared his throat and began to speak loudly so that his voice would not be drowned out by the tank: "Flying reported that six mares who had previously used Elements of Harmony headed to the maze in the garden. He asks if he should follow them. What should I tell him?"

Is there a maze in the gardens? Hmm, I never noticed him. In any case, we need an informant constantly transmitting information. So let him keep a safe distance.

Nodding, I looked at Rising and answered, trying to be louder than the sound of the tank's work: "Tell him not to enter the maze and watch from afar. He can't risk too much."

Fortunately, Rising heard my answer and quickly nodded and climbed back inside the tank. Sighing, I looked ahead and saw that the bridge over the river was already very close. Somehow, it will not work to interfere. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath through my mouth and prayed that the bridge would withstand the weight of the tank.

At first I heard some kind of creaking. Probably the nose of the tank hit the bridge but did not stop the movement. Well, at least so. Then I sneezed again and felt myself being pulled back first and then forward. Probably a tank is passing over the bridge. I kept my eyes closed for a few more seconds, but eventually I opened them and immediately sneezed. The bridge is crossed. I think there will be no further obstacles.

Slightly adjusting my glasses, I focused on the road ahead and saw that many ponies were standing on the street and looked scared. Either it's because of the technique or because of me. Clearing my throat, I said loudly so that everyone could hear me: "There is a serious threat called Discord. For security reasons, I ask all civilians to hide in their homes. And quickly!"

Fortunately, the authority of the guy on the tank, that is, me, turned out to be great enough to make the pony slowly head home. Hmm, they're so trusting. I think it can be used later. The main thing is to figure out how.

We need to find the archives. Interesting documents about Celestia's activities must be lying around somewhere. And then? We will pass this information to the right media. And the ponies will already be much better prepared for the new leader.

Nodding to myself, I looked straight ahead and saw several soldiers crowding next to the town hall and talking to someone. Squinting, I managed to see that it was the mayor. I think she should be aware of what's going on here. Nodding to myself, I leaned over to the open hatch and said loudly: "Hey, driver, stop the car near the town hall. I need to talk."

Even without looking in the driver's direction, I could feel his nod and notice how, as we approach the Town Hall, the tank begins to slow down. Chuckling, I focused on the mayor and waved my hand to get her attention. To my surprise, she really noticed me and stopped talking to the soldiers. Well, I hope she won't ask stupid questions.

When my tank drove up to the town hall and almost completely stopped traffic, the mayor ran up to me and asked with some indignation in her voice: "What's going on here, Captain?"

It's not indignation, crybaby, it's fear. She sees that she can't do anything. And she's scared of the mighty war machine you're sitting on. Blow her fears to the wind. Ask her to stand in front of the barrel of the tank. It can be messy there.

Sighing, I waved my hand and replied calmly: "I received news from Canterlot. A guy named Discord is at large and poses a serious danger. I also have information that the Elements of Harmony are in Ponyville. So my task is to ensure security here and find the Elements before they get to undesirable individuals. "

The mayor stared at me for a while before nodding slightly and adjusting her glasses to say, " Okay, I'll believe you, Captain. It sounds incredible, but I will give you a credit of trust. But could you not use these weird loud things? They spoil the roads if you haven't noticed. "

Looking back, I saw that there was a long track of tank tracks on the road and a pile of dirt on the sides. Hmm, has it been raining recently or is the ground always so soft here? Shrugging my shoulders, I focused on the mayor again and answered categorically: " This is not possible. This technique is called a tank and it is necessary for more firepower. In case of a threat, they will be the main striking force. All I can promise is that this tank will not move further if there is no threat. But my tank will ride for a long time."

When I finished speaking, I raised my hand and pointed to a light tank standing next to the town hall. After a few seconds of silence, the mayor took a deep breath and said, "Okay. Just try not to turn all the roads in the city into an outrage, okay?"

I was about to say something, but a sudden sneeze prevented me from saying anything. After that, I could only hear giggling for a moment. That's funny to her, but I'll feel the same way for the next two months. Taking a deep breath through my mouth, I nodded to the mayor before turning to the rest of the soldiers in the tank and saying, "So, all of you. Spread out in pairs and occupy the bridges. In case of any attack, quickly retreat. With such a number, you will not be able to hold more than one bridge. "

The soldiers reluctantly nodded and slowly began to lick off the tank, rattling equipment. Before I could nod, Rising suddenly raised his voice again and said distractedly: "Flying, I've been in touch again. The maze in which the six ponies entered disappeared. Just went underground. And as Flying described it, five of the six ponies lost color and looked wrong. And then they headed towards Ponyville. To be honest, it's very scary, Mr. Sir Boss. W-what will this Discord do when he meets with u-us?"

Oh look, he was so scared that he started stuttering even though he never did it. How sweet. I think today we can give him the truth. Just name the worst possible option. Where everyone will die pissing themselves and shitting themselves.

Shaking my head quickly, I leaned into Rising's ear so that the mayor wouldn't hear anything and answered: "Don't worry, Rising, the flamethrowers and my personal strength will handle it. Now let's talk about what to pass Flying. Tell him to take a dozen soldiers with him and secretly start moving towards Ponyville. It is advisable not to be seen by anyone. Understand?"

Rising nodded quickly and lowered his head inside the tank again. Then I straightened up and looked around. Where it all started, where it all started. Where heroes became heroes. Hmm, I just need to remember where I fought with them. It was here somewhere. Somewhere nearby.

Library in the form of an oak tree. It was in front of her that the battle took place. Maybe the heroes lost in it specifically, but everyone remembered them as martyrs and desperate people. Well, soon their desperation will only get bigger.

Nodding to myself, I leaned over to the hatch again and said: "Driver, turn left and drive forward to a tall oak tree. This is the first place I need to check."

Without any words, the tracks began their work again and the tank began to move. To my own surprise, the tank was able to fit in the turn, even though it was on the verge of colliding with houses. Well, now we can move forward. I'm pretty sure the Items are in the library. That would explain why as many as six ponies would decide to defend her and become heroes for it. So you can already plan what to do with the Elements.

We will pack all these Elements in a beautiful suitcase and go to talk with Ahirata. Let's see what the teddy bear tells us. With the Elements in front of him, he won't be able to lie. And after the final interrogation, it will be possible to deal with the elimination.

I was about to nod to myself, but I saw a strange thing. From a smaller point in front of me, water began to flow. But unusual, but with foam like in the bathroom. Despite the logic, the tank began to wobble slightly, as if it was really sliding because of this. Damn, this will slow down the traffic a lot. It's definitely Discord's tricks and if he's playing against me, he could have done something even worse. For example, teleport heroes directly to Ponyville. Which is unacceptable. The soap road must be destroyed.

This is water with foam, so it can evaporate. Smiling, I leaned over to the hatch and said with anticipation: "Launch the flamethrower and align the course. I need the fire to be focused strictly on the road."

In response to this, I felt like some pony inside the tank quickly ran from the end to the front of the hull. Does the loader rest all this time? Okay, I'll turn a blind eye to this for now.

Quiet, there's going to be a performance!

I turned away from the hatch and looked forward eagerly, expecting to see the full power of the new weapon. Without forcing me to wait for a long time, a small drop of water first escaped from a small trunk in front of the tank, but the next moment a whole stream began, which quickly burst into a bright flame. A wide jet of fire shot out far ahead, exactly more than a hundred feet and created a cloud of steam when it came into contact with the water. A few seconds later, the tank had already driven into the cloud and stopped wagging from side to side. On the other hand, my glasses are fogged up.

I quickly wiped my glasses, not wanting to miss the sight, but it was too late. The stream of fire stopped coming from the trunk. Don't tell me that minute was all the ammunition. Leaning towards the hatch, I asked irritably: "Why did the fire stop coming?"

Instantly, the shocked response of the thestral from inside the tank followed: "That's all. The container with the liquid is completely emptied. Oh, one drop just fell into it! Let's wait a couple of hours and it will be possible to shoot again."

What a positive mood. Why are you so cheerful, Comrade loader? Maybe you are glad that we have run out of ammunition?

I slowly shook my head and sighed and focused on the road ahead. The cloud of steam had already dissipated and I could see the effects of the flamethrower. All the soapy water in front of the tank was evaporated, which allowed the equipment to safely drive to the library. Seeing that there was very little left to the destination, I felt my pockets. Knife and cube. In case of opposition from someone in the library, they will go into battle.

When the tank began to slow down, I once again leaned towards the hatch and said: "Driver, pull over right in front of the library entrance. If you notice someone approaching, then leave quickly. I'll figure it out myself."

From inside the tank, I felt a single nod that made me chuckle. The driver is so silent. No unnecessary and stupid words. Great. Well, it's time to work. My right hand slowly reached for the knife in my pocket to snatch it out instantly if anything happened.

Suddenly, the tank completely stopped and, as I ordered, right in front of the library. Sighing, I jumped off it and looked at the ground below me. To my surprise, it looked like a chess board, only huge and blue. When did the earth become like this? Or did she do it instantly? That is, Discord can create such changes instantly?

I had no time to come up with answers to all the questions in my head when I heard a loud sound behind me. It's like a lot of rocks are falling down. Turning around, I stared dumbfounded at another change in the landscape. Several buildings were floating in the air along with plots of land. Among them was the mayor's office. And the tank along with my soldiers.

Calm down, the tank has not been damaged yet. And the Thestrals can safely fly away. How are we going to get the equipment out of there? Well, you just need to break the line of one annoying creature. Although if you want, you can break the lifeline of all creatures in general. We don't need half measures.

Nodding to myself, I turned around and stretched out my hand to the door to the library. But he stopped when he sensed movement there. Something small is about half the size of a pony and moves on two legs. Oh, there's definitely some kind of lizard living there and he seems to be intelligent. Hmm, I think it will be very easy to put it on a knife. No, wait! The loss of a neighbor is usually noticed very quickly, like. So I just use invisibility. Thank you, Luna, this spell helps me a lot to harm others.

Grinning, I quickly created a rune with an empty square symbol on my left hand and the next moment after activation I found my hand invisible. Behind me, I felt the soldiers inside the tank looking around, not understanding what had happened. Hmm, did they forget how I did the same thing during the battle with Ahirata? Although it doesn't matter, it's time to move.

With a sharp kick, I opened the door, hoping that the lizard inside would perceive it as the wind. Mentally shrugging my shoulders, I tiptoed inside the library and looked around. So, where can the Elements be? Hmm, maybe on the second floor? Like if I was storing some important thing, I would leave it either minimally deep underground or as high above the ground as possible.

Stop, freeze! The footsteps are coming, the lizard is approaching.

Following my thought, I froze in place without moving and looked in the direction from which the steps came. A two-legged lizard slowly descended the stairs from the second floor, rubbing his eyes with his hand. Is he sleeping all this time or is he just tired? Damn, you shouldn't have kicked down the door. Not paying any attention to my thoughts, which is logical, the lizard stood in the middle of the stairs and looking at the open door said before shrugging his shoulders: "Probably just the wind."

Then he continued down the stairs and judging by the look he was going to close the door. Does he not notice the world around him at all? Restraining the urge to sigh, I carefully walked around the table on the opposite side of the lizard and stood in front of the stairs. One hundred percent will creak. I am absolutely sure of it. We need to find a way to drown out the creaking. Hmm.

Turning around, I saw that the lizard had already approached the door and started reaching for the handle to close it. Bingo. As soon as he pulled the door open, I took the first light step up the stairs. As expected, there was a creak. Wasting no time, I took a few quick steps at a time, overcoming three steps at a time. In the end, I was on the second floor and looked down at the lizard. To my surprise, he just froze in place and stared blankly at the door he had closed. Then he opened the door and opened his mouth looking at the city. Did he just notice what happened?

Calm down, you can laugh at the child later. Now we need to look for Elements.

Nodding to myself, I turned away from the shocked lizard and looked around the second floor. There was a bed in front of the window, some kind of basket with pillows and a door. There are no more big things. A trash can closet is not considered a big thing. With my hands on my hips, I began to think what to check first. There's hardly anything stored behind the door. Probably, it's a bathroom at all. But many people can store things under the bed. What can I hide, it's under the bed that I keep my phone in case I can ever charge it. It's gonna happen sometime, right?

Instead of answering, the sky suddenly became dark as night, which made it much more difficult for me to see. Great answer, world. Quickly shaking my head, I went to the bed and lay down on the floor to look under it, which was not easy considering the darkness. On the way to the bed, I felt the lizard lay down on the floor and heard snoring. Does simple darkness put him to sleep? Shaking my head, I focused on the space under the bed again. Empty, absolutely nothing. There's not even any dust, it looks like someone likes cleaning. Before I could even express my disappointment, I felt five ponies approaching the library. Are they heroes? Damn, that makes it a hundred times harder for me.

No, crybaby, it only improved our situation. The heroes know where their precious Elements of harmony are. And as soon as they take the glitter, we'll create a fog. Quickly, clearly, imperceptibly. The enemy will be defeated before he realizes the fact of the attack. Or we have a plan B that is much better. Just kill everyone here. Spare no one. And by here I mean the whole damn city.

Sighing, I pulled out a knife from my pocket that did not become invisible and looked at the approximate location of my left hand. As soon as I see the Elements, I will make a wound on my left arm and create a fog. Everything is very simple and fast. The main thing is not to screw up. Nodding slightly to myself, I walked to the edge of the second floor and looked at the door. Heroes will come here any second.

First, the sun suddenly rose outside the window, and one pony after another began to enter the room. Applejack came into the room first. But for some reason it was gray, as if it had lost its colors. Hmm, maybe I tried unsuccessfully to dye my hair? Shaking my head, I focused on the next pony, Fluttershy. She was also gray, but her face and movements looked somehow more confident? Or Snape? Both of them?

In any case, she has become much better. I don't know what happened to her, but it's better for her not to try to come back.

Mentally chuckling, I looked at Pinkie Pie, who entered the room next. Oh, she's even better. Not only is she gray, she also keeps her mouth shut! I consider it an absolute victory. If Discord did it, then I will be happy to thank him. Before you kill.

No one entered the room after Pinkie Pie. Hey, where are the other three? I need more spectacles! And preferably bread. Seeing nothing, I propped my head with my left hand and started watching the ponies who had already entered the room. The lizard was sleeping on the floor, snoring, and a mop and bucket were lying next to it. Where did they come from here? No sooner had I started thinking about it than Fluttershy took a bucket with her hooves and poured all the water on the sleeping lizard. Immediately after that, I felt the urge to sneeze and quickly covered my mouth with my hand. Fortunately, no one heard my muffled sneeze. In any case, I definitely like Fluttershy a lot more in this form. Does not try to get into the soul and can amuse.

Yes, yes. The main thing is not to fall in love with a horse, okay, crybaby? Although why am I asking. You actually have to listen to me if you want to achieve Perfection!

Sighing softly, I looked at the front door behind which I felt the presence of two unicorns. Great, but where's another Pegasus? Instead of any answer, the door was smashed with a huge boulder, to which gray Rarity immediately ran up and said: "Careful, Twilight! You could have damaged the cut."

When I heard that, I just tilted my head to the side and focused on Twilight. Unlike everyone else, she was still the same color. A little sorry to be honest. Mentally sighing, I focused on the heroes in the room. Come on, show me where the elements are. My knife is already ready.

Lizard and Twilight exchanged words that I couldn't hear at this distance. In any case, they walked together to the center of the room, but Fluttershy asked in an almost childish voice: "Twilight, guess what's so wet here."

In response, Twilight rolled her eyes and opened her mouth to reply, but she was interrupted by water and a bucket hitting her head. I covered my mouth with my left hand, trying to stifle a laugh. This is certainly not the peak of comedy, but I want to laugh out loud very much. While I was doing all this , the lizard asked incomprehensibly: "What happened to them?"

Good question lizard. I'm also interested. I want to find out how to make everyone like this. If this is some kind of operation, then you need to go through it, crybaby.

While I was thinking, Twilight approached a huge bookcase and replied: "There is no time to explain, you need to find a book about the Elements of Harmony before they do something they will regret later."

"Do they store items in a book like ordinary people store money? Hmm, how stupid. " I thought to myself while the lizard quickly climbed the ladder standing next to the bookcase and after a couple of moments solemnly picked up the book. But the next moment she was intercepted by Fluttershy and briefly laughed. Twilight then demanded the book back in response to which Pegasus threw it to another pony.

Propping my head on my hand, I watched the action and the shifting of the book with boredom. It became a bit of fun when all the ponies started fighting in one crowd for a book. Oh, I wish I had a camera with me. But in the end, Twilight got out of the crowd with a book in her hooves and sat on the floor and opened it. And there were all six Elements of Harmony. Bingo.

While Twilight was looking at the Elements, I quickly made an incision in the palm of my left hand, from which blood soon began to flow. Sighing, I put the knife in my pocket and began to create a blood rune with a mist symbol. After finishing this, I quickly activated the rune and it began to suck my blood from the wound. My eyelids felt a little heavy, but for now I decided to ignore it.

Eventually, the rune gathered enough blood and hung in the air for a second. Before filling the whole room with a red mist! Barely restraining laughter from exultation, I quickly jumped from my position to the first floor and approached the place where I had previously seen the book. Twilight was still sitting in front of the Elements, but because of the fog, she closed her eyes and coughed. Hmm, is it poisonous?

No, absolutely not. She's just being dramatic and subconsciously wants to be taken care of. She's so pathetic, you know?

Nodding slightly to myself, I moved the book closer to me, slammed it shut and took it under my shoulder and ran towards the exit. To my own surprise, I managed to find a hole in the wall in the fog and go outside without any problems. After a few quick steps, I finally left the fog frozen. The tank left, which is understandable, they followed my order. But there is a much more unpleasant detail. Discord, here and looking right at me.

Or he's just waiting for someone. Gritting my teeth, I looked around and saw the alley and headed towards it. But I was interrupted by Discord who waved at me and said, "Hey, Dani! What are you doing here like this? Although your intentions are very transparent, as I see it."

They sent him far away. He doesn't see you, just looks at the book. And in general, punches will not catch up with fast legs!

Taking a deep breath, I slowly began to take one step at a time while my mind was trying to come to terms with this decision. I'm retreating, running away like a coward. But it looks like I don't have any other options. Nodding to myself, I abruptly ran towards the alley clutching the book to my chest. I felt nothing behind me. There are no lines, it looks like Discord has as much magic as Celestia. Okay, that won't stop me from trashing him.

Having fully focused on running, I eventually accelerated too much and found that I had left the city limits. I don't even know what scared me so much. Taking a deep breath, I stopped and pressed myself against the wall of the nearest house. My gaze went over all sides in search of threats. Empty, everything is fine. Trembling slightly, I opened the book and saw all six Elements of Harmony in it. Great. Operation savant can be considered completed.

No, no, no crybaby it's not over yet. Operation Savant will be considered completed only when the Elements of harmony are safely hidden and the Discord is eliminated. Think yourself in what order to do it.

Taking a deep breath, I ran my finger over one of the Elements of Harmony and shuddered slightly. It's a strange feeling. It's like if I direct magic there, it will spread throughout the element. Just like. . . Lines?

"It probably just seems like it." I muttered before closing the book and looking around again. There is no one, there is no need for invisibility. Closing my eyes and taking a deep breath, I began to create a rune with the symbol of a shaded square in my right hand. Fortunately, I managed to do it on the first attempt and with a small flash I became visible again. Great.

My gaze focused on the injured left hand, which was still dripping blood. I hope no one will track me down. Adjusting my glasses, I began to think where to hide the book. Since the crystal with the soul of Ahirata is in the castle, the elements should be stored as close as possible to the Canterlot. Hmm, a problem.

We need to find Rising. Give him the book and tell him to hide it. He somehow managed to hide the locket, so he can also hide the book.

Nodding to myself, I slowly moved away from the wall and looked around the distorted neighborhood. Where could the tank have gone? After a few seconds during which my brain could not think of anything, I sighed and walked towards the hill. Surprisingly, his Discord almost did not touch. I didn't even change the tree in any way. Well, strange creatures like hares with disproportionately long legs are constantly running around. But I don't see this as any threat to myself.

After a while, I felt that I was being chased by five ponies. Strangely, it seemed to me that Fluttershy, in his new state, would refuse any cooperation. Although, what's the difference? If they ask me why I took the Items, I will always have a simple question. Ensuring security. How do I know these gray ponies aren't fakes, right? That's right, so I have every reason not to give them the necessary things.

With renewed confidence, I quickly walked the rest of the way to the tree and turned around and looked at the city from above. So, the town hall is still flying. Still with the tank. I'll try not to pay attention to it. Sighing, I continued to look down at the city from above and after a few moments I was able to make out a tank with several thestrals standing next to it. The equipment was standing next to one of the bridges as if they were already thinking about escaping.

There was no order to retreat, soldier! Everyone get back in position!

Chuckling, I looked at the book again and made sure that I was holding it tightly and started running towards the bridge. Unfortunately, almost immediately after I started running, the heroes came out of one of the alleys. As if in slow motion, Twilight pointed her hoof in my direction and said, "YOU! Give us the elements! Follow him, girls! "

Continuing to run, I waved my free hand and said with a grin: " This is confiscation. The elements can't get to thieves who are trying to disguise themselves as the real owners. Bye, fakes!"

Surprisingly, my words were able to convince most of the ponies. Only Twilight went after me. Well, I can run away from one pony without any problems. As the distance between us increased, Twilight began to speak loudly: "Don't you see what Discord is doing? He must be stopped! And only the Elements of Harmony can do it!"

No, fool, you forgot about Perfection. I can deal with Discord in less than five minutes. I just need to hide the Elements.

Nodding to myself, I continued to run and soon I was close enough to the thestrals that one by one they began to pay attention to me. However, there is a small nuance. Because of the route, I need to make a turn to cross the bridge. Accordingly, lose speed. Which I don't want to do considering the unicorn is behind. But the river here is not very big. Ha. . .

Holding the book under my armpit, I made a jump across the river holding my glasses in my hands. During the flight I didn't feel any wind, did Discord remove it too? What will he remove next? * The laws of physics? Although considering the soaring town hall, he has already done it.

My thoughts were interrupted by falling to the ground on my back. At least I was able to jump the river, already a limited success. While I was lying on the ground and taking a breath, Rising ran up to me before anxiously asking, "Mr. Sir Boss? Are you okay? Who were you running away from? What's wrong with your arm?"

Don't say anything. Just blatantly lie and you will be happy.

Ignoring all the questions, I picked up a book with Elements of Harmony and said: "I'll tell you later. Now you need to hide it somewhere. No one should find this book. And in general, if anyone asks, you've never seen it. Understand? "

For a few moments, Rising looked at me with some concern, however, as did the rest of the soldiers surrounding me. But in the end, he carefully picked up the book with his two wings and slowly walked towards the tank. Just at that moment, Twilight was crossing the bridge and shouted: " Stay where you are! There are Elements of Harmony in this book! "

All the soldiers paid attention to the unicorn and took a few steps to the sides, which eventually exposed me lying on the ground. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that Rising froze in place and was looking at the book. Gritting my teeth, I slowly got up from the ground and dusted myself off and said, " Yes, this information is true. However! This artifact is used by six ponies. But I can confirm to myself, no, there is only one legitimate owner in the whole of Ponyville. So until six ponies come here in their normal coloring, I will not give up the Elements. For the safety of Equestria. Don't worry, I'll deal with the Discord myself. And you and your fake friends can rest."

To my surprise, Twilight did not respond to my words. She just stood in front of me with a sad look. There was silence between us for a few seconds before Twilight lowered her head down and said: "You're right. I and my insignificant friends are not needed here. Friendship is not needed. Never have been. You or anyone else will be able to handle Discord much better than me."

My eyes widened at these words while there was a real triumph inside. Victory? Victory, the enemy is smashed in the head! My eyes only got wider at the sight of the fact that Twilight began to lose color and after a few moments completely lost the paint. Continuing to keep her head low, she went forward in her new form. And it was at this moment that it became dark as night again on the street.

It looks like Discord wants to catch up with the drama. Well, it didn't do anything. He only made it easier for us to attack in the back.

Sighing, I looked at all my soldiers whose faces conveyed a whole cauldron of emotions. Sadness, empathy, fear and, probably, shock. Summoning all my strength, I clapped my hands and ordered: "Everyone quickly return to duty! The order to retreat has not been received and will not be received. "

Without waiting for the soldiers to answer, I turned to Rising, who was still looking at the book, and said, " Hide the book and tell me what information Flying gave. Hurry up, every second counts. "

There was a heavy sigh before Rising threw the book into the hatch of the tank and replied with a blank look: " Flying said that he and fifteen other soldiers followed the five ponies, but suddenly they disappeared, leaving the soldiers in shock. It looks like the heroes were teleported here. After that, Flying returned to Canterlot. He said he wasn't going to go five years before the fight, which would be over by then. And after that, he stopped reporting information."

I don't even know whether to kill him for his betrayal or praise him for his confidence in my abilities? I think I'll praise him first, offer him wine, and when he takes the first sip, I'll say: "This is a wine with a unique taste that all spies love. Cyanide."

Sighing, I looked at the town hall floating in the air and said: "of course, reinforcements are not expected. Okay, I can handle it alone. Just stay in your place, and Operation Savant will be successful. "

Unfortunately, I didn't have time to take the first step as Rising cautiously suggested: " Mr. Sir Boss, should we, well, leave?"

Slowly, I turned my head so that I could look at Rising with only one eye. Noticing the attention riveted to himself, he took a step back and continued with difficulty while panic was growing in his voice: "I don't doubt you in any way, sir, but you just saw everything! Look around, you won't beat Discord! You will die! This is not an enemy that can be defeated by your mind or our numbers. We have to get out of here!"

At the end of his short speech, very little moisture formed in Rising's eyes. That's where the line goes. Either I will comfort him, or he will fall down and cry like a rag. All the soldiers are looking at him so attentively, shame is unacceptable. He's in my hands.

And it's better for him to understand that. Right now. Do as I dictate.

Directing my gaze straight ahead, I slowly walked forward and said: "Don't worry, Rising, in front of such Perfection as me, Discord doesn't have a single chance. Just follow me and watch the show. It will be short but colorful. By the way, this is an invitation for everyone. Go to the Perfection Name show and watch the third act!"

After that, I laughed briefly and continued walking forward. I couldn't feel a single movement behind me. Okay, I'll work without an audience. I don't need anyone to work properly at all. Operation Savant will be a success one way or another. The discord will be broken in a couple of moments without any problems.

Taking a deep breath, I stopped in place and looked up. Suddenly, the sky changed again and it became light. Well, it's only in my favor. The town hall was flying right above me, along with a plot of land. If suddenly the magic of the Discord disappears, then losses will occur. At least in technology. Maybe there is another way to eliminate the Discord? Maybe persuade him to negotiate?

No negotiations. Only complete and unconditional surrender. Yes, it's a pity for a tank, but it makes no sense to go to such an abomination as compromises for the sake of one unit of armored vehicles.

Nodding to myself, I looked around and saw Discord sitting on the throne in the distance. There was a huge house of cards next to him, strange creatures were running and various sweets were falling from the sky. Oh, my God. Once again checking my pockets and making sure that everything was in its place, I walked slowly to the Discord, trying to concentrate. How am I supposed to defeat the enemy without having any intelligence?

"Calm down, just throw a weak attack at him and see what he will do." I said to myself, gripping the knife as tightly as possible. I came, I saw, I won. Everything will definitely work out. I'm going to win today. . .

"Oh, Dani, it's you. To be honest, I'm not very happy to see you. You're blocking the view of the chaos." Said Discord noticing my approach. The animals have disappeared somewhere, hmm, that's good, I won't have to be distracted.

Sighing, I looked up and looked at Discord, assessing the distance. Too far away, you need to get closer. While I was taking slow steps to the Discord, a pink cloud flew up to him, from which a chocolate rain was falling. Just ignore it, Daniel, just ignore it. Unfortunately, Discord with a white flash created a glass glass in his hand that quickly filled with chocolate milk. Then he started drinking, but fortunately not milk, but the glass itself. Strange, but definitely better.

After drinking the glass, Discord threw the chocolate back, which caused an explosion and again paying attention to me, he said: "You know, Dani, I had incredible plans for you. I was thinking about teleporting the dear princesses somewhere so that you could rule Equestria and cause real chaos. But you hurt my old sore heart, which I can't forgive."

Whining, whining and whining. Throw a knife at him, the distance already allows.

Taking a deep breath, I stopped in front of Discord, who was still sitting on the throne, and asked: "Don't you think that's a stupid thing to say? If you want to create chaos so much, then giving me power is definitely the best solution. You know, I used to hang out with anarchists. I even went to rallies with them a couple of times."

"Oh, I know that perfectly well, Dani. Me..." Discord began to speak, but I interrupted him with a knife throw. Squinting, I began to follow the flight of my weapon and wait for the enemy's reaction. Nothing happened until the last moment. But when the knife was terribly close to Discord's face, he just opened his mouth and ate my weapon. Yeah, it didn't give me any information.

Calmly swallowing the weapon, Discord covered his mouth, restraining a belch and replied with boredom: "Well, Dani, it was very boring. Could you think of something interesting? Some super smart diamond move?"

A diamond move? All right, Discord, I'll destroy you with a mat in one move. And there's nothing you can do.

Sighing, I briefly looked at my left hand. Still bleeding. The main thing is that there is enough of this in my body to create another fog. Starting to run to the Discord, I pulled out the cube and started charging it with magic. At the same time, my opponent did nothing at all and just continued to sit on his throne. It doesn't matter, it won't save him.

Continuing to run, I kept my left hand behind my back and kept the rune of mist ready. When there was very little left to Discord, I jumped up and fired eight arrows from the cube, which flew straight at Discord. When they touched his body, they turned into small drops of chocolate milk with a flash. You shouldn't have expected anything else. Ignoring this, I continued flying and kicked Discord right in the face, which caused a sound similar to a toy. Gritting my teeth, I activated the mist rune just before Discord threw me back with a light wave of his paw.

"Dani, this is very very rude. And your shoe is so dirty, do you even wear other shoes?" Discord asked before snapping his finger and making my boot print disappear from his face. But to my surprise, he did not notice the rune that sucked the blood from my wound in a short stream. Damn, my eyelids are getting heavy, I'm going to pass out at this rate.

Come on, crybaby, we still have to work. This operation was doomed to success, and you're still going to shit yourself?

With difficulty, I got up on both feet just at the moment when the rune lit up and created a fog. Great, now I'll activate the explosion rune from above and blow up the Discord. Staggering, I took a few steps forward and began to create an explosion rune in my left hand. But a deep breath was heard from the fog, followed by a stream of wind that completely dispersed the fog and almost blew me away. Now there was a Discord in front of me that has been just blowing, just breathing.

Before I even had time to think about the failure, Discord suddenly appeared right in front of me and said with some irritation in his voice: "That's it, Dani, the conversation is over. I need to enjoy the mess."

Then he brought his middle finger to my forehead, which he held with his thumb. The next moment, an extremely powerful click hit my forehead and a second later I realized that I was flying backwards. Then a hiss from the pain in my forehead came out of my mouth. How is it even possible to give such a powerful click to send a person flying?

Suddenly, all my thoughts were interrupted by a sharp pain in my back and glasses that suddenly cracked. With difficulty turning my head back, I saw that I had plunged into some kind of rock. It's probably a piece of one of the flying houses. Maybe even the mayor's office. Nodding to myself, I looked down. I wish I hadn't looked there. There was only the ground down and the way to it was, to put it mildly, far away. In an attempt to somehow improve my position, I tried to grab something with my hand. Nothing happened except a slight tremor in the limbs. It was as if hitting my back against a rock paralyzed me.

Like a finishing fact, I felt that gravity was slowly pulling me out of a small hole in the rock and pulling me down. Think, think how to save yourself? Maybe not, I can't move. Maybe create some kind of rune? No, that's not an option either. Even if the shield rune saves me, what will I do next? If I can't beat Discord, then I obviously won't be forgiven for Operation Savant. Maybe. . . Maybe I don't have to do anything at all? Just lie down on the ground and wait for punishment?

While I was thinking, the cracked glasses fell off my face and made a long way down. Then a sneeze came out of my mouth that shifted me forward, which made me closer to falling. Eventually, after the second sneeze, I found myself in free fall on my way to earth. After taking a convulsive breath and closing my eyes, I was able to say to myself: "I give up everything. If I survive and don't get punished, fine. If I survive and go to prison, that's fine too. If I die. . . If I die, I can see my grandfather."

Fuck you, crybaby. I'll handle it myself. Maybe you give up, but I NEVER!

POV Rising Moon

There was tension in the air. From the moment the Captain left, I didn't dare to move a step. What can I say, I didn't even dare to look away from the direction in which the captain went. To follow him is too scary. To leave the city, I don't want to betray the captain. He's been looking very depressed lately.

Suddenly, my eyes caught something flying at great speed into the rock that was under the flying town hall. Captain!? I started to take timid steps forward preparing to run, but I heard someone say loudly from behind: "Hey, you hid the Elements of Harmony, right?"

Frozen in place, I slowly turned around and looked at the questioner. There were six ponies in front of me. The purple unicorn that had previously turned gray was now completely colored. Seeing my look, the unicorn said again, "Yes, I remember it for sure. Daniel gave you a book with Elements of Harmony. Where did you put it?"

Not hearing the answer immediately, all six ponies took a step forward, which made me pay attention to one detail. There was no one around. Where did everyone go? At best, there are still two ponies left inside, as the captain calls it, the tank. But they are unlikely to help me now. I'm surrounded, there's nowhere to retreat. What should I do?

The captain will definitely not like it, but, but someone has to beat Discord. And if my guess is correct, the captain couldn't handle it. I'm sorry, Mr. Sir Boss, I have to.

Nodding slightly, I slowly walked up to the tank and jumped on it and leaned towards the hatch. Alas, I couldn't think of anything better to just put the book on the floor of the tank. I hope the captain will not be disappointed. Out of the corner of my eye, I managed to notice that there was no one inside the tank either. Taking a deep breath, I took a large book with two wings and turned to the six ponies and asked: "Nothing will happen to the captain for what happened today, right?"

The six ponies exchanged puzzled glances among themselves, and the purple unicorn asked: "You do realize that he was trying to steal the Elements of Harmony, right? It's impossible to ignore it. As soon as the Discord situation is over, we will inform the princess about what your boss did. "

Pressing the book closer to my chest, I closed my eyes and sighed: " But the captain just wanted the Elements of Harmony not to get to bad people! I'm sure if he was here right now. . ."

"He would have insulted us and wouldn't have given us the Elements. Like, do you seriously believe that he would have done something different?" A pegasus with a rainbow mane interrupted. Before I could answer, all the other ponies nodded in support of Pegasus' opinion. Six against one. Even the captain did not go into such a confrontation alone, he took me with him. But I'm little more than a support. I can't do anything by myself.

Don't cry, Rising, don't cry. Maybe you're scared, but you need to try for the captain's sake. I almost betrayed him anyway.

Holding back tears, I continued to hold the book with one wing and multiplied my sword with the other. Then, trying to be firm, I held the sword out in front of me and said: "Promise that the captain will remain unharmed. Otherwise, I won't give up the Elements."

The next moment after these words were said, all the ponies looked furious and took a step forward. That's all. They'll tear me to shreds, no chance. I closed my eyes and continued to hold objects in my wings. Come on, let's crush me. Who needs me, right?

Suddenly I felt a gentle touch on me and a soft voice that said: "I promise that I will do everything to convey to the princesses, the idea that Daniel did not want to harm anyone. I'm sure the girls will support me too."

After hearing such an answer, I slowly opened my eyes and saw a yellow Pegasus in front of me with a small smile on her face. For some reason, looking into her eyes, it seems to me that she can be trusted. Maybe she would really keep her word?

While I was thinking , the orange earth pony cleared her throat loudly and added: "But we're not going to lie, you know? Just try to be kinder."

There is no other hope. I will never get better conditions in my life. I hope the captain will be proud of me at least for such a result.

Nodding slowly, I returned the sword to its scabbard and handed the book to the yellow Pegasus. With a grateful smile, she took it and flew up to her friends. Opening the book, they exposed the Elements of Harmony that they quickly put on themselves. Then, without paying any attention to me, they ran forward together to cope with the Discord.

When they had walked a couple dozen steps, I got off the tank's armor and muttered to myself: "We need to check that place. If my guess is correct, then the captain needs help. My help"

After that, I quickly began to gallop forward, while every second my gaze dropped lower and lower. What if I'm late? What if at the moment when I had to run to the captain and save his life, I was standing here doing nothing useful? On the contrary, I betrayed him.

While these thoughts were spinning in my head, I began to accelerate, not paying attention to the weight of all my equipment. Six ponies with Elements of Harmony have already disappeared around the bend. I hope they can handle the Discord.

They will definitely cope. My job is to take care of the captain.

Eventually, I was able to reach a small crater in the ground that had the outline of a captain. There was some blood on the bottom and broken glasses, but the body itself was not there. So the captain is fine. Must be.

"But where should he be?" I asked, looking around. There were no footprints anywhere. It was as if the captain had fallen and then completely disappeared. Suddenly, there was a blinding flash that interrupted all thoughts and forced me to close my eyes. After a few moments, I opened my eyes and looking at my feet I could see that the earth had become normal again. So Discord was defeated.

Sighing happily, I looked in the direction where the six ponies turned and saw. . . a two-legged figure? Captain! Seeing my target, I quickly began to gallop towards him with a smile on my face. He stands so confidently in front of them with his arms spread wide, probably now he is negotiating so that everything will be fine with him. And he will definitely win!

As I got closer and began to notice the details, my happiness evaporated. Discord stood between the captain and the six ponies. But for some reason, his chest and both arms were made of stone. Then I noticed that the captain was standing somehow incorrectly. It looks as if at any moment he can either fall or start moving on all fours.

He probably just hurt himself. We need to go up to him and help him get to the hospital!

Nodding to myself, I sped up again to get to the captain as soon as possible. At some point, my ears began to pick up the conversation between all parties. At first I heard the shocked voice of the purple unicorn: "What, how, when you, what!?"

A cold and deep chuckle was heard in response. Then followed a voice similar to the captain and at the same time completely different: "I just copied what I saw. I was looking at how you used the Elements on the Ahirate. As you can see, my copy is slightly weaker than the original. I was only able to cover one third of Discord's body. "

" And this is your mistake! Now I'm going to chatter and chatter and chatter forever! " Discord answered after taking a couple of steps in a circle. At that moment, I finally got into the crowd and was able to see everything as closely as possible. There was another change in the captain that I couldn't see at first. His sleeves were torn off and his right arm became completely black up to the elbow and for some reason a small dot on his right palm sparkled red. Previously, only two fingers were black.

These are probably terrible burns! The captain needs help!

I took a few more steps forward, which caused the captain to pay attention to me and said in an unusually soft voice: "Oh, here you are. Come on, my boy, come closer, we need to talk. I need to pat you on the head."

Smiling, I quickly started walking towards the captain until someone called out to me from behind: "No, wait, it's not Daniel anymore. This is something much more evil!"

They always think the captain is evil. Now they're just angry that he won.

Ignoring the words behind me, I continued walking forward and eventually approached the captain point-blank. He smiled slightly and patted me on the head a little, saying: "You see, Rising, I noticed a little thing that did not please me. The elements of Harmony are not stored anywhere, they are put on these idiots. I think a smart guy like you should have figured out how I would react to this. And your worst guess is absolutely wrong. "

Before I could say anything, a terrible pain pierced my cheek, chest and stomach and I found myself flying off a dozen hooves. Slightly opening my eyes I saw the approaching captain who hissed: " Useless trash. Without talent, without ideas and without a decent personality. You've never been taken away from an orphanage. Do you know why? Because..."

Suddenly he froze in place and stopped saying anything. During this time, six ponies stood in front of me, which blocked my view of the captain. But despite this, I could hear him say, laughing: "Oh, this crybaby is so funny! He clings to useless things so much that he is unable to take even a small step forward. The baby develops faster than he does. Ha, you're lucky, orphan. I so wanted to completely destroy you mentally and leave you crying on the ground. But it looks like today is your lucky day. Enjoy it while you can."

There's got to be a way to get the captain back, right?

After the captain, or whatever took his body, stopped talking, the purple unicorn gave a voice: "Whoever you are, we will stop you anyway! The Elements of Harmony are with us! And our friends!"

The captain laughed briefly and judging by the sound took a few steps to the side to say: "First of all, call me by the appropriate name. I am Perfection. Secondly, who cares about your friendship and what it will do to me? Your life does not have, and in general the existence of everyone on this planet is meaningless. It would be better if a meteorite flew here and destroyed all of you without leaving any memory of the squalid plastic world. It would be fun. Yes, I think the meteorite scenario is the cutest. It's a pity I don't like cute things. "

Suddenly, the sound of hitting a rock was heard, followed by Discord's voice: " Hey, don't be so cruel! You already made me one-third stone, so you also threw me on the ground! I'm not one hundred percent stone to be treated like this!"

After these words, I felt that the pain throughout my body was getting worse. I'm already lying on the ground, and now I want to sleep too. Restraining this desire, my mind began to cling to the world around me. The purple unicorn's irritated voice was heard: "Enough! Come on, girls, let's show him the strength of our friendship! "

Suddenly, all the ponies rose into the air and began to glow with a dazzling light. Reflexively closing my eyes, I could only listen while my consciousness slowly slipped away. Among the strange sounds made from the elements, I could hear the words of the infected captain: " What a nice ending! The villain has lost again, and the heroes are triumphant on his bones. No one will take away from you an imperfect ending! "Then the captain's voice abruptly faded away along with the bright light. With difficulty I opened my eyes and saw that the captain was lying with his face to the ground. Please be alive. Despite the pain in my chest, I took a breath and said: "Please be fine, Captain. "

He's breathing slowly. You can see from here. It's okay, he'll live.

Every second I felt my eyelids getting heavier and my consciousness was shutting down. Before I lost consciousness, I could see how the ponies split into groups. Yellow Pegasus ran to the captain, purple unicorn and pink pony ran up to Discord who was lying on the ground. The others ran to no one knows where. But there is only one thing that can be said for sure.

Nobody cares about me.

The dawn

The chest rises and falls while breathing. There is a metallic chill in some parts of the body. Have I been chained up? My right hand, I can't feel it. Everything below the elbow seems to be missing. Have I lost it? But when? I don't remember anything after I fell to the ground. But judging by my breathing, I'm still alive. So what happened?

After the fell, there was nothing complete left. Just a feeling. Triumph, hatred, rage, appeasement. Maybe then I can find some kind of witness?

My slowly waking brain agreed with this suggestion and continued to prepare to wake up. Almost immediately, I felt a headache, as if I had been hit very hard on the head with something. As I woke up, I began to pay attention to the lines, or rather to their absence. So Luna or Celestia are somewhere nearby. Or both.

Or Discord! I think I remember, my body started moving on its own and talking on its own. At the same time, it was as if I was looking at everything from the inside, like on a huge television screen. It was as if something had taken over my body. And in this state, I was able to assemble several lines at once in an unknown way and send them to Discord. I do not know exactly how this operation was carried out. Although the main thing is that a third of Discord's body was turned into stone. I don't even know what the scariest part of it.

Taking a deep breath, I tried to straighten up abruptly to get the best view. But I quickly realized that I was bedridden. What kind of chains are these that I can't break? Following curiosity, my eyes slowly opened and looked at my body. Chains were attached to my hands in three places on each of them, on which I saw a faint bluish glow. The same color as Luna's magic.

"You've finally woken up, I see. A familiar and tired voice came from my right. Turning towards the sound, I squinted and saw a dark spot sitting in the corner of the room. Judging by the voice, it's Luna. I would be more confident if I had glasses. But they split up. Should I start keeping track of how many glasses I've broken?

No, probably not worth it. It would be a waste of paper. And we are unlikely to have an opportunity to get at least something in the near future.

Taking a deep breath, I said, and immediately realized how exhausted I sounded: "You already know everything, right?"

Seeing a small movement that looked like a nod, I asked, looking down: "Most likely you have already figured out how to punish me. Can I ask my own questions before you voice it?"

There was a tense silence in the room for a while. During this pause, I noticed out of the corner of my eye that the only light source in the room was the window. I don't know what time it is, but I'll assume it's daytime. And at this time, Luna should be sleeping.

She probably wants to have this conversation on her own. After all, I'm her subordinate. Well, sort of.

In the end, Luna's tired answer pulled me out of my thoughts: "Okay, you can ask your questions. I hope there aren't too many of them."

Sighing, I pointed at the chains around my arms and asked: "Why all this? Do you think I'm going to try to escape? Well, not that such an opinion would be unfounded. "

For a moment, I was met with only silence, as if my question had not been heard. Maybe I asked the question too quietly? Destroying my doubts, Luna took a deep breath and asked: " Do you remember what happened a couple of days ago? Or is everything a blur to you?"

She asks the question as if she had experienced this feeling herself. Had someone taken over her body too? No, Nightmare is, at most, a legend that many sincerely believe in.

Taking a deep breath, I answered and tried to wave my hand, unsuccessfully: "Almost everything is a blur. All I remember is that I was able to somehow channel natural magic into Discord and turn it one-third into stone. Nothing else. "

Judging by the slight shift, Luna nodded and answered with a cough: " Well, the same thing happened to you as to me, or as you like to think, my grandmother. Negative emotions filled your soul so much that dark magic was able to create its own personality. And we weren't sure that when you woke up, you'd be, well, you. So these are precautions."

Wait, don't move on. Here you need to collect as much information as possible. And today you can take Luna's word for it. She has no reason to lie, right?

Nodding slowly, I asked curiously, "But you said that my dark magic is mixed with ordinary magic or something like that. Shouldn't this be a kind of insurance against such cases?"

"Danielle, I'll be honest. In the entire history of Equestria, there has never been an idiot who would try to combine opposite types of magic. Even assuming that you didn't know anything about magic at the time of the unification, you should have sensed that these are opposing forces that don't want to be near each other. Luna replied with some irritation in her voice. Of course, no one knows if this should give a guarantee of safety. But judging by the battle with Discord, there is no guarantee.

Sighing, I finally decided to move forward a little and asked: "Can I take off these chains? I'd like to sit down or even walk around a bit."

Luna, judging by the rapid movement, shook her head and replied calmly: "No, their goal is not only that. As I said earlier, your dark magic has created a personality for itself. And as you can see by your hand, he or she has already been able to completely take a significant piece of you. You can try, I guarantee you won't be able to move the captured part."

Focusing on the blackened hand, I tried to clench it into a fist. Nothing. Zero effect. After seeing some confusion on my face, Luna continued: "Therefore, in order for dark magic not to take away your entire body, I put a special spell on these chains, which requires all six chains, three for each hand. I will say as simply as possible and without going into details, the flow of magic in your body is blocked. If you were a unicorn, you could just put a special ring on your horn. But unfortunately, the only option is these chains. "

Blocked. That is, I won't be able to use any runes.

Following my curiosity, I asked as politely as possible: "Can you explain the principle of operation in more detail, please?"

“No. A person created by dark magic can now eavesdrop, and I would not want him to have even a ghostly opportunity to circumvent my spell. Unfortunately, the Elements of Harmony cannot completely destroy such things, only suppress them. Luna replied with a heavy sigh. It seems like she really wants to avoid having to put chains on me. I feel... happiness from this news?

Shaking my head, I looked at myself again, trying to find something to ask a question about. Suddenly, my eyes widened at the discovery of the loss. The locket that Chrysalis gave me is not around my neck. But I didn't give it to anyone. Where could he have gone?

No matter. It's just a thing. It has no value.

In the end, my eyes caught on one thing on my right hand. There was a red glow coming from the center of the palm. It's like there's something under the skin. Briefly, my gaze looked at the alpha sphere in my chest. It also barely glowed green and was also under the skin. With a thoughtful look, I cautiously asked: "Do you know where this came from on my hand?"

For the first time during our conversation, Luna got up from her seat and slowly walked towards me. After a while, she came close enough to me that I could see her. She's not wearing any jewelry, it seems like this is the first time I've seen her like this. And honestly, she looks better this way. While I was thinking, Luna looked at my hand carefully before answering: "I don't know what you're talking about, everything's fine there."

My gaze went back to the hand. But nothing red was really found. Luna definitely has no vision problems. Maybe I just imagined it?

No, I definitely saw it. Maybe it's some kind of trick or a strange light drop. But we will not change the fact.

Nodding to myself, I answered firmly: "There was definitely something red and glowing. It just disappeared or disappeared. It's definitely not my eyesight!"

In response, Luna just shrugged her shoulders slightly and looked at me, waiting for new words and most likely a question. At that moment, an unpleasant thought occurred to me. The stock of questions has been completely emptied. Of course, there are minor issues, but they are not on the topic right now. So it's time to give the initiative to Luna. I hope, I don't even know what, I don't hope for anything.

Taking a deep breath, I looked down and slowly said: "I think you know what I did in Ponyville. You probably even know what the operation was called. Someone would definitely have let it slip. "

To my surprise, I heard a soft chuckle. I don't even know if it's a fake or sincere pleasure. Anyway, a couple of moments after the chuckle, Luna replied, "Operation Savant. I have to admit, judging by what the witnesses told me, which was more than enough, you proved yourself to be on top. Good organization, considering the situation and, of course, a good reason. Indeed, if I didn't know you, I would really think that you wanted to secure the Elements of Harmony. But we both know that you don't care about their safety."

Is she. . . praising me? Considering everything that's happened?

I lifted my gaze slightly to look at Luna and saw a small grin that was replaced by a calm face. Then she took a step closer to me and looked straight into my eyes and asked, "For now, you can feel safe. My dear sister wants to ask more serious questions in the presence of the owners of the Elements. "I raised an eyebrow slightly and asked cautiously: " So I'm going to answer the most difficult questions while being surrounded by six ponies? "

" Seven. You will explain your behavior to seven ponies. Add me, my sister, and remove the element of honesty. She couldn't come today. " Luna corrected calmly. As if it doesn't matter at all. Either she really doesn't care or she's learned to hide her emotions like Celestia. I don't even know which is worse.

Second, the second option is the worst.

Sighing, I looked at my chains again and asked, "Well, are seven ponies going to crowd into one room, or are you taking these chains off me so I can go somewhere?"

Luna was silent for a few seconds before making her horn shine. With a brief flash of light, the chains disappeared, leaving only the shackles. Before I could do anything, Luna said: "This is the maximum freedom that we are ready to give you, given the circumstances. You can move around quite freely if you ask my sister or me for permission to move outside the castle, but your magic is still blocked."

Nodding slightly, I slowly sat up in bed and threw off the covers. The ribs are visible too good, the belly doesn't seem to exist at all. It seems like I really don't eat much. And this is unlikely to change in the near future. Sighing, I looked at Luna again and slowly got to my feet and asked: "Are the new glasses ready yet?"

"For safety reasons, we decided not to give you points yet. No offense, Daniel, but after what happened, you can't be allowed to pose any danger. All restrictions will be lifted as soon as we are sure that you have been able to subdue your dark side." Luna replied with an awkward smile. It's like she really doesn't want to do this. She probably really has no reason to lie.

By the way, look at the walls. They're dark, so you're not in the hospital. But if not there, then where?

Due to the small distance, I was able to look down at Luna and asked: "Where am I? Judging by the dark colors, this is not a hospital."

Luna seemed to be a little pleased with the question, and with a small smile she waved her hoof before answering: "This is your room. Nothing moved an inch. You know, I know from my personal experience that pleasant memories and familiar places help in the fight against an overabundance of dark magic. Maybe you should try it too?"

It's certainly very nice. But the question is, has the crystal with the soul of Ahirata been discovered? Although, if that were the case, I would have been told about it, right?

Sighing, I cautiously took a step forward and tried to look around the room. Because of the poor light source in the form of a small window and my eyesight, I couldn't see anything at all. Sighing, I looked at my body again. Almost blind, completely devoid of magic and in fact without a right hand. Have I ever been in a more miserable position?

Suddenly, a sneeze came out of my mouth. Oh, yes, allergies. I probably had a more pitiful state only when my grandfather died. Shaking my head, I gathered my strength, scratched the back of my head and awkwardly asked Luna: "Can you show me where the table and my clothes are? If I have to talk, I want to at least be ready. "Fortunately, Luna nodded slightly and took a few steps away from me. Then, when I couldn't see her clearly, she tapped the wood with her hoof and said, " There's a table here, just a little to the left of the window. It's amazing that you don't remember that."

And really, I have to remember it perfectly. Maybe I got some internal injuries too?

Sighing, I slowly walked up to Luna and only when there was one step left, I could see a table and a chair. The most amazing detail was that the teddy bear was sitting on the table. Hmm, it looks like a nice piece of jewelry here. Although without help, I would hardly ever have been able to detect it. Nodding slowly, I reluctantly said: "Thank you, Luna. Now the second question. Where are my clothes? "

Without saying anything, she started taking slow steps again and walked past me. Then Luna stopped at the opposite end of the room and the door creaked. Before I could draw any conclusion, she explained: " All your clothes are in the closet. Including the costume you were given at the Gala."

Nodding, I carefully approached the dark blue spot that was Luna until I could see everything I needed clearly. Instinctively, I tried to take things out of the closet with my right hand. But nothing happened. Sighing, I quickly grabbed my coat and trousers with my left hand before throwing them on the bed.

We need to find an excuse to be alone and check everything in the room. We need to play a game of independence.

With a barely perceptible nod to myself, I turned away from Luna and asked: "Tell me where the meeting will take place. I'll come as soon as I'm ready."

There was only silence in response. Did I say something wrong? No, I think I did everything like a normal person. Well, yes, I'm a little blind in my current state, but that doesn't mean I can't get anywhere on my own. After all, I have a map of the castle. In the table and partially on the head.

Eventually, a sigh was heard, followed by the sounds of footsteps and Luna's words: "Everyone will be waiting for you in the dining room. Don't stay too long. And please try not to get lost along the way. "

Without waiting for my answer, she went to the exit, but I still managed to wave my hand slightly and say: " Don't worry, I have a map of the castle. You just need to make out the necessary turns."

There were no words in response, but Luna chuckled slightly. She then silently walked the remaining distance to the exit before leaving the room, quietly closing the door behind her. Sighing, I focused on the clothes that were lying on the bed and slowly began to get dressed. Well, it's not the first time I've done this with one hand. So it probably could have been worse.

There is always a worse option. Always. Therefore, it is necessary to make every effort to move away from the border of complete horror as far as possible. In other words, to become Perfect.

Sighing, I looked at the sleeves of the coat, or rather in their absence. Who tore them off? Deciding to postpone this issue for later, I began to put my hands in the holes that remained from the sleeves. And almost immediately a question flashed up. Where could my locket have gone? He could have been hurt by the fall, probably. But on the other hand, I could have lost it somewhere. For example, while I was running with a book in my hands. Or in some other place. Heavily. Controlling magic without it will be like swimming after swimming with flippers for a long time. Well, I suppose.

"It probably will be. Well, my magic is still blocked, so I won't even be able to check it." I muttered with a sigh before slightly adjusting my belt. After briefly taking a look at my body and seeing that everything was more or less decent, I drew attention to the blurred table. There should still be a crystal with Ahirata's soul inside.

Slowly, I started walking towards the table, hoping that the artifact I needed had not been confiscated. Although, if he had been discovered, would Luna have asked the appropriate questions? Walking straight up to the table and slowly opening the right drawer, I muttered: "Yes, probably so. It sounds logical."

Dispelling my doubts, a bright red light hit me in the eyes from the desk drawer. Great. Wrapping my left hand around the crystal, I placed it on the table right next to the teddy bear. Now we need to figure out what to do. Like, it can't be that simple, right? I can hardly just insert a crystal into the bear's chest so that Ahirata does everything he needs to do.

Although, I don't have any other options. So this is the only option. Maybe I don't have the Elements of Harmony, but at least in the body of a toy, he won't be able to harm anyone. In this state, negotiations will be much simpler.

Nodding slowly to myself, I put the teddy bear on his back and lifted the crystal over his stomach. With a sharp movement, I punched through the soft shell and released the crystal. And nothing happened. Sighing, I made it so that the bear was sitting again so that it would be easier for me to inspect his "upgrade". Now the stuffed animal's belly was pierced through and occupied by a glowing crystal.

"Well, what should I do with you?" I asked a few moments later before touching the crystal out of curiosity. And immediately remove your hand. It's hot. Maybe I was able to start some kind of process after all. Uh, success probably?

I've been thinking, the pursuit of success has not brought anything good lately. I think we need to give this up for a while. Just a little bit. Gradually, if you want. Don't you want to? Okay, got it.

Before I could even begin to think about it, I heard a sound like some kind of movement. Focusing on the bear, my eyes widened at the sight of the slow changes. At first, there was a barely audible sound like a heartbeat. Then a thin line pierced the mouth and formed a mouth. After that, the teddy bear's chest began to rise and fall slightly, as if he was breathing. And eventually the lifeless eyes closed before opening a few seconds later with some sparkle.

There was silence for a while, during which Mishka and I looked at each other. In the end, I asked, trying to sound calm, "Ahirata, are you alive? And if so, can you speak?"

In response to my question, the teddy bear lowered his head and looked at his body. Surprisingly, he was even able to move his limbs a little bit as if there were real muscles there. In the end, he replied in his own voice, which sounded almost like a child's: "Yes, I am alive. There are no words that can express gratitude for the fact that you allowed me to continue my existence. I owe you everything."

His voice is like that. . . Emotionless. He's probably shocked by the kind of body I've given him. Well, you shouldn't complain about the new life. Considering that his murders are still not forgiven.

Nodding slowly, I put one hand on my side and asked calmly: "As you understand, I'm not doing all this for free. I need information. What do you know about the Elements of Harmony?"

This question seemed to enliven Ahirata a little, and he replied with some contempt in his voice, "These are unholy artifacts. For a long time I have been studying the consequences of using them. And I made a conclusion. After their use, they create something like a hole in which there is absolutely no magic. But this vacuum is quickly filled with the rest of the magic of the world. The great and beautiful nature does not tolerate emptiness. But the void is filling up too fast."

Tilting my head to the side, I waved my hand slightly, signaling him to continue. He opened his mouth to reply, but then groaned in pain and put his paw to his chest. Eventually he calmed down and said: "This body is so weak, I'll have to leave it in half an hour. I'd better not create nerve endings here. But I will continue my story. The magic of the whole world flowing into one point to fill the vacuum creates a hole of a different type. Something beyond my comprehension. Things that shouldn't be here appear from a white sphere.I don't know why, but they don't appear at the vacuum point, but somewhere nearby. Probably because of the rapid movement of all the magic in the world."

That is, the Elements break through reality in a very complicated way, very briefly, but they do it. At least that's how I understood it. And the white sphere is similar in description of what sent me here. However. . .

"I need physical evidence to believe you, Ahirata. You know for what reason." I answered by raising my hand slightly. I need something else to trust him. I just feel like I shouldn't trust this thing.

To my surprise, the answer came instantly: "You were in my Tartarus, right? Do you remember the books that were placed behind my throne as a mockery? One of them was not from this world. I'm afraid to make a mistake with the name. In my opinion, it starts at Necro. Necro, necro, Necronomicon!"

Yes, such a book was really there. Only here's a caveat. A Discord was inscribed in it. But, so be it, I'll give you a credit of trust. Tiny, microscopic and at huge interest rates.

Sighing, I looked at Akhira with clenched teeth and asked: "Let's say I started trusting you. What now? What should I do with you? Or is the useful information from you over and I can already finish you off for everything that happened? "

Ahirata only slowly waved one of his paws in response and replied with his head down: " During the time that I was sitting in the crystal, I had the opportunity to think a lot. And. . . and all the killing done by me, all the pain inflicted on others, doesn't make sense. You're right, I don't have a single word in my head justifying these actions. For me, my own goal has no meaning or value. After a millennium of rotting and forgetting parts of my life, I have nothing left but an idea. Now I have nothing at all. So you can do whatever you want with me."

Is he whining or what? How annoying.

For a second, I felt like punching a teddy bear's head in an instant. But after taking a deep breath, this desire was suppressed. No, it's still useful. At least as an excuse. Yes, in response to any unsolicited question, I can point my finger at him and say that he is to blame for everything. There won't be any harassment against me, will there?

Nodding slowly to myself, I grabbed Ahirata's head and quickly headed for the exit. Just a couple of moments later, I felt soft touches on my arm and heard a frightened voice: "Wh-What are you doing? Where are you taking me?"

With a grunt, I pushed the door to the exit with my foot and looked around and said: "I have neither the time, nor the desire, nor the nerve cells to judge you. And what luck, today I need to meet with a group of ponies and have a not very pleasant conversation. And I intend to use you as an argument for my innocence. After all, it was because of your words that I had the desire to take away the Elements of Harmony."

When I finished speaking, I got my bearings and squinted, began to walk slowly down the corridor. During this, Ahirata pondered and eventually replied with his paws down: "I can suggest that you were trying to steal the sources of unholy power. Unsuccessfully. It's a wonder you weren't imprisoned in stone or underground for a thousand years."

Mm, there are too many people who respect and recognize me to get rid of me. Yes, that's right, I have a whole nobleman, a prison governor, two mayors and a bunch of soldiers with two tanks. All of them will absolutely be loyal to me at the right moment and absolutely respect me. Besides Flying, he's a traitor.

Sighing, I stopped for a couple of moments trying to figure out if I was looking at the right turn or not. In the end, I managed to see something that looked vaguely like a pot of flowers. So this is exactly the turn I need. Nodding to myself, I went in the right direction and finally answered: "I just had a better plan than you could ever come up with. Anyway, get ready to talk. Most of the uncomfortable questions will be answered by you. "

In response, Ahirata said softly in a slightly hollow voice, as if he was talking to himself: " I'm in such a pathetic body. In just half an hour, if not less, I will have to sell myself again. I can't believe it's come to this. Who would have thought that almost immediately after the creation of my Tartarus, everything went this way? "

With a slight shrug of my shoulders, I replied, continuing to walk forward: " In a way, you deserve it. Like, you call Tartarus yours. My Tartarus. I can safely conclude that you were involved in its creation. Usually, I can extract humor even from terrible tragedies. Like, haha, watch the plane and the twins. But this, no. I didn't appreciate it at all."

Seeing the real hell with your own eyes is not very pleasant. The realization that sins in life will really be punished is really frightening. Not a single blow will go unanswered.

Surprisingly, Ahirata said softly, "My Tartarus, it shouldn't look like you saw it. It used to be a beautiful garden, underground where no one would find it. Using the magic of many souls, I was able to cast a spell on the whole world. After death, the human soul goes to Tartarus and restores the body, without the mind. It was a paradise where everyone could be free. In which anyone could live a second life, which would be as long as the first one. But without my car, Tartarus turned into a nightmare. If they would let me, I would like to undo the spell. "

After that, I just sighed. It's a lot of information to digest, especially at a time. But, I'll take it into consideration. There was silence, as if my lack of reaction could make Ahirat shut up. Surprisingly, it turned out that way, and the rest of the way was in silence and relative calm. Well, apart from the fear of hitting the wall due to incorrect distance estimation.

When I saw the outline of a large door in front of me, I took a deep breath. You need to go in extremely effectively, immediately disarm everyone. Then I'll just throw Ahirata on the table and make him talk. Bang, bang hooray for victory.

Nodding to myself, I took a few quick steps to the door and pushed the door open with a sharp kick before entering the room. After a quick glance around the room, I noticed a large table with many ponies already sitting on it and saw one empty seat for myself. As I got closer, my brain began to notice similarities with an already so distant memory. The position of each pony is the same. Well, except that Applejack isn't here. Okay, one more pony, one less. Moreover, there is a plate of fish and potatoes in front of my place at the table. It's the same as last time.

Echoes of an old and crushing victory. . . It happened in the year when a little red kitten asked for help on the other side of a puddle. But four years have passed since that moment.

With a quick shake of my head, I covered the remaining distance, still holding Ahirata in my hand. Surprisingly, the ponies didn't say anything, as if they were paralyzed by something. Either they noticed my right hand, or a live teddy bear in my hand. Or something else, it doesn't matter. Just pull yourself together, Daniel, you have better terms this time. We will win in the same place, in the same way.

With a deep sigh, I threw Ahirata into the middle of the table and said, pointing with my finger: "Hey, heroes, do you remember the guy you shot with a rainbow ray last time? Well, he's alive. His soul is in a plush toy, but don't worry, he can talk a little. And provide some information that will allow me to mitigate my punishment. Although it is more correct to say, to completely cancel my punishment."

After these words, all the ponies except Twilight, Celestia and Luna stared at me like I was crazy. I even saw the corners of some people's lips lift slightly, as if they wanted to laugh. In response, I just sighed and sat down in my seat, propping my head on my fist. They'll see everything now.

Fortunately, Ahirata slowly stood up on his small paws and sat down in the middle of the table and looked around. Almost immediately, I noticed the fright in his eyes. It's like he's about to be torn apart by wild hyenas.

In any case, he has no way to get out of this situation. He was already moving right in front of their eyes.

After a while, Luna activated her horn, which caused a glow to envelop Ahirata. Bringing him closer to her and looking at the crystal in her stomach, she said calmly: "Daniel, I don't know where you found a live toy. But how. . ."

Before she could finish, Ahirata interrupted her with anger in his voice: " He's right. I am the monster that you imprisoned for a thousand years and forced to rot alive. Or has your immortality already taken away these memories like so many others?"

What? Does even he believe that? Everyone has some kind of obsession with the immortality of princesses.

Thanks to squinting, I could see Luna's eyes wide open, either from shock or fright. With a jerk, she threw the plush toy away from her, back to the middle of the table, and with a brief flash, summoned her sickle sword. Assuming the worst, I got up slightly from my seat and said slowly, "Hey, hey, calm down. At least give him a chance. A chance to justify me, of course. Just pretend he's not there until I point my finger at him."

For a while, Luna just held the sickle in her magical aura. Then Celestia gently placed a hoof on her shoulder and whispered something in her ear. Fortunately, it worked, and Luna made her weapon disappear with another flash. After a few seconds of silence, Celestia cleared her throat loudly and said calmly, "Daniel, I think you already know why you're here. You're probably already guessing what answers they want from you. But I want to assure you of one thing."

She smiled tenderly and put a hoof to her chest and said: "I promise that your punishment will be as lenient as possible, if at all. It is already clear that you were under the influence of dark magic and were controlled accordingly. I just need to understand what's going on in your head, Danielle. Just answer our questions, okay?"

This is a deal. Or as normal people call it, "a promise." She mitigates my punishment to the limit and I answer the questions. I don't know what her benefit is, but I agree.

Nodding slowly, I put my left hand on the table and said reluctantly, "Okay. But know that I perceive mitigation of punishment, at least, for the absence of a prison term. So if I end up in jail, don't doubt me escape and revenge for lying."

In response, Celestia only nodded briefly and looked at Twilight as if giving her some kind of sign. When I turned my attention to her, I found nothing. I don't have any glasses. I've seen the princesses' faces many times enough to put together a picture of blurred images. Closing my eyes, I just waited for any words. Soon there was a flipping sound before Twilight asked, "A question from Rarity, what happened to the city? Even after Discord was defeated, many roads in the city looked terrible and the road in front of the library was completely black. And that's not to mention a lot of dirt here and there."

That's right, Discord. I wonder where he is being held now?

While my thoughts were distracted, Rarity's polite voice was heard elegantly adding: "I just assumed that you might know why it happened. As you said, Twilight, you moved around Ponyville a lot that day. I would like to talk to the bully who ruined the city so much. "

Sighing, I looked in the direction of the voice and focusing on the white spot said: " Maybe you saw it, but the soldiers under my command have a transport equipped with a flamethrower. I called it a tank. Since the soldiers had to be transferred as quickly as possible, I had to use armored vehicles. And along the way, a flamethrower came in handy. To evaporate the soapy water. "

There was silence in the room for a few moments after my answer before Twilight muttered: " Now it's clear why there was a strange smell in front of the library. The soap and water were evaporated. Although this does not explain why the smell lingered so long."

Shrugging my shoulders, I replied with a slight wave of my hand: "I've said everything I know. You can do your thinking later. Next question."

Fortunately, no one argued, and Twilight asked the following question after a second of silence: "A question from Twilight. Oh, it's me. Khem, anyway, why did you try to take away the Elements of Harmony?"

Ahirata, your way out.

Pointing my finger at the plush toy on the table, I calmly replied: "I wanted to take the Elements away because of what he told me. I tend to trust people, you know?"

To my own surprise, the ponies turned away from me and focused on Ahirath, who was sitting in the middle of the table. After a few seconds of silence, he coughed slightly before answering: "After each use of the Elements of Harmony, something gets into this world that shouldn't. We are both a prime example of this. If my theory is correct. And it is true. It should be. Probably."

There was only a dull silence in response, as if Ahirata's words had really made the pony think. Well, or they don't trust him a bit. Hmm, well, since no one is talking, then I have an empty seat. Chuckling, I loudly hit my fork on my plate to attract attention and said: "After learning this information, I concluded that it might be possible to reverse the effect and return back. You felt sorry for me for being alone, remember, Celestia? If so, you must understand my wish perfectly well. "

Fortunately, without making me wait too long, Celestia sighed and asked a simple question: "Here in Equestria you have a good position, prospects and most importantly friendship. You may not think of me as such, but I am your friend. So why would you leave? For what?"

Um. . . Well, I should. It's just necessary, absolutely necessary.

My gaze began to wander around trying to find at least something. You can't just say it's necessary and hope it ends the conversation. Come on, brain, you have enough sleep today. So I have to work and give out great ideas!

In the end, I lowered my hand and took a deep breath, quietly replied: "I do not know why. I just have a feeling that it needs to be done. I feel that it is impossible to give up on this. There is no logic to this. Are you happy with this confession? Or did you expect to see tears? Then I'm sorry, during the time I went to drama club, I didn't learn how to cry on command."

When I finished speaking, I squinted and started looking towards Celestia, trying to see her emotions. It didn't work out, as always. Before I could take a breath, I heard another question from Celestia: "Daniel, I've never wanted anything like this from you. I just want to help you and for that I need to know more. So please answer my other question. What are you dreaming about? Why do you keep fighting every time, even in desperate situations?

For the sake of common freedom, for the sake of the right of every person to be a real person, and not a toy made in a factory. Now we are fighting for the ultimate weapon, then we will fight for freedom.

Nodding slowly to myself, I answered calmly and calmly: "I want to become Perfection. I want to achieve such a level of independence from the rest of the world in order to become truly free. And in the end, Perfection will become a beacon of freedom for everyone. I will be a symbol of the fact that a person can live the way he wants. No restrictions. "

There was silence in the room after my words. As if no one had ever thought that my goals were exactly like that. It's very strange considering that Celestia and Luna should know perfectly well that I'm achieving Perfection. I kind of talked about it at the first meeting, sort of.

" But Perfection is impossible. None of us are perfect. And that's a good thing. Twilight said softly, making me frown.

"Yes, even in the millennia that we and our dear sister have lived, none of us have been able to achieve the state that you are trying to strive for." Luna added calmly. How. . .

"Even I, the fastest Pegasus in Equestria, can't be perfect at everything. At least in the egghead stuff." Rainbow Dash continued in her typical cheeky voice. You. . .

"Darling, ambition is certainly a very attractive character trait, especially for a stallion. But it's impossible, no way. Believe me, becoming perfect even in one particular area has been already extremely difficult, especially mentally. " Rarity politely added. Are...

" And even if it were possible to become perfect, why do it? If you become completely independent from the rest of the world, then you won't need anyone. And then you won't have any real friends! " Pinkie Pie spoke out, rocking excitedly in her chair. All...

" Daniel, maybe you need to stop and get some rest? Drink tea, chat with ponies who are ready to listen, try to find relaxing activities. Maybe you need some peace and routine? " Fluttershy quietly suggested finishing the combination. Same.

Useless, pathetic, identical and indistinguishable from each other. Crush them, here and now. Do it, crybaby, for Perfection, for me.

Hitting the table hard with my fist, I replied coldly: "So you yourself pointed out what worries me. There are eight people in this room, including me. And how many opinions are there? Two, two fucking opinions! Explain your existence, justify it, I want to hear your own arguments! How would the world change if six people died in this room, leaving only me and Luna? Although, no, let's try another scale. If seventy-five percent of the population dies now, what will change? The number of opinions, conflicts and problems will not really change. All of them will just take a smaller scale. Your existence is not justified, yet."

I was about to raise my left arm and get up from my seat to continue, but I felt pain all over my body. Like a taser, an electric shock ran through my entire body, causing me to stagger and return to my chair. Before I could make sense of anything, Luna quickly teleported to me and looked at me carefully. But not at me, but at my right hand. No one cares, it's easier for everyone to get hung up on everyday life than to start thinking. Who was the last person to create their OWN opinion? That's right, I Am.

After a few seconds, Luna pulled away with concern on her face and said thoughtfully in her voice: "It has grown further. It looks like the magic I cast turned out to be too weak. With negative emotions, there is still too much dark magic."

Hearing her words, I clenched my teeth to keep from screaming and looked at my right hand. Now, the darkness has moved a little further than the elbow. The progress is small but noticeable. This cannot be ignored. As well as the increased headache, oh. Putting my good hand to my head and lightly rubbing it, I asked irritably: "That much, nobody gives a fuck? At the sight of any negativity, have you completely blocked out and switch to another? Damn it..."

Luna interrupted me by putting her hoof in my mouth and saying, " No, I care. It's just that the words that are coming out of your mouth right now are influenced by the darkness inside you. These are not your words. You would never say them, especially in this state."

Don't believe her, crybaby. She just sees you as a keychain to show off, remember? Of course . . .

I felt a second more painful shock blow all over my body, which caused my stream of thoughts to completely stop for a couple of moments. When I came to my senses, I quickly shook my head and looked towards Luna and asked with clenched teeth: "Can you calm down? Or will you electrocute me until there are no whole connections left in my brain? "

Luna watched me for a few more seconds before sighing and answering with some regret: " I'm sorry, but the spell on your shackles is automatic. The pain you're feeling is a consequence of my spell working. It reacts very sharply to large flows of magic. I apologize again. "

Taking a deep breath, I straightened up in my chair and answered, covering my face with my palm: " Okay, I don't like it, but okay. Let's just move on to another question. We need to hurry, after all. Ahirata's body is not very reliable. "

" Yes, I have about half an hour left. Although now it is less. This plush toy is burning from the inside just because of the presence of my soul inside. Fortunately, there are no nerve endings here," Ahirata added quietly, continuing to sit in his place in the middle of the table.

Ha, found time to draw attention to myself.

Upon hearing him, Luna, continuing to stand next to me, cast an irritated glance in his direction and said: "What a pity, I was going to have a separate conversation with you. And then execute you for all your deeds."

Celestia cleared her throat loudly and said in a stern voice, "Luna, I told you so. If possible, the villains are better understood and try to reform. And we have the opportunity now. We just need to figure out how to make our, uh, surprise guest more resilient. "

Tapping my plate with my fork again, I drew attention to myself and said: " Don't waste time. Here's a quick solution for you, figure out how to recover his almost completely rotted body that lies in Tartarus. Think about this idea sometime later, and now keep asking me questions. "

Fortunately, I was not kept waiting long and, clearing her throat, Twilight asked: " A question from Luna. What did..."

" What did you tell your soldiers before your so-called operation? And how difficult was it to convince them? " Luna interrupted, deciding to ask her question on her own. Hmm, that's nice.

If I could remember what I said to the soldiers, it would be so easy. It's especially hard with a headache.

Sighing, I scratched my head a little before looking at Luna and answering: "Well, if I remember correctly, I told them that the threat in the form of a Discord had been released and it was necessary to secure the most important points of the city. Plus, it should be borne in mind that I had only soldiers with me whom I personally trained. Except for Report and Flying. So there can be no complaints about newcomers."

After a few seconds of silence, Luna nodded, accepting this answer. Suddenly, another memory flashed into my head. Rising quickly approached me with relief on his face. First, I stroked his head. And then, in an instant, he struck several blows all over his body. Oh damn, damn, damn!

"Where is Rising? He's fine, isn't he?" I asked anxiously, looking around. Although it didn't make much sense, considering that I only saw Luna clearly.

He couldn't have died, could he? I couldn't have inflicted fatal wounds on him! Not to him. Not to him. Anyone but him.

Luna seemed surprised by my concern and after a second replied reassuringly: "Don't worry, he just has a couple of broken ribs and is in the hospital right now. Nothing fatal. It was as if the blow had been made to leave only non-fatal wounds. This is very strange, considering that your body was under the control of dark magic. "Completely ignoring the last sentence, I quickly got up from my seat and demanded with a sharp wave of my left hand: " Take me there urgently. I need to see him and talk to him as soon as possible! "

" We haven't finished talking yet. I know this is your favorite move, Daniel. You're always trying to say something confusing so you can turn around and leave. I won't let that happen today," Luna said firmly, looking up at me. Uh, I hope she never gets taller.

No matter. Now we need to figure out how to break through. At this point, I'm winning.

Before a single word could escape my lips, Celestia said with a strange mixture of severity and tenderness in her voice: "Luna, look how genuinely worried he is. Besides, he has already answered the most important questions. So the conversation can be stopped at this point and let him meet with a friend. "

Well, it's not the option I wanted, but I don't think you should complain. Let's write it down as a victory won by the reinforcements under my command. Nodding to myself, I looked in the direction where Celestia was supposed to be and said with a slight nod: " Thank you. Oh, I can't believe I'm asking this, but can you teleport me to my place right away? In the current state, it will be easier and faster for you and me. "

Judging by the movement in the area of her head, she nodded in response before saying: " Okay, come closer to me."

Um, not that it's easy in my current state.

Slowly, I started walking next to the table, constantly keeping my hand on it. In the worst case scenario, I'll trip over the edge of a chair. Continuing to walk slowly towards Celestia, I muttered: "By the way, I won't eat fish. Of course, thanks for the effort, but it doesn't make much sense. I have already said that fish is my least favorite meat. But I feel much better about shrimp. Write this information down somewhere in the future."

Celestia didn't say anything, but I assumed she nodded. Anyway, I finally got to Celestia and saw that she, like Luna, didn't have any crown or anything like that. Was she trying to make this conversation more informal or what?

My thoughts were interrupted by the light of Celestia's horn and a sudden bright flash followed by a feeling of complete disappearance. It's like I'm gone. Damn, Celestia, she didn't even ask about my willingness. The next moment, I felt my body again and leaned against the nearest wall and began to breathe rapidly. Between sighs, I was able to say, "Teleportation is definitely a bad way to get around. In a different situation, I would never have agreed to this. "

Next to me, I heard a quiet giggle before Celestia replied, "Well, I do not know what to say to that. Let's look for where your friend is resting now. I'm sure he'll be glad that you're okay and you've come to visit him."

Okay? This is a very strange statement considering that my right hand is not working, my magic is blocked and my glasses have been taken away. I have never felt so "good".

I restrained my indignation and just looked at Celestia with suppressed annoyance. She seemed to take the hint and slowly started walking forward down the corridor before saying, "Your friend is in room 421. If you see it before me, please let me know before you enter. I wouldn't want to lose you at some point. "

Rolling my eyes, I put my hands in my coat pockets and answered: " In case you haven't noticed, my eyesight is far from the best. So I'm unlikely to be able to make out the number on the door plate if I don't approach each one point-blank. "

Celestia laughed briefly before responding tenderly, " Don't worry, I'm sure you'll be able to return your glasses and take off those shackles soon. You just need a little peace, care and relaxation to finally push out the darkness. "

As if that would work. I doubt very much that even with the best option, I will have a working right hand.

Sighing, I decided to occupy myself a little and asked: "Well, what about the Discord? And where is he?"

"Oh, Discord. Well, in his current state, he turned out to be completely harmless. So far, I've given him a small room in the castle. Don't worry, it's heavily guarded. For now, I'm thinking about doing his reformation. You know Fluttershy, right? I think she can make it better and discover the wonders of friendship. Celestia replied dreamily. How stupid.

Well, the main thing is that my job. . . not completed. Operation Savant failed miserably. Another defeat. How pathetic, insignificant, and not progressing I am.

Taking a deep breath, I continued to follow Celestia and reluctantly asked another question: "Let's go back to the last topic. Let's say that calmness and relaxation can really help me. How do you suggest I do this? I hope that you understand the level of my concentration on work in recent years. And under recent, I've been growing up for more than a quarter of my life. "

Celestia was silent for a while before launching into a barrage of suggestions: " I can spend some time with you, listen to how you feel. I always have time for my little human. You can try to spend time with your friends. You already have at least one, as can be seen from your reaction. Can you, uh, close old conflicts? You know, bury the hatchet. There are a lot of options, my little human. And whichever option you choose, I and many others will be there to support you."

After hearing all these suggestions, I looked away. She says it in such an attractive tone that I really want to take some of it. Okay, let's look at it. Bury the hatchet? No, war is a chance for me to win. Although considering the dynamics of my victories in recent times, hmm. Okay, let's move on. Go to Celestia and cry. No, definitely not. Spend time with "friends ". Previously, I would have called them Rising and Flying. But considering the betrayal of the latter. Hmm, keep your friends close and your enemies even closer.

But I don't have time for all this nonsense at once. So you either need to choose one thing or do everything at the same time. We'll have to try to plan it all later.

While I was thinking, Celestia managed to find the right door and stopped in front of it. : "Your friend is behind this door. Should I stand here and wait for you, or should I leave?"

After a couple of seconds of silence, I put my hand on the door handle and said: "You can leave here. I'll probably have a long conversation and apologize. And I can find a way out somehow. I hope so."

In response, she just nodded and slowly turned around before starting to leave. With a deep breath, I gripped the door handle tightly and slightly opened it just enough to see what was going on inside. There, my eyes could only recognize something that looked like a bed and something dark lying on it. The main thing is that Celestia doesn't lead me on the wrong track.

Gathering all my strength, I opened the door to the end and took a step inside. Then another one, this time much less confident. The third step that made the whole body shudder. Maybe turn around and leave? Like, I don't even know what to say in these situations. "I'm sorry?" This is ridiculous! I broke his ribs and sent him to a hospital bed. If the blow had been less successful, the lung would have been punctured by an edge. Now, I could be standing over the grave!

"Mr. Sir boss? Is that you?" Wearily and cautiously, Rising asked, shifting slightly in his bed, which led to the last in the form of a painful moan escaping from his mouth.

He's hurt. He's in pain and scared. You can't show weakness or retreat now. You need to come and say everything that needs to be said. No matter how much I don't want it.

Nodding slowly, I walked closer to him and stood right in front of the bed on one knee to communicate with Rising on almost the same level. At this distance, I saw that he was lying on his back and his chest was well bandaged. At least he's alive. It's okay, it's going to be okay.

Sighing, I gently stroked his head with my left hand and replied: "Yes, it's me. I'm here, the threat is over. You have nothing to worry about, Rising."

Because of the stroking, he flinched slightly and gently moved my hand away from his head. Despite my reluctance, I removed my left hand, obeying Rising's desire, and lowered it onto my knee. After a moment of silence, he tried to make an awkward smile, completely unsuccessfully, and replied: "I'm sorry, Mr. Sir boss, but. . . but after what happened, your stroking evokes, evokes, not the best memories. Please forgive me, but I really don't like it!"

Sighing, I just nodded slowly and said: "Okay, Rising, I'll respect your opinion. Just let me be there for a while and apologize. The fact that I didn't control myself doesn't negate my responsibility for hurting you. By the way, um, listen, I have a couple hundred bits in my room that I haven't spent. I can compensate for the harm I've done to you, at least partially. Just tell me what you want and I can buy it for you."

Yes, this reserve was planned to be used to create flamethrowers for personal use of soldiers. Completely replace conventional weapons. Well, or create at least one prototype. But the situation is like this. Making amends is a most important activity.

Rising in response, to my surprise, shook his head and replied with a small smile: "Thank you, sir, but I just don't need it. The most important thing for me is that you took the time to visit me. No one in my life has ever shown me as much attention as you. What else can I want besides this kind of attention?"

For a few seconds I just stared at the wounded thestral in surprise. Just to take and give up such an opportunity? Although on the other hand, if I were him, I wouldn't know what to ask for myself. In the end, I looked around and saw a chair in the room and asked, "Well, if you don't want anything, then I have no right to influence it in any way. Then I have my own request. Can I sit here with you for a while? In fact, a lot, at least a couple of hours. "Fortunately, Rising smiled slightly and said before yawning: " I'm only glad, sir. To be honest, I really wanted to sleep, but I couldn't. But I think it will be easier for me to do this with your company."

Yes, I will keep his dream alive. This is how I compensate for my guilt.

My hand reflexively reached out to the Rising head but a moment before touching and stopped myself. He doesn't want to be touched by me. Sighing, I slowly got up, went to a chair and sat down on it and said quietly: "Sleep well, Rising. No one will bother you. I promise."

In response, he simply nodded and with another nod turned over on his side with a small groan. After that, having heard no words or sounds other than his regular breathing, I propped my head with my left hand to keep myself conscious. While he's sleeping, I have to be active, otherwise it won't be a full-fledged atonement.

Sighing, I looked out the window of the room from which the sunlight was shining and muttered: "I think the darkness is over. Now my dawn will come."

My Perfect dawn.

The darkest zero

Take a deep breath, exhale. It's been a week since I woke up, right? It seems, yes, I haven't lost track of time. It's amazing, considering how my sleep has deteriorated. I haven't slept ONCE lately. Surprisingly, I did not die from overwork, I just think several times slower. Someday I will definitely ask for sleeping pills. Although, who am I trying to fool? Every time I tell myself that I'm going to do something, I forget about it after a few minutes!

Calm down, Daniel, you didn't come here today to be nervous once again. I'll, I'll listen to Celestia from the part. I will close all the contradictions and at the same time deal with the closest problems.

Taking another breath, I slowly opened my eyes and checked my current position. Flying was standing right in front of me, impatiently tapping his hoof on the table on which the menu was lying. He behaves as if there was no betrayal, he doesn't care at all. Shaking my head slightly, I took a look at myself and my position. The table we were both sitting at was located on the street next to one of the establishments in Ponyville. And they didn't have any chairs. Yes, I'm sitting right on the dirt. Well, you can be patient.

I chuckled slightly to myself and almost immediately after that, Flying kicked the table in annoyance before asking, "What are we doing here anyway? And where did Rising go?"

Raising an embarrassed eyebrow, I asked, looking him straight in the eye: "You were right here when I sent Rising to the office. How could you not hear that? "

A smirk appeared on his face for a moment before answering irritably, "Madman, I was busy with more important things. I was trying to find something normal in this menu. But there is nothing here but useless cocktails and cakes! Who eats and drinks this stuff anyway?"

Thank God, he doesn't like sweets either. Although perhaps the whole point is that he is a changeling. Flying said something about feeding on love or, in extreme cases, alcohol. It looks like the stomach can't digest the rest. Or he just doesn't find it tasty.

Sighing, I waved my left hand dismissively and replied with a small smile: "I'm glad that we agree on at least this issue. Only a person who does not respect himself will eat sweets. But back to your question, I sent Rising to the office to buy papers and a pencil. I have a job to do in Ponyville. "

" I mean, I wouldn't be able to buy myself wine anyway. Oh, it doesn't matter, I'll be patient. I'm more interested in why did you drag me here? " Flying asked reluctantly, as if he just wanted to keep the conversation going. To get more information out of me in the future. That's what spies do, right?

It's okay, it's okay. Considering how much he doesn't care, he's not really interested in being a spy. And anyway, Chrysalis seems to be our ally. Something like that.

Sighing, I focused on the lines, and after making sure that there was no one to eavesdrop on us, I quietly replied: "Well, you're like a spy assigned to keep an eye on me. Here, you're next to me, you can do your duties. And I feel calm when I see you right here in front of me. You can't do anything serious. "

Surprisingly, Flying covered his mouth with a hoof to hold back laughter, but still a few separate laughs escaped. He eventually calmed down and replied with a smirk, " Do you think I'm following you? No, no, no. A couple of months ago, I received a great letter from the Queen. You've been declared a minor project. So now I need to send reports about you not once a day, but once a week. I'm more than happy about it."

A minor project?

Tilting my head to the side, I suddenly sneezed, but quickly gathered my strength and asked: "A minor project? Like, Chrysalis thought that I would be very important and useful, but now I'm secondary and not important? How did this sudden change happen?"

Unfortunately, Flying shrugged his shoulders and replied uninformatively: "I was not provided with such information. I was just informed that I no longer have to waste tons of waste paper on you. Which I am very happy about. Finally, the work has stopped being unbearable. "

Sighing deeply, I shook my head and asked: " Anyway, why you? Initially, I was considered an important project, well, as my brain understands. And in that case, why exactly were you following me? You don't look like, you know, a responsible employee. "

" Hey, I was the best scout of all! Maybe I was sent to watch Everfree, where there is no reason to watch. Maybe I was never allowed to have a proper rest in the hive and was always bombarded with extra work. But I assure you, I am the most loyal scout to her royal majesty and the best." Flying replied with resentment and anger in his voice. Is he serious or is he pretending?

Seriously. He lives in a carefully constructed illusion. The slightest attempt to break or shake it will cause aggression. Just don't touch it. It doesn't harm you, so you don't need to do anything with it. At least today.

Sighing, I closed my eyes and waved my hand. : "Okay, I'm not going to argue with you. Just sit here and don't go anywhere. If you suddenly find Rising before me, then tell me. Please."

"Please. Okay, okay. Flying replied with sarcasm in his voice. But judging by the lack of any movement on his part, my order was obeyed. How nice, maybe I can find a way to win him over to my side. Of course, Chrysalis is like my ally, but I would like to have people subordinate to me in my environment. For my own safety.

Yes, this is the right course. All attempts at an offensive have failed, so we will defend ourselves. We will close all conflicts so that there is no more danger nearby. If there is no battle, there are no losers.

Immediately after nodding to myself, I felt a pony approaching me from the right. Judging by the shape of the wings, this is a thestral. Well, there are no questions about who it is. Smiling slightly, I opened my eyes and looked towards Rising and saw a dark spot. Well, they didn't give me my glasses back. And it is unlikely to be returned in the near future.

In the end, Rising came close enough for me to properly see his body stripped of armor. He had sheets of paper in his teeth, a pencil balanced on one wing and a bag of money on the other. Seeing his workload, I got up from the ground and walked up to him without shaking myself off. Carefully pulling the paper out of his mouth and taking a pencil, I said with gratitude in my voice: "Thank you, Rising. I really don't want to show myself to people, especially at this time of day. I hope you didn't overexert yourself. "

" Ugh. " A brief comment was made by Flying, which caused me to cast an irritated glance in his direction. Instantly, he whistled and looked up at the morning sky. Soon any thestral will want to sleep. It's better to solve all the cases before that.

While I was thinking, Rising managed to collect his thoughts and awkwardly smiling to answer: "Always happy to help, Mr. Sir Boss. But you worry too much about me, really. I'm fine, all the wounds have already healed."

Did you take the mental damage so well?

Shaking my head slightly, I sat down at the table again and quickly counted the paper. Six sheets of paper. There is no room for error. Well, doing written work the first time is not my first time. Sighing, I put the sheet in front of me and asked, looking back at Rising: "Do you want to help me with something? If not, then you can keep the bag of money for yourself and go have fun. Just don't waste it all, we have to get back to Canterlot in the morning of the next day. "

He only smiled slightly and took a few quick steps to the table where he put the bag of money. Then he quickly sat down on the ground and asked looking at the blank sheet, " What business are you talking about, sir? "

" Like, an attack pact. No, non-aggression. Like Ribbentrop and Molotov. Only on an individual basis. Six pieces. Uh, yes. " I replied haltingly and quickly realized to what extent my tangle of thoughts was confused due to lack of sleep.

Right now, everything will be fine. Take a deep breath, exhale and speak slowly.

From the side, I heard Flying's brief laugh and saw Rising's confused face in front of me. I quickly put the pencil on the table and, clasping the bridge of my nose with two fingers, began to speak slowly: "I want to conclude a contract with each of the heroes. In it, we will clearly define in which areas we should never overdo it. This way, I can feel safe for myself and finally give up on unsuccessful offensives. Ugh, unsuccessful attempts at an intellectual game. In short, you get it. "

" Well, it's boring. Now I won't even have fun watching your antics, madman. " Flying replied with disappointment in his voice. I don't even know if I should get upset or try to fight back.

"I disagree. I think that's a good thing, Mr. Sir boss. You haven't seemed to rest at all in the last few months. They were constantly planning something, going back and forth or teaching us in the end! You really needed a rest for a long time. Rising said, looking at me with a small reassuring smile. At least someone supports me.

Nodding slowly, I took the pencil in my hand again and started thinking about who to start with first. Of course, if it works out, I'll go to each of the six ponies and ask them to sign a contract. The question is, who should I start with? Hmm, you probably need to start with someone who is already awake at such an earlier time.

Do you remember that orange pony? Like an Applejack. She had some kind of cowboy hat on her head. Maybe she works on a farm or something?

Sighing, I put a pencil to the paper and slowly began to write what came to mind. The first part was probably the easiest to write. What do I want from her? Non-interference in the affairs of the army in particular and all affairs in Canterlot in general. Okay, that's sorted out. Now, what does she want from me? Wow, it's difficult considering that I've never had one-on-one contact with her at all.

I looked up from the paper for a second and asked out loud: "What can a girl, ahem, a mare want from me? In what areas does she want me to stay away from her?"

Almost instantly, Flying grunted and replied hoarsely: "Oh, she doesn't want you to stay away. She needs you to be as close as possible. On her farm, in bed. "" Fuck you, this is a serious topic. Rising, do you have any suggestions? " I asked hopefully. If he doesn't come up with anything, then I will have to take over the entire burden of mental work. Do I need to say why this is an undesirable option?

There was a frustrating silence in the air for a few seconds as Rising shifted uncomfortably in place. But in the end he cautiously suggested: "Maybe just leave a free space in the sheet so that she can write what she wants?"

It's cute, of course, but who knows what a hillbilly would want? What if her demand is, I do not know, all my possessions? Not that I have a lot of it. And it's not like I would need to sign the paper before I see her demands.

For a couple more moments, my brain tried to come up with a better idea, but realizing the failure, I reluctantly made a dash under which I wrote that these were the requirements of the receiving party. Like I'm the offering party because I'm offering and she's the accepting party because she's accepting. Is it logical? Not really, I agree.

Sighing, I quickly made a few more additions to the agreement and getting to my feet said: "Okay, it looks acceptable. Maybe. So let's go to the farm. I remember roughly where she is. I hope this is the only farm nearby."

Fortunately, no additional persuasion was needed, and both thestrals stood on all fours. Nodding, I looked around and started trying to remember the map of the city. So, a long time ago, when I was attacking Ponyville and everything was simpler, I created several explosions. One is next to the bridge, another is next to the tree and the third is among the apple trees. We compare them.

Applejack. Jack is a drink that grandpa disliked very much and called a pathetic parody of real alcohol. Apple is a fruit. It grows on trees. Conclusion: perhaps Applejack has something to do with apple trees.

"Well, why aren't we going? I hope you're not going to stand here all day." Flying replied almost immediately after my train of thought ended. God, I'm so slow now.

Quickly shaking my head, I turned around on the spot and holding the piece of paper tightly in my hand, said: "I just had to remember the route. Follow me, you two. And someone, please, take the rest of the paper."

Just in case, I glanced back and noticed that both thestrals were looking at each other in an attempt to figure out who would carry the paper. Oh, well, yes. It's probably not very convenient to hold such things with wings. Sighing, I put the pencil behind my ear and took the rest of the paper with my left hand. Having made sure, that everything was holding up, I turned around and said before going forward: "I hope you are satisfied. Now don't whine and follow me. Rising, tell me when you see the bridge. And in general, tell me if I'm going into a wall somewhere."

Just don't say anything. Be silent, the head does not take out the load.

Fortunately, both thestrals started following me almost immediately. Unfortunately, Flying decided to ask me a relatively simple question: "This is all very well, madman. But why would you bring us along?"

Continuing to walk forward, I clenched my teeth, holding back my irritation. He definitely wants to piss me off. Since Rising is nearby, it will not be very appropriate to talk about a spy. The orphan is hardly ready for such information. So, you need to come up with a new reason or get it out of your sleeve. Which is not easy, considering a week without sleep. Come on, head, we're working overtime today.

Uh, it's going to be all right, wait. The reason I carry these ponies around with me is because I'm incapacitated. Yes, that's right!

Sighing and accepting this idea, I finally answered Flying's question: "If you didn't know, I haven't slept for a whole week. So I can safely be declared incapacitated at the moment. And you two are needed so that if I fall to the ground from overwork, you can take me to the hospital. The reason is very significant. "

In response, I heard a snort that amused me, and Flying's displeased response: " Okay, madman, okay. The reason is counted. Are you happy with yourself? "

" I am very happy. Thanks for asking," I replied almost instantly, unable to keep from smiling. It's a pity that none of them will be able to see her.

Although, no, it's good. When was the last time I brushed my teeth? That's right, when I was on Earth. That is, almost a year. Whoa, wait. I got to Equestria around the beginning of summer. Or at the end? Damn, I don't remember. Anyway, it was summer. And now it's April. Almost a year in Equestria.

Quickly shaking my head, I quickened my pace a little and began to try to calm down. It's just been almost a year. It's not over yet. And anyway, why did my brain decide to concentrate its last strength on this!? When it was the first of April on the calendar, this asshole couldn't summon anything! That day I just sat like a vegetable and stared at the ceiling. Even my own brain is betraying me!

Suddenly, I felt a pain running through my whole body and quickly stopped in place. My eyes found something hard on the right, which I immediately leaned on and took a deep breath. Damn Luna magic shackles. A really terrible thing.

While I was recovering from the impact, a worried Rising ran up to me and asked, standing right in front of me, "Mr. Sir boss, what happened? Why did you stop!? Are you feeling ill? Do I need to look for a hospital?"

How caring he is. Even though I broke a couple of his bones, I haven't controlled his body yet. Okay, stop resting, it's time to work.

Taking a deep breath, I staggered away from the hard surface that looked like a wall and answered by slightly raising my left hand: "Luna put these shackles on me so that I could be myself. Well, so that I don't break a couple of bones again, you know?"

After a few seconds of a worried look focused on me, Rising gave his comment: "Judging by your reaction, this is very painful. Are you sure you can keep going? By no means, I don't want to offend you, Mr. Sir Boss, but you look very, very bad. "With a sigh, I was able to squeeze out a grin and say with a little laugh: " Looks can often be deceiving. But not this time. Your observations are one hundred percent correct. But I need to do something. In addition, we have the opportunity to stay in a relatively safe environment. Like, at least we're not under surveillance right now and we can say whatever we want. Yes, Flying, absolutely no one is watching us, right?"

Come on, spy, the answer to this question is wrong. Make Rising suspect something.

Unfortunately, Flying looked confused for only a second before answering with a chuckle: "Yes, no one is watching us. I would have heard if that wasn't the case."

With a disappointed sigh, I pointed with my left hand to the right and asked Rising: "Is there a bridge in that direction? Or am I off course? "

I saw an awkward smile on his face before he cautiously pointed a hoof behind his back and said: " Actually, the bridge is there. You've lost your way quite a bit, sir."

You know, he can see fine, so it's better if he leads the group forward.

Nodding uncertainly to myself, I replied after a moment of silence: "You know what, Rising? You will lead us forward. All you have to do is find the apple trees. Use a lone tree on the hill as a guide. There should be apple trees to his left."

Fortunately, Rising didn't try to object and just nodded before walking towards the bridge. With a satisfied grunt, I fully recovered from the shackle effect and began to follow him. With a snort, Flying started following me at some distance. Respects personal space? Or do I smell bad again?

No, definitely not the second one. From boredom and lack of classes, I began to wash much more often. Just yesterday I washed four or five times. Surprisingly, it's not bad. It's really nice to be so clean.

Smiling slightly, I continued to follow Rising and have almost completely recovered from the electric shock. I wish I could still restore my eyesight and normal sleep patterns. Although, the second is absolutely impossible. Luna has long taught me to sleep during the day and work at night. Ah, this morning sky beckons so much to go to sleep.

After a while, I noticed something blue out of the corner of my eye. We must have already reached the bridge and my eyes noticed the river. I know, I know, I was a great detective. Just after I grunted, Rising looked around and said with a yawn, "Okay, we're on the bridge. I see a tree on the hill over there, just like you said. And what's next? "

" You want to sleep too, don't you? - "I smiled briefly before answering the question" -Well, look around and find a line of trees with apples. Although at this time of the year, the harvest should not be harvested. Damn, this is a problem."

We'll manage, we'll manage. There is no task that cannot be solved. Even in the worst situation, there should be a book with a good solution somewhere at hand.

I nodded slowly to myself and looked at the back of Rising's head, waiting for any words. Fortunately, he did not keep me waiting long and replied quite: "It's okay, sir, I found it. I see something red on the trees, which means apples."

After that, he turned to me as if he was waiting for an answer. Chuckling, I quickly nodded and waved my left hand and said, "Fine, Rising, lead the way."

Almost instantly, he turned away from me and started walking with a slight slope to the left. After a couple of seconds, Flying and I started following him at a calm pace. Unfortunately, the silence did not last long. Flying accelerated his pace to walk next to me and looking into my eyes he asked, "Well, I'll get paid for my torment, huh? You know, like in the good old days, when you bought me white wine. "

I stared at him for a moment, surprised by his audacity, but after a moment of reflection, I slowly replied: "Okay, maybe we can arrange a trip to the local bar. Drink very little."

"That's a good approach, madman! I approve of that. " Flying replied with a smile and an active nod.

Who is interested in the opinion of a traitor and a spy?

Quickly shaking my head, I continued to speak, in a firm voice: "Yes, yes, we will go to the bar. But under several conditions. First of all, we are not spending a lot of money, we still need to return to Canterlot. Secondly, it is forbidden to drink a lot of even the cheapest alcohol. The maximum is half a bottle for each person. And I will be especially careful about the execution of the last point. Keep an eye on you. "

" Hey, unlike you, I didn't get drunk to the point of losing my memory and didn't run all over the city. Flying retorted with a grin. What an arrogant spy. And I can't even give it out normally and safely for myself. If such a person was sent to me, then maybe I should stop cooperating with Chrysalis? It doesn't look very profitable lately.

You know, German soldiers were promised a piece of land as a personal plot for the victory over the USSR. And well, you can, you know, ask for a piece. The entire southern half of Equestria, for example. As your personal country. With such resources, finding a way to return to earth will be a hundred times easier. At least there is a jungle in the south.

This thought lingered in my mind for a few seconds. For the help, I have every right to demand a piece for myself, especially considering that I have not received any help lately. Okay, maybe I'll talk to Flying about how to contact Chrysalis. Yes, it really looks good. If Chrysalis really starts to take over Equestria, I can tell my soldiers to retreat and then they will be protected by the collaborators. So they'll be fine.

My thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of some blows and screams. Quickly shaking my head, I stopped, looked around and found that Rising had already led me to a lot of trees with apples. Damn fruits surround you from all sides. Taking a deep breath, I looked ahead and saw that Rising had also stopped with concern on his face. Flying's reaction doesn't interest me much.

After taking a few steps forward, I put my hand on Rising's back and asked: "What do you see? All I can do is hear it. But this is more about Flying. Although now we need information from any sources."

I hope he gets the hint.

"Oh, do you want me to tell you what I hear? Well, I don't even know if I want to." Flying replied with fake thoughtfulness. What else did I expect from him?

With extreme reluctance, I sighed and looked towards the impudent thestral and ordered: "Work if you want to get the wine. What do you hear? "

Rolling his eyes, he paused for a moment before slowly speaking: " Some kind of Pegasus is flying. He hits something wooden and screams some kind of nonsense. It's not the words, it's more like sounds. Well, I'm done. I can't hear anything else. "

I nodded slightly in response and Rising finally replied with embarrassment in his voice, " Yes, I can see from here. Judging by the rainbow mane, this is one of those, well, with whom you are in conflict. And she's destroying the barn for some reason. Oh, I noticed one more thing. There was a normal road here. We shouldn't have walked among the trees."

Well, what's done is done.

Taking a deep breath, I was silent for a few seconds thinking about what to do. I probably need to ignore this and look for an Applejack to discuss the contract. I took a step forward and closed my eyes for a moment. The Earth pony lies relatively close to my right, clutching its head with its hooves. Maybe it's my goal, maybe it's not. On the other hand, a unicorn is approaching me from behind. But it is so far away that it can be ignored.

Nodding to myself, I opened my eyes and said before taking a few steps forward: "Let's stand somewhere in the open. We'll stand there until they notice us and start talking. I want them to think that they are in control of the situation. "

Almost instantly, Rising started following me while Flying took a couple of seconds to make the same decision. Unfortunately, the calm walking was interrupted by Rising's nervous question: " Mr. Sir boss, I do not doubt your abilities in any way. But are you sure you can go ahead of the group? It's just your eyesight, well, you know without me."

He's right, I'm incapacitated. If an attack happens now, I won't be able to win. Without magic, without a right hand, and without sight, what can I hope for? Teamwork? This is ridiculous.

Sighing, I slowly shook my head and replied, continuing to walk forward: "Rising, you're kind of right. Purely logically. But there's something you're not taking into account. I want to be the leader of the group. And I want to stand in front so that when the conversation starts, I will speak. This is necessary so that no one forgets who is the leader in our group. "

"Hmm, in that case our group should be called moles or something to reflect the essence of the leader." chuckled Flying. Oh, I'm sure he's very proud of his high humor.

Ignore it. Just don't do anything. Stopping in the middle of the road and looking towards the barn, which looked to me just like a big spot, I replied with a light wave of my hand: "Yes, I really hope so. Now stand here and wait for people to pay attention to us and start a conversation."

By the way, where's the bag of money? We didn't leave it on the table outside, did we?

Gritting my teeth, I turned to Rising, who was looking intently at the barn, and asked with hope in his voice: "Rising, you took the bag of money, right?"

Instead of answering, the thestral froze in place and seemed to have almost stopped breathing. Yes, the bag was left there. I really hope that no one took him away. With a deep sigh, I reached out my hand to his head, but at the last moment I stopped and just said: "Please fly quickly and try to find the money. If you don't find it, just come back here. Even in the worst case, it's not your fault."

Rising didn't say anything for a few seconds and just looked towards the barn. In the end, he flapped his wings slightly and rose into the air, saying with a slight yawn: "I'll do it as soon as possible, Captain. I hope I have enough strength."

Without waiting for any words from me, he began to flap his wings faster and, gaining altitude, flew towards the city. Sighing, I put my hand on my side and asked rhetorically, "Do you think they'll ever notice us?"

Come on, attack, make a sarcastic and humiliating comment. I know you, spy.

Surprisingly, Flying just shrugged his shoulders and replied quite normally: "Well, you're tall, so it's hard not to notice you. If you want to attract attention, can you, I do not know what you can do? I didn't bother to memorize your abilities. I wrote about them in the report once and forgot. "

Surprised by this answer, I completely ignored his question and asked my own: " Why didn't you say anything sarcastic? Are you tired? "

" Yeah. If I laugh at you all the time, I'll soon get tired of it. And I want to enjoy this job as much as possible. " Flying calmly replied, closing his eyes for a moment.

I don't even know if I should be happy or angry.

Before I could make a decision, Flying opened his eyes and quickly turned around. Interested, I looked in the direction in which he turned and saw some kind of purple spot. And judging by the lines, it's a unicorn. We add the details. . . Probably Twilight. After a couple of seconds, I nodded slightly to myself and just after that Flying said with a laugh: "Oh look, a piece of a house is flying into it. There's going to be such a laugh."

Lifting my head up, I managed to make out a brown spot flying across the sky. Probably the truth is the board. Lightly stroking my chin, I began to assess the distance. Maybe, maybe if I run forward and don't stumble along the way, I'll be able to protect Twilight from the board. There's just one small question. Why would I do that?

After a few seconds of fruitless reflection, I asked out loud, "Do you think we should try to save her? Or at least warn you?"

"Why? It'll be more fun if we don't do it and just watch. Besides, are you sure you can even intervene? You're a mole, after all." Flying replied with a chuckle. As much as I hate to deny it, he's right.

Rolling my eyes, I looked ahead at the purple spot and began to wait for what would happen. In the end, the board landed in the ground right in front of the unicorn, causing no harm. Next to me, I heard a disappointed sigh from Flying. Grinning, I briefly looked at his disappointed face before I heard Twilight ask loudly, "Hey, what's going on here? And, what are you doing here?"

After that, she walked around the board and started running towards me quickly. In response, I just put one hand on my side and waited for Twilight to do it. As she approached, Flying said softly, shaking his head disapprovingly: "I am disappointed to the core and my day is ruined. For this, I have the right to demand more than one bottle."

I broke that whiner's head. Or break his spine. Do something, but get rid of this useless garbage.

Before I could even begin to think about it, another charge of pain ran through my whole body, which made me stagger slightly. Clutching my head with my left hand, I clenched my teeth and said, looking at Twilight: "Flying, just keep quiet and don't whine. I'll do the talking, and you'll just stand there like furniture. "

In response, I heard only a grunt without any words. I hope it was an agreement. Anyway, Twilight had already shortened the distance enough for me to see her, and she repeated her question: " What's going on here? And why are you here? I thought the princesses told you to stay in the castle."

Hmm, is she hiding her anger very well, or is she really not mad at me for Operation Savant? Well, I don't have time to think about it.

I lightly waved the sheets of paper in my hand and replied: "I was looking for an apple pony to conduct some negotiations. Oh, her name is Applejack, right? Uh, anyway, I came here and saw the barn collapsing here. Well, now I'm waiting for someone to start a conversation with me. "

Twilight's eyes widened for a moment and she asked with a hint of reproach in her voice, " And you decided it wasn't worth getting involved in this? Doesn't it seem obvious to you that Rainbow Dash is just destroying the Applejack barn? They must have had a serious fight!"

Should I tell her that I literally feel Applejack's presence next to me? Hmm, no, Twilight is unlikely to believe that. Especially if it's going to be me.

After a couple of seconds of silence, I looked back towards the barn. Then I folded all the sheets on the floors and put them in my pocket before rubbing my chin. In the end, I said slowly and thoughtfully: "Judging by what my eyes are recording, Rainbow Dash is doing this without any pleasure. Oh, I meant without any aggression. From this we can conclude that she is not angry. So there is no revenge here. I can assume that she was paid to destroy the barn. Yes, my eyes don't confuse me. "

" Wait, you can't see well, you need glasses! How did you even see what was going on there, and even more so the emotions on Rainbow's face? " Twilight asked confusedly. Ha, ha.

Grinning, I stopped rubbing my chin and said, " No way, I didn't see anything. I just wanted to practice speaking without facts. Judging by the fact that you believed me, I'm going to do well. Thank you for lifting my spirits, Twilight. It's really not bad at times like this."

Twilight seemed to ignore my gratitude and just walked by, grumbling to herself, "I don't have time for this. My friends are fighting and as a good friend I have to help them."

Well, you can get involved in this. Or you don't have to do it. Maybe it's better to talk to Applejack.

For a few seconds, I stood and looked in the direction in which I felt the earth pony. Just come up, show the paper and ask what she wants. But, won't it be too sudden? In the end, I sighed and muttered to myself, "We need to do this more subtly. And anyway, if you think about it, the idea of a contract is kind of stupid. Why did I even come up with it? "

" Of course it's stupid! At best, it's just super boring. But in fact, no one would agree to this. Like, do you really think that someone will sign a contract with you? " Flying spoke out as he came closer to me. How rude.

No, it's okay. He's not mocking, he just has an unusual way of expressing his thoughts. Very similar to me.

Sighing, I nodded slowly and crumpled the contract in my hand. Then I put the paper in my pocket to throw it away later, but I felt something strange in my pocket. Something jagged and sharp. Oh, that's right, I took the phone with me. I don't even know why. I guess I'm just more used to having something in my pockets. Well, it doesn't have any value in its current state anyway. So, if necessary, I can even give it away.

Almost immediately after my thoughts ended, I felt something flying behind me. Turning around, my eyes could barely make out a dark spot in the sky. Judging by the lines, it's Rising, and judging by how slowly it's flying, it doesn't have any good news with it. Although, hope dies last, right?

That's right, hope dies last. To be precise, hope only dies when a person dies.

While I was trying to calm myself down, Rising had already reached me and landed a couple of steps away from me and lowered his head down. For a few seconds he just stamped his hoof on the spot without saying anything. Taking a deep breath, I asked with a little sadness, "The money wasn't there, was it?"

Rising swallowed and nodded quickly before looking down again. Now I have no money, and I need to get to Canterlot somehow. One trouble, on the other. What's next?

No, I have an idea. Did you see how nervous Twilight looked? That's right, she needs something. If I help her, then I can ask for money in debt. It's not the most reliable option, but do I have others? That's right, no.

Sighing, I turned towards the barn and noticed that no one was flying around it. Frowning, I asked confusedly, "Did anyone see where Twilight went? Ugh, I wanted to say Rainbow dash. In short, where did the Pegasus with the rainbow mane go?"

I felt Rising shrug slightly, but Flying grinned and pointed his hoof up. Thank God he did it with his left hoof, otherwise it wouldn't have looked like the best gesture. Shaking my head quickly, I looked up and saw a blue spot. As if reacting to my view, she began to dive down and at high speed. Hmm, is she going to crash to her death? I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. What a tragedy.

Probably a normal person at this moment should be nervous and try to dissuade the pony from suicide. But it seems that I will never become a normal person if I need to take care of the well-being of people who are absolutely not close to me. Or I'm just missing some very important detail.

My train of thought was interrupted by a sound like the loudest thunder. Opening my eyes, I opened my mouth in shock. A huge mushroom appeared from the place where Rainbow Dash supposedly landed. Just like a nuclear bomb. No, it's, it's an illusion, right? The ponies don't turn into nuclear bombs when they die, right!?

Briefly glancing at the thestrals next to me, I also saw the shock on their faces. I don't even know which of the three of us is the most surprised. Shaking my head, I looked up and saw something falling. Pieces of earth, maybe? Like, what else can fall from the sky after a nuclear explosion?

Inhale, exhale. Let's assume for now that this is not a nuclear explosion. Just for the sake of my own sanity. Now it's better to focus on making sure that no one gets hurt. We need to restore our reputation somehow.

Nodding to myself, I looked at the pieces of earth and said loudly: "Rising and Flying, take a few steps to the side. Preferably, hide under the trees altogether. If they were left after the explosion. I can't see it. In short, figure out how to escape from pieces of earth falling from the sky."

Without waiting for their response, I went to the side in which I felt the presence of two ponies. An earth pony and a unicorn. Slightly speeding up the pace, I was able to run the right distance and saw an orange and purple spot in a small ravine. Looking up for a moment, I saw that presumably pieces of earth were falling on them. I don't have time to run to them. And there is no magic. Well, damn it.

Trying to do something, I shouted loudly: "Change the location! Pieces of earth are going to fall on you now!"

Unfortunately, I was too late and before they could raise their heads, the earth collapsed on them. Well, judging by the fact that the lines haven't disappeared, they're still alive. Rainbow Dash, by the way, are also alive. Is this a victory, perhaps? Although no, I did not influence the event in any way. I lost.

It doesn't matter anymore, it doesn't matter anymore, Daniel. No one died, it's already good.

I took a deep breath and jumped into the ravine and ran up to a pile of earth that was mixed with planks. Yeah, what an explosion. I started walking towards my destination, hoping to help the pony get out. But Applejack got out of the rubble without any problems and jumped out of the ravine without paying attention to me. Twilight also got out from under the rubble after a few seconds, looked towards the barn and then slowly walked away. And she doesn't care about me either.

Taking a deep breath, I turned around and shouted loudly: "You two! Come to me, Armageddon is over! "

Fortunately, I felt both theatres begin to walk towards me. First, Rising appeared in my field of vision with concern on his face. Flying appeared second with a slight irritation on his face. After a moment of silence, he asked in a hurried tone, " Great, you don't want to make a stupid contract anymore. Now we can go back to Canterlot and continue doing nothing."

Did he hear anything at all? Or does he have some kind of trouble making sense of the words? Not that I would be okay with it in my current state. But he's sleeping fine!

Shaking my head quickly, I replied before turning around: "We need money to get to Canterlot on time. Which were stolen from us. So this is my plan. I'm helping Twilight with what she needs, and in return I'll ask for money in debt. Everything will be cool, just keep quiet and maybe I'll buy you a white wine in a couple of days. If you behave yourself, I'll buy you more than one bottle. "

Before anyone could say anything, I staggered due to my sudden U-turn, my head bent slightly and eventually I lost my balance completely. In the very next moment, my brain was able to cope with the sudden rush of information. My legs don't strain, I'm not standing. My face feels kind of wet. Yes, I fell into a ravine.

It's okay, Daniel. Be collected. Get up, dust yourself off, pretend that everything is fine and get the right to the money. Everything will work out.

Slowly, I got down on one knee and, after a second's hesitation, stood on both feet. During this time, both thestrals had already managed to stand right in front of me. Rising looked at me with concern and asked, "Are you. . . Are you all right, Mr. Sir Boss? Maybe you should get some rest? Maybe even get some sleep, now is the perfect time! "

Before I could formulate any response, Flying covered his mouth and said through suppressed laughter: " Everything is fine with your face, with your face. Don't touch him or try to do anything. "

Calm down, he's not lying. He just wants to laugh. Don't get mad.

Sighing, I partially wiped my face on the back of my hand and said, taking a sharp step forward: "Flying, shut up, you're not helping. Rising, thanks for the offer but no. I need to solve all the problems as soon as possible."

Without waiting for their response, I focused on the lines for a second. Twilight has already gone far enough, but she has not left my field of observation. Nodding to myself, I slowly began to accelerate and eventually switched to running. Fortunately, both of my companions hesitated for only a second before starting to follow me. Continuing to accelerate and follow Twilight's silhouette, I soon got onto a normal road. I hope they haven't lost sight of me.

They shouldn't have. You didn't accelerate to your limit. Like, you've never really reached the limit at all, crybaby. But don't worry, I...

Feeling another pain running through my whole body, I abruptly stopped in place and took a deep breath trying to cope with the pain. Goosebumps ran all over my body and my head felt slightly dizzy. But eventually the discharge of energy throughout the body subsided. Sighing, I took an uncertain step forward and saw a purple spot ahead on the road. We can assume that I was able to catch up with her.

Nodding to myself, I jogged the remaining distance and when I could see Twilight properly, I asked: "As I see it, you're nervous for some reason. Do you need help with anything? "

For a second, she jumped back and looked at me in surprise, as if she hadn't heard me coming, although how could she have let go? You probably need to be very deep in thought. Eventually, she calmed down and replied with nervousness in her voice, " It has to do with friendship. And I don't think you're well suited for this task. I'll go, I have no time to waste!"

Well, she's right. Almost completely. But I've read a lot of books on psychology. I know the official definition of friendship as a relationship between people. I don't understand, but I know. So I'm not useless!

While I was thinking, Twilight had already started moving forward on the road again. On the other hand, the Thestrals have fallen far behind. By strongly, I mean that they are not in my field of vision. It looks like I really accelerated too much. Sighing, I decided to continue following Twilight. In just a couple of seconds, I got to her and said, "Look, I've read a lot of psychology textbooks. So just explain what's going on. You can't write me off just because I've never had any friends. "

Twilight looked at me briefly before sighing and speaking quickly: " I send Princess Celestia reports on my friendship research every week. Today is the last day and I have nothing! And if I don't send a report to Celestia, a terrible thing will happen."

I have not seen any firing squads here. My soldiers will not take part in terror while I am alive. I didn't notice any guillotines here either. So what's to be afraid of?

I quickly shook my head, trying to dismiss the question. If she's really nervous, then she doesn't want to hear that the problem doesn't matter. Sighing, I continued to follow her and suggested: "And are you trying to find some friends so that they can tell you something about friendship?"

For just a moment, I managed to see Twilight's surprised eyes before she calmed down and said, "Well, almost. I usually learn friendship lessons from the problems that my friends have. Fluttershy always has a problem, so I'm going straight to her."

Fluttershy. Yellow Pegasus. Hair, some color, I don't remember exactly what. If I remember correctly, she lives near the forest, almost outside the city. It's too long to walk.

I rechecked my train of thought for a few seconds before nodding slightly to myself and asking curiously, "What if Fluttershy doesn't have a problem? You'll just waste a lot of time and you won't be able to find the problem, let alone solve it. You need to aim at a cluster of ponies, so it will be trite to have a better chance of finding a pony with a problem."

Twilight suddenly stopped in place and stared ahead without any emotion on her face. Standing right in front of her, I lightly stamped my foot on the ground, waiting for any action. Eventually, a strange, even somewhat creepy smile appeared on her face. It was as if she suddenly had a jaw injury. Does she always smile like that? Poor woman.

Suddenly, she took off and said loudly as she ran across the grass towards the tree: "That's right, a picnic! I have to meet my friends!"

Uh, fix the profit?

Wrapping my fingers around the bridge of my nose, I tried to breathe, but the action was interrupted by a sudden sneeze. Uh, allergies are my favorite thing that happens in the spring. Quickly shaking my head, I felt the approach of two thestrals. Judging by the rapid rise and fall of their chests, they were already out of breath. But the work is not over yet.

Taking a deep breath, I raised my left hand and waved it and shouted: "Hold on, open your second wind, you will do anything! Running as well as the day is not over yet!"

As soon as I felt a faint nod from Rising, I smiled and started chasing Twilight. Unfortunately, during the time I was standing, she managed to run so far away that it was almost impossible to see a lilac spot against the background of the landscape. And she has already gone beyond the zone in which I feel the lines. So you can't fall behind.

Out of fear of losing sight of my target, I started running faster and faster. Unfortunately, due to allergies, it was very difficult to breathe. If I have to run too long, I'll just suffocate. Well, I hope that doesn't happen. I don't want to stop and breathe through my mouth like a weakling.

Mmm, do you remember when you were fat and you were the last one in gym class? Yes, everyone was laughing at you. : "Look, he's fat and gets tired quickly! How weak he is!" Do you remember what happened next, crybaby?

Suddenly, another bolt of energy ran through my body, causing me to instantly fall to the ground. Damn it. Bracing my fist on the ground, I got down on one knee and began to catch my breath with my mouth. After a while, my gaze lifted and fixed all six ponies next to the tree. The same tree that I fought against a long time ago.

While I was catching my breath, someone tapped lightly on my back. Turning my head back, I saw that Rising and Flying had caught up with me and the first one was lightly tapping my back with a wing. Like he's trying to comfort you? It's. . . nice. I don't even want to get up.

You can't stand still. We need to keep moving.

Slowly, I got up on both feet and said tiredly, looking at Rising: "Thank you, Rising. If you had continued to do this, I could have died right here. Oh, I meant to fall asleep. Yes, I could fall asleep now. "

Rising nodded slightly and replied with a small smile, " Don't mention it, sir. It's hard for you right now, it would be very rude of me not to help you. It's a thank you for everything you've done for me."

What exactly does he value? It doesn't matter. No, it's fucking important! I need to know what I've done for him to appreciate it so much. But it would be stupid to ask directly.

While I was thinking, Flying said with annoyance and disgust in his voice: "Great, a couple. Now can you stop doing this abomination in front of me and get down to business?"

Nodding slowly, I turned away from the thestrals and started walking towards the six ponies. As I got closer, my ears were able to pick up the conversation between them. Although I would call it bullying a person. Twilight teleported between her friends, talked about her emergency problem with a report for the princess and they laughed in response. They laughed and called her problems a trifle.

I remember a similar situation. I came to my father and told him that I was being bullied at school. What did he say to help his only child? That's right, he said that it's nothing you can tolerate. Asshole.

Taking a firm step forward, I clapped my hands loudly and said loudly with anger in my voice: "How pathetic you are! Except for you, Twilight, I have no complaints about you right now."

I felt that all the ponies, except Pinkie Pie, who was laughing lying on the grass, turned to me. Sighing, I took a few quick steps towards the laughing pony and shortened the distance by putting my foot on her chest. When I put all my weight on her, the laughter stopped and she shouted in displeasure: "Hey, Dani, it hurts me. Friends don't hurt each other!"

I continued to push, squinting, which caused Rainbow Dash to fly into the air and threaten: "Don't touch my friend! I'm giving you five seconds to leave or I'm going to kick your ass."

Useless trash.

An exasperated sigh escaped from my mouth, followed by my speech: "Why are you defending her? Don't answer, I know the answer. You help her because you understand her problem and know how to solve it. You understand what's wrong with what I'm doing now. But, Twilight's problem doesn't bother you. Do you know why? You don't care. You don't care about anything that you don't understand and that you can't handle. You are afraid to admit your own weakness.. "I was silent for a moment, but without giving them time, I said the conclusion that suddenly appeared in my head:
" Your life, ladies, is just a sound
Greedy for attention but pathetic without observers
Today the cry comes from your dear friend
But the other sounds have long been forgotten by your ears
Expect tomorrow, with tears in your eyes and blood in your mouth
That there will be no help for you either in the first or in the last month."

Ah, art. It's a pity that they don't understand anything. But at least we've spoken out, right?

Sighing, I took my foot off Pinkie's chest and took a few steps towards the lilac patch. : "If you want, I can try to write a report for you. You can just edit my sketch quickly. Are you satisfied with this option?"

"Are you suggesting that I cheat the princess?" Twilight replied in shock, taking a step back. Hmm, who said that I would lie?

Quickly shaking my head, I said, "No, no lies. We'll write in the postscript that I wrote the report, and you edited it. You can count it as two lessons in one. The first is in the report, the second is that you accepted my help when it was needed. I think Celestia will accept it. "

" There's already been a lesson in accepting help," Twilight replied awkwardly. First of all, what's the difference, I have the first lesson that will be in the report. Secondly. . .

Repetition makes it cool. Oh, no. Repeating the same thing over and over again is madness. That's not it either. Now, now wait.

"Practice leads to perfection. " I just replied, looking straight into Twilight's nervous eyes. In response, she turned away and looked at her friends with a frown. Judging by their lowered heads, I managed to make a strong impact. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that both thestrals were standing at a relative distance. They haven't followed me since I got to my feet. Did you want to give space or were you betrayed?

Suddenly, a sneeze came out of my mouth and almost instantly Twilight said, "Be healthy. And I made a decision. Let's go to the library, you sound very confident. I hope you really have an idea for a friendship lesson."

"Lessons of friendship." It sounds ridiculous to be honest. I like the word report much more.

Chuckling, I waved my left hand towards the two thestrals and said, "Come with me. Oh. Twilight, do you mind if these thestrals come with me? They're like, well. In short, I need them nearby."

Twilight was silent for a few seconds before quickly nodding and asking in a hurried tone, "Okay, they can come with you. Is that all? Can we go now? "

" Yes," I said, and the next moment Twilight broke from her seat and ran towards the city. Sighing, I waved my hand, signaling the thestrals to follow me and began chasing the unicorn. Fortunately, they reacted almost instantly, and Twilight's friends did not interfere in any way.

Well, we are nearing the end of the main task for today. Well, how to say it. We haven't actually done anything. We got into a problem and broke out. Now the last step remains. You need to understand what to write in the report and do it so that you can somehow connect with friendship. Inhale, exhale, it's time to think.

As I continued to follow Twilight, I began to think. Friendship, according to the textbook, is a stable relationship between people based on common interests. In practice, friendship is a relationship in which one of the parties skillfully influences all points of the other party and thus conducts manipulation. Everyone wants to maximize benefits, and manipulation ensures this in a friendly relationship.

Sighing, I slowly shook my head and looked out of the corner of my eye at the city. Many ponies have already woken up and walked back and forth. Judging by the fullness of the streets, today is a day off. Hmm, a friendship lesson. I will interpret this as a lesson on how to properly interact with each other. What don't normal people like? Uh, well, that's about all I usually do.

"Today I learned the lesson that you can't eat meat if you want to keep friendship with a pony. " It doesn't sound good. But I don't think we have any more time to think.

My eyes widened when I saw that we had already reached the Library. Twilight opened the door wide with her magic and quickly ran into the room. I briefly glanced in the direction of my companions and, making sure that they were nearby, took a few cautious steps into the library.

Almost immediately after my arrival at the premises, Twilight said, "Sit down at the table, I'll bring the parchment and ink now."

Reluctantly obeying, I sat down on the floor in front of the table in the center of the room and felt my ear, behind which I had left a pencil. Of course, there was nothing there. Sighing, I looked at Rising and asked: "No pencil?"

"Oh." Rising replied softly, lowering his head down, which made Flying chuckle loudly. Well, a pencil is not money.

Well, actually, a pencil costs money.

My thoughts were interrupted by a jar of ink, a pen and parchment suddenly appearing in front of me. Then I felt Twilight sit down next to me, on the floor, and stare intently at the empty parchment. It seems to be really important to her. If I want money, it's better not to screw up.

Taking a deep breath, I carefully picked up the pen with my left hand and dipped it into the ink and stopped for a moment. An idea is born in my head. He is slowly bursting out, despite his fatigue. With a deep sigh, I started writing and saying, "I don't know how you sign your letters, so I'll just write some nonsense here. Don't pay attention to the first paragraph."

Unfortunately, Twilight answered almost immediately with uncertainty in her voice: "Well, okay."

She doesn't like something. We fix the problems.

Restraining my irritation, I asked, stopping writing for a moment: "Is there anything you don't like? Don't be afraid to talk, I won't judge. All you can be afraid of is my lack of reaction. There's nothing I can do about it. A week without sleep has a bad effect on my emotional side. "

Twilight shook her head slightly, but still said after a few moments, " I just don't like the idea. How will Celestia react to the fact that you wrote this week's report!? What if she finds you more worthy of studying friendship and sends me to a kindergarten for unicorns!?"

Panic. Raised tones. Yes, the standard logic will definitely not work for her.

Slowly starting to write the second paragraph, I began to speak at the same speed: "Do you know what I've realized lately? Sometimes you have to capitulate and admit defeat. Win or lose. They are unimportant. Even if you are completely defeated at all levels, it does not mean that life is over. Think about it, if you get into a lonely garden, which won't happen. But if that happens, will you be able to return to childhood, to live it over again, for example? No, wait, this is stupid. Maybe you can find a passion in communicating with children as equals? Like, I've never written poetry, much less communicated using this form. But today I tried it! And I liked it. Today, everything foreshadowed a lack of progress for me, but I learned that you can communicate with people using poetry and it will even be effective! "

Taking a deep breath, I quickly scanned my text while Twilight was silent. Taking advantage of the moment, I started writing again and continued: "Like, just breathe and move forward. We will never have a one hundred percent chance of success. So maybe we should just enjoy every opportunity we have? Oh! I've figured out how to explain it. Losing is a door that we don't want to open, we don't even know what's behind it. Victory is the door that we want to open, although we also don't know what's behind it. Is that clear? I hope so."

CRYBABY. DON'T. EVEN. THINK. ABOUT THE DEFEAT.

Suddenly, a charge ran through my whole body that made me shake slightly and drop the pen. It slightly stained the table, but fortunately did not touch the parchment. Gritting my teeth, I tapped the parchment with my finger and said: "Here, look at this. I'm not sure how much it fits into friendship. But I did my best."

Twilight carefully lifted the parchment with her magic and held it up to her eyes. Sighing, I turned to the two thestrals and saw the thoughtfulness on their faces. Even at Flying, wow! Looking at this, I couldn't help but smile and got up on both feet. Grinning, I replied with a slight wave of my hand: "Well, judging by your thoughtfulness, I said either something brilliant or something absolutely idiotic. Although it is quite possible that both."

Both thestrals just kept standing, but in the end Flying briefly said, "Well, this is definitely a thing. Maybe, maybe I'll think about it a little bit at my leisure."

Rising only nodded actively in response before yawning profusely. Right after that, Twilight's loud clearing of her throat followed. Turning to her, I saw the uncertainty in her gaze and it seemed even regret. Taking a deep breath, she tore my parchment sheet and said, swallowing, "I think you're right. Even in the worst case scenario, I will still have opportunities and I will be able to see my friends sometimes. It's not the end of the world. I will write to the princess that there will be no report today. Thank you, Daniel, I have no words to thank you. "

Is she really satisfied with this? I didn't even think about it. Which of all the things I said made an impression on her. And most importantly, why do I feel so bad? It's like I've wasted time in the void. Zero response. She says thank you, but I want to hear the insults.

Sighing, I bowed my head slightly and said: "Can you lend me money? My bag of money has been stolen and I need to get to Canterlot soon. I promise that I will repay the debt in the near future. The deadline is in a month."

Surprisingly, Twilight just smiled and offered another option: "Well, I have several sleeping bags and there is enough space in the basement. If you want, I can write to Celestia that you and your friends stayed at my place for the night."

At first, my eyes widened at the suggestion. Me and my two companions are invited to stay at the woman's house for the night. Is this some kind of weird way of flirting or what? Although, it's not that important. What matters is how I feel when I look at Twilight.

Nothing. Absolute emptiness. An abyss that devours my thoughts and efforts without a trace. It doesn't make sense to interact with this pony. Good is wrong. I just tried this thing and all the assumptions came true! Kindness is a process when you throw your efforts into the abyss. It's scary!

With difficulty, I forced a smile and said, taking a small step back: "Um, no, I don't want to. It was very difficult for me to arrange with Luna to come here for one day. And I wouldn't want to make her angry. So please give me the money. I think you know the local rates for the train and the like. I'll trust you to give me the money for three tickets."

Twilight sighed with some disappointment and lit her horn. In the next moment, a small bag of money appeared in the air right in front of me. Reacting, I quickly grabbed it with my left hand and put it in my pocket. With a grunt, I quickly turned around on the spot and pointed my finger at the door, ordering the thestrals to leave the room. With a slight nod, both obeyed, although Flying muttered something displeased to himself. Then I stopped for a moment. The phone is still in my coat. Maybe give one more step for good? Maybe if I do it completely selflessly, I will feel something?

Sighing, I slowly took my phone out of my pocket. A broken screen, a device that has been discharged for a long time. Useless in its current state. I'm not even sure if I can still use it given the time that has passed. Like, if the fingerprint scanner is broken, then the phone will completely become a brick. I don't remember the password.

Feeling a curious look at me, I slowly walked up to the table in the center of the room, put the phone on it and said before going out: "I remember that you were interested in people's technologies and how far we went beyond ponies. Well, here you go. If you can supply enough current, the device will turn on. You do it, it belongs to you. If it doesn't work, the device will break. Well, most likely."

Without waiting for her answer, I walked the remaining distance to the exit and jerked the door shut behind me. Judging by the lines, Twilight didn't dare to ask anything and just answered the phone. I hope she doesn't break it with her hooves. That would be the worst and most boring option. Although in any case, there remains a problem. . .

Nothing. Emptiness. Is this a feature of Twilight or is doing good deeds so disgusting? The feeling of throwing effort into the abyss is disgusting.

Sighing, I looked at the two Thestrals who were looking at me curiously. Slowly shaking my head, I walked forward and said, "Rising and Flying, come with me. We'll take a train ticket and if it's not coming soon, we'll sleep on a bench somewhere. It's a bad plan, but I don't have a better one. "

In response, I heard a brief smile from Flying: " Yes, I'm sure the pony will like to see the captain of the guard and a couple of sergeants sleeping on a bench like homeless people. It's not a big deal at all. "

Before I could answer anything, Rising yawned and asked confusedly, " Well, Mr. Sir boss. What are you going to do now? Or are we going to sit in the castle doing nothing again?"

Taking a deep breath, I looked at my right hand. The darkness has moved much further. To be precise, the entire bicep and everything below it has already turned black. It's only going to get worse. All ideas are exhausted. I haven't slept in a week and I can hardly talk. Exhaling, I closed my eyes and said: "I do not know, Rising. I really don't know. Do you want any good words from me to sum up the day? Okay, I'll tell you what. . ."

Friendship and kindness is an abyss into which people throw their efforts without getting anything in return. Don't even think about these things.

The limit

Take a deep breath, exhale. Another week, minus one hundred and sixty-eight hours. During this time, I found the strength to do exactly two things and exactly one conclusion. Thing number one: I finally hung up the calendar, uh-huh! And even better, it happened three days ago when I was finally able to sleep! Ahem, in any case, given my eyesight and some apathy, I still won't be able to make out the current date, but my room looks a little less empty.

Rubbing my neck slightly and looking around the room, I muttered, "Yes, the room really looks better now. Maybe someday I'll buy myself a plant or something to liven up the room."

Shaking my head, I closed my eyes and returned to my thoughts. Anyway, the second thing: I asked Flying to give Chrysalis my request. I would like to get half of Equestria for the victory. Do I count on her consent? Mm, it's like a trap. If she agrees, I will smile and continue to work for her, but at the same time in the future I will get the resources to protest to her. Well, in an emergency. If she refuses, I'll send the fuck and hand Flying over to the hooves of the princesses. The main thing is to make sure that he is left alive.

Conclusion: you can't be nervous. If it is possible to avoid tension, we avoid it. If there is no opportunity, we find it and use it. The process of blackening the right hand has slowed down a lot. Over the past week, the darkness has not progressed much beyond the biceps. And I tend to think that it's because of me.

Sighing, I briefly looked out the window and quickly noticed the evening light, the sunset. Well, soon the thestrals and Luna should start waking up. Maybe I can find something to do, hmm. Leaning back in my chair, I rubbed the back of my head slightly and looked at the ceiling and asked quietly: "What could I do? It's too late to look for Celestia, she's probably already on her way to her room. And in general, I somehow don't care about working for Fancy. Asking Luna to let me go outside doesn't make much sense either, I don't have any plans. But sitting here like a vegetable is generally uncool. "

Suddenly I felt a thestral flapping its wings. I would have ignored it if it weren't for some strange details. First, the thestral was flapping its wings extremely fast, almost like a hummingbird or an insect. Secondly, he was at least a couple dozen feet below me. And anyway, what is he doing at a time like this?

Reluctantly, I got up from my seat and looked out the window. Which didn't give me much information, given my eyesight. I just saw a jet black spot below that was getting closer. For a few seconds, my brain struggled to process the information before making an uncertain guess. This Flying brings me news. Well, I hope the response from Chrysalis will be positive.

Probably not. I think it's time to get the rope ready or something.

While I was thinking, Rising managed to get right to my window and hover in front of it. His wings flapped extremely fast like an insect or a very small bird. Hmm, that's probably why he never flew in the presence of others. Examining him, I smiled slightly when I saw a letter in his mouth. It would be very funny if I just didn't pick up the letter.

Seeing my inaction for several seconds, Flying began to mumble something with displeasure while continuing to hold the letter in his mouth. Rolling my eyes, I snatched the letter out of his mouth and took a long step back in case he decided to land in my room. Surprisingly, he did so and stomped a little on the spot before saying irritably: "Well, thank you, now I will smell almost the same as you. You've done me a huge favor, you madman."

Without paying much attention to it, I looked at the letter and only now noticed the absence of the envelope. Surprisingly, the letter wasn't covered in Flying saliva. He must have been very careful. Although it bothers me a little that he could have read the contents of the letter before me. Yes, I think that's exactly what he did.

Shaking my head, I quickly ran through the contents of the letter again and asked confusedly: "I understand the part with the fact that additional work is needed for the right to manage the land. But what do you mean, control over the second southeastern zone? "

Flying muttered something displeased, but after a second he looked at me with a strange emotion and hissed: " I was not privy to this topic. But obviously, for doing nothing, you will be given a piece of Equestria to manage. And I, the best scout among all the Changelings, will get nothing. That's great."

Is he jealous of me? Ha, I guess I've become a better person after all, since other people want to get the same thing as me.

With a slight chuckle, I asked, looking down at Flying: "Are you jealous of me?"

Surprisingly, Flying instantly nodded and replied, starting to pace around: "Yes, I'm jealous. And I have every right to do so! Do you know how hard it was to survive in Everfree and not die of boredom watching you? Do you know how I felt when, instead of a normal rest, I was sent to spy on you? Several times!?"

He'd better be quiet, otherwise he'll wake up other people. Although you can't just turn a blind eye to it.

After finishing his speech, Flying stood in front of me again and breathed rapidly. Yes, it looks like he's really angry. I stared at the letter blankly for a few seconds before asking: "Do you want me to give you a place in the ministry or something when everything gets better? After all, not one state can exist in one person, unfortunately. You can become, I do not know, the Minister of Intelligence. Or something like that. "

" No! Wait, what did you just say? " Flying asked, first hitting the floor with his hoof, but then looking at me in surprise. When I just looked into his eyes in response, his shock only increased and he took a step back. Is he really that surprised that his indignation has produced results?

Who knows? For such subtle questions, they turn to a psychologist or something. It's none of our business.

Nodding slightly, I turned the letter over and opened my eyes in surprise at the sight of another text. After running through it quickly, I looked at Flying and asked: "Who is Princess Mi Amore Cadenza? Ugh, I barely uttered it."

Flying's eyes also opened wide and he gestured for me to hand over the letter. Calmly obeying, I gave him the only source of information, which Flying began to read quickly. While he was doing this, I started thinking for myself. Well, as the letter says, we need to find this princess and find out where and when she will have a wedding, if at all. So this princess has some kind of relationship. I mean romantic ones. Ugh, what an abomination.

In principle, you can chase her for a very long time until you find out who she's dating. There is only one problem. Where is this princess?

I was pulled out of my thoughts by Flying's loud laugh. Noticing that I was paying attention to him, he said with his trademark cheeky smile: "Well, madman, I've heard about it the couple of times I've been in the street. She is the princess of love, usually called Cadance and moreover the niece of two other princesses. And, obviously, her wedding to someone will create a huge amount of love that we can feed on. You just need to know where the wedding will be and when. "

Feeling that he wanted to say something, I took a deep breath and asked, covering my face, " What are you driving at, great genius? "

Flying's cheeky smile only grew wider and he said slowly, " I'm pretty sure she doesn't have anyone. Think for yourself, who among the ponies can attract one of the three princesses? That's right, no one. So you'll have to seduce her with your incredible monkey beauty, madman. Well, or what kind of species you belong to."

Is there a prayer from vulgar idiots? If there is, I am ready to believe in any religion.

After a while, I slowly took my hand away from my face and said using the maximum of logic: "She definitely has someone. After all, there is always a marriage of convenience. Marrying nobles to increase their general wealth or something. So the probability that I will have to do what you want with her is approaching zero. No, there is no such probability, there is no such thing. Face it, no romance. "

Flying just sighed and said rolling his eyes, " It's obvious, I already know you. It's just that you could have played along with me at least once. And anyway, madman, don't you think it would be really funny if everything happened as I said? "

I opened my mouth for a moment to start making counterarguments. But he stopped. Why would I waste my little strength on this? Not finding an answer to the question, I shook my head slightly and said, crumpling the letter in my hand: " It doesn't matter. First, we need to find this mysterious princess of love at all. She's a niece, did you say? So we just need to find the princesses. Ideally, intercept Celestia and get her into a dialogue."

Without waiting for his reply, I put the crumpled letter in my coat pocket and walked towards the exit. Unfortunately, Flying asked with his head tilted to the side: "And what will you do if Cadance is, I do not know, sleeping? Just keep in mind that by the time you find a person who knows the right answer, it will already be night. Well, most likely."

Surprisingly, it's a sound idea. Uh, okay, one ball is thrown in the direction of the spy. I made a little mistake. Who doesn't happen to?

Sighing, I grabbed the door handle and opened it. : "Let's just deal with the problems as they arise. First we will find out where Cadance is located and only then we will figure out what to do. At the very least, you can just wait until tomorrow. "

Unfortunately, right after I took a step out of the room, Flying said: " Actually, this assignment is purely for you. I need to find or draw a map of Canterlot. I think that's what you wanted, isn't it?"

Yes, yes. I will definitely write down working alone as a plus allowing you to use your maximum strength.

With a slight smile, I turned completely to Flying and replied with a dismissive wave of my left hand: "I don't really care. If you have another job, fine. I still have no idea what you would do with me, other than telling stupid jokes. Do you have any more news, or can I go quietly now?"

Without much reaction, he slowly walked past me and said, "Yes, that's it. Good luck to you, madman. I wish you good luck in receiving incredible rewards for minimal work. "

Sighing, I finally looked at Flying, who was walking down the corridor further. Although he could have flown out the window. Oh, yes, wings like a hummingbird. Remembering an important thing, I shouted after him: " Hey, I need a map of the city too! Make a copy for me. "

Continuing to distance himself from me, he reluctantly replied: " If the card is just lying on the counter somewhere, I'll get you another one. But if I have to draw it by hand, then don't get your hopes up. I'm going to break everything I can while I'm only drawing ONE map."

Well, it's better than nothing, right? That's probably right.

Nodding uncertainly to myself, I put my hands in my pockets and turned around on the spot, closed the door with a kick. After briefly glancing at her and making sure my room was safe, I grunted before walking forward through the castle to Celestia's office. The pace of my step was getting faster by the second. I don't really want to search for Luna all over the castle, as I usually do. Or wait for her in the throne room. Especially considering that I don't remember the way there very well.

Sighing, I stopped in place and squinted trying to find a landmark. So there must be a pot of daisies somewhere, from my point of view, it's some kind of brown thing with a white thing sticking out of it. But to my own surprise, I found, judging by the colors, a pot with something dark yellow. Frowning, I began to approach the object with long strides and muttered: "There was definitely no such thing in this castle. Not in any form."

When I got to the strange object, I finally managed to make out the details. To my surprise, these are daisies. But they have withered or even rotted away. Has someone forgotten that the flowers need to be watered? Hmm, there's a canteen nearby, I can go there and get some water. It's unlikely to resurrect the flower, but I can just do it.

We don't have time for this. I'll just tell any of the princesses about it, they'll figure it out for themselves. I hope they don't remove the flowers at all. In that case, I won't have normal landmarks.

With a slight nod to myself, I walked away from the pot of withered flowers and continued on my way to Celestia's office along the usual route. However, after a few minutes, my eyes noticed a very interesting thing. There were guards in golden armor standing in front of one of the doors, at such and such a late hour! And judging by the lack of symbols on the door, this is not an office. What are they protecting?

Frowning, I stopped in front of the door and focused on the lines for a moment. They are so far away that they are out of my tracking field. So there can only be a few creatures behind the door. Princesses, Ahirata and Discord. The situation is 50/50. Either princesses or undesirable personalities. Well, why not take a chance?

With a brief grunt, I turned completely towards the door and took a step forward. As expected, the guards reacted quickly and stood as close to each other as possible to block my path. But my soldiers would have taken up arms and threatened them. Well, those who survived would probably have done so. Sighing, I pointed my finger at the door and demanded: "Who is behind this door? If you don't want to answer, then just open the door for me."

In response, they just remained silent and continued to stand like statues. I clenched my hand into a fist for just a moment. Even with one non-functioning limb, I can beat these two. Plus, at this distance, my eyes can see everything they need perfectly. Just one punch.

We promised not to hurt the pony, remember?

Sighing, I quickly stepped back and walked forward along the corridor. Along the way, I started breathing deeply and trying to calm myself down. It's okay, I can just quickly ask Celestia where Cadance is. Or at least, start searching all over Luna Castle. In short, nothing has changed, I'm wasting my time.

Shaking my head, I started walking faster and faster and turning another corner I found a familiar corridor. And what luck, before I could get to the office, a white figure came out of it with a loud and tired sigh. Grinning, I almost instantly walked the remaining distance and said, lightly hitting Celestia on the back of the head: "Good evening to all employees of the Equestria state apparatus."

Smiling tiredly, Celestia turned to me and said with a small smile, "Well, this is something new. And it definitely sounds nicer than Celly."

Okay, let's make it quick. I do not know, it is convenient to bring up the topic in just one phrase. In short, do as you can, Daniel.

Nodding slightly, I briefly looked around the corridor, as if I could see something, and asked: "In short, I'll get to the point. I was wondering where else I could suck money for the army. And I wondered if you have any relatives besides Luna. Anything will do for me. Brothers, sisters, cousins, nephews, uncles, aunts, mothers, dads, grandmothers and so on. "As I spoke, Celestia's smile wavered several times but did not leave her face. When my monologue ended, Celestia stood in place for a while and said, looking away, " Well, I have two nephews. But one can be excluded right away, even if he wanted to, he would not be able to provide you with financing. However, Cadance has some tools. You could try to get financing from her. "

My eyes lit up with the opportunity to get even more benefits, but Celestia said the last part with an apologetic smile: " But, she's not in Canterlot right now. Cadance has been visiting various Equestrian cities lately so that the citizens know about the existence of another princess besides me and my sister. If I remember correctly, she should be in Baltimare right now."

Oh, it's a great place, I went there to negotiate the production of tanks. There were a huge number of factories in the city, even it was hard to breathe. So familiar.

Quickly shaking my head, I focused on the conversation and asked with some disappointment: "Is she going to return to Canterlot at all, in the near future? I'm already tired of sitting in a castle and doing nothing, so I just need to finance the army. I need to do something useful. "

Celestia seemed slightly pleased with my enthusiasm, but after a moment of silence, she asked with curiosity in her voice: " Well, I don't know exactly when Cadance will return to the city. But I can say that the deadline is the end of April when she has a wedding planned. Although, I wonder what you want to do for your guard? Is this something unusual, or do you just want more, what do you call them, tanks?"

We are recording that Cadance's wedding will be here at the end of April. Don't forget to look at the calendar. We need to know how much time we have to think and plan. We don't need any more information, why should I know who the princess is going to marry?

Grinning, I waved my hand dismissively and answered quickly: "I have a blueprint for a pony flamethrower in my desk. If I have enough money, I will be able to transfer absolutely all my soldiers to new weapons. With such a power in the force, you can go to conquer the world or at least the continent. Mm, these foreign resources require Equestrian companies to mine them, right? "

Unfortunately, Celestia didn't appreciate my humor and said with some concern, " I don't think this is a very good idea, my little human. The news of such a massive breakthrough in the development of weapons will quickly reach the rest of the world and create some tension. Which is highly undesirable. "

Sighing, I shook my head and replied by pointing my thumb back: " It doesn't matter, as long as they don't put a direct ban in front of me, I will move towards strengthening my soldiers. Let's talk about what's behind the door, which is guarded by some ponies in golden armor. By the way, I didn't appreciate the fact that they didn't give way to me at all. Am I the captain or who?"

Celestia stood for a moment processing the information before giggling slightly and responding with a flick of her hoof: "Oh, my little human, you are the captain of the night guard. And the ponies you saw belong to the solar guard. So you can't give any orders to them. But to return to your question, there is a Discord outside the door. So far, I'm thinking about how to reform he."

Hmm, reform is certainly a bit cool, but a revolutionary leap forward is much better. To run a hundred years in ten years, you know?

With a slight chuckle, I decided to ask about one more thing: "Yeah, Discord is sitting and doing nothing. Well, I will definitely wish him good luck in becoming who you want to turn him into. I'm more interested in how the bastard who killed my soldiers is doing. Was the trial over? Was he executed? Can I see the crucified plush toy?"

At first, Celestia looked confused, but it seems she decided to take half of my words as a joke and replied calmly: "Luna and I have already discussed his case. At least partially. Considering that he completely destroyed an entire pony village, leaving no one alive, we can't just turn a blind eye to this. It would be disrespectful to the lives and families of the victims. In the near future, we plan to return his soul to his native body, which is in Tartarus."

Hmm, where the path started there and ended. Although, if all the stars come together, you can use this information. You know, find a super healing spell, descend into Tartarus, restore the body and make it serve itself. How realistic is this? Unrealistic, I would say impossible.

Sighing, I nodded slightly and asked, looking around, "Okay, I have one last question. What should I do? I'm tired, I've been doing nothing for two weeks now. Well, except for visiting Ponyville."

To my surprise, Celestia stopped and thought seriously. As if she really cares that I might be bored. Sounds like nonsense in itself, doesn't it? Anyway, after a few moments of silence, Celestia smiled gently and offered: "You can spend some time with me in my room. I'm ready to listen to you. And don't try to hide that you have nothing to talk about. The darkness that has taken over your right hand tells me that there are many negative emotions inside you. And they must have a reason."

Crybaby, why didn't you answer right away? You don't want to cry in front of a horse, do you? No, I'm paraphrasing. I WILL NOT AGREE TO THIS.

Suddenly, I felt a familiar pain all over my body, which made me reflexively clench my teeth. However, when I noticed Celestia's worried look, I quickly shook my head and said straightening up: "Yes, let's go to your room. I will tell you what happened in my life and you will understand that I have no problems. I'm doing great. "

In response, Celestia only smiled and quickly turned around, saying before going forward: " Follow me. Oh, would you like something? I could get the maid to make us tea and cakes. Or we could play something while we're talking. Ask for anything, I can make it happen. Within the limits of what is possible, of course."

I stared at the back of her head in disbelief for a moment before thinking. Maybe play chess with her? Tension, adrenaline and final victory, endarfin. It's probably going to be cool. After another second of reflection, I quickly shook my head and replied: "No, I don't need distractions. If you want to talk about my non-existent problems, then you will do it with full involvement."

A more than fair demand. I'm wasting my time, you're paying maximum attention.

Fortunately, Celestia just accepted my request and continued walking forward down the corridor. With a sigh of satisfaction, I put my left hand in my pocket, out of habit trying to find at least something. But nothing happened like that. My knife broke the Discord, my cube got lost somewhere and I gave my phone to Twilight. Wait, the cube used Ahirata's eye. Frowning, I looked at my right hand. Nothing extraordinary. But I remember that she was wearing something red. You can't fool me.

But there is no proof. Sighing, I stopped looking at my right hand and paid attention to where Celestia had led me. She reached some kind of staircase that I had never seen before and began to climb it confidently. Deciding not to think too much, I continued to follow Celestia and made a guess: "Is your room in the tower?"

"Specifically this, yes. There are no other rooms." Replied Celestia as if it were absolutely normal. Do I have to say that this is not the case?

You know, maybe she said it that way on purpose to make you wonder. Let's experiment. I'm betting that after you're surprised, she'll ask what room you had.

Sighing, I reluctantly expressed my embarrassment and asked: "Why do you need several rooms in the castle? Isn't one enough?"

Celestia only giggled slightly in response and replied, "Well, sometimes I just don't have the strength to get to this room by this long staircase. Plus, sometimes, mostly after diplomatic meetings, I don't have the strength to go deep into the castle. And as a result, I have three rooms in the castle. Luna, by the way, too."

Hmm, it looks like I was wrong. Well, a mistake is a mistake.

Nodding slightly, I looked back for a moment only to see a blurry image. Well, I can only assume that the bottom of the stairs is very far away. Returning to Celestia again, I heard her cautious question: "By the way, since we started talking about private rooms, what did yours look like?"

When I heard such a question, I just stared at the back of her head with a blank stare. Who asks such questions and, most importantly, why? Shaking my head slightly, I decided not to think about it and just answer the question. After thinking about my answer for a while, I finally said: "Until I was fifteen, I didn't have my own private room, I slept on the couch in the living room. And then, I made a brilliant move. I sold almost everything that was in the attic and started using the vacated space as my room. I had my own bed and, well, that was it. What else is needed for life, right? "

For a while, Celestia just remained silent and continued to climb the stairs. Still without making a sound, she reached some kind of door with a colorful pattern and finally opened it and said: "I'm sincerely sorry that you didn't have your own room as a child, Daniel. But I hope you're happy with what you have now."

When I saw that she did not enter the room, I took it as a hint and entered the room. After taking a few steps, I stopped and looked around Celestia's room. Some kind of structure, which judging by the logs is a fireplace, access to a balcony, a table with a mirror and finally a large carpet or something like that in the center of the room. Hmm, I wonder where she sleeps.

Right on this carpet. Take a closer look, there's something on it that looks like pillows. You can just put everything soft under the body, and there will be a kind of mattress.

The sound of the door closing and Celestia's footsteps pulled me out of my thoughts. She walked slowly past me, lit the horn and lit the fireplace with a light flash before sitting down on the carpet in the middle of the room. Assuming what she wanted, I cautiously approached her and slowly sat down opposite her. In response to this, Celestia only smiled gently and quickly took off all the jewelry for herself before starting to look at me silently. Not a single word, just the sound of a fire in the fireplace.

After what seemed like an eternity of awkward silence, I finally found the strength to ask the question: "What are you waiting for? I thought you really wanted to sit down and talk about my non-existent problems. Or did you lose the desire at this very moment? "

In response, Celestia blushed slightly and replied awkwardly: " I'm sorry, I'm just a little tired. And, well, to be honest, I didn't think what to do if you agreed. It seemed to me that this would happen very soon. Just give me a few more seconds to think, okay?"

Don't get mad, she really wants to help. You can see it in your face. Although, the underworld is full of good intentions and all that.

Sighing, I just nodded, letting Celestia think. Fortunately, she didn't keep me waiting too long and eventually asked cautiously, "Daniel, please answer honestly. Have you ever had friends? At least one?"

I was silent for a moment, really trying to find an answer. Have I ever had friends? Have I ever had an equal relationship with anyone? Do I have a similar relationship now or am I just tolerated? Taking a deep breath, I looked down and answered slowly: "No, I have never communicated with anyone on equal terms. The closest thing I had to friendship was the anarchists with whom I periodically hung out a couple of years ago. But I don't even remember their names, let alone their personal traits. Although, I must admit, thanks to them I have read a lot of different literature. Ha, I still have a few books at home that I haven't returned!"

Celestia looked at me with a sad smile for a while before asking another question: "If it's not hard for you to talk about it, why don't you communicate with them anymore? It seems to me that if you were among people with similar interests for long enough, you would eventually find friends. "

Unable to restrain myself, I chuckled loudly and replied: " You just mentioned the reason why I stopped communicating with anarchists. As I grew up, my views began to change. Every day, I slowly but surely drifted to the right side of the political spectrum and tended towards greater authoritarianism. Well, eventually I got tired of hearing the wrong opinions around me. I think it was inevitable. "

Celestia rubbed her chin with her hoof and paused for a moment before replying, " Yes, I guess so. If all you had in common were common views on politics, then there was no way to maintain friendship, especially considering that there was no such thing. Although I'm interested in one more thing. I already know that your father was. . . cruel. But didn't you have at least one good person in your family?"

Oh shit, oh God, not that question.

Frozen in place, I began to stare blankly ahead, through Celestia. She could have asked any question. Absolutely anyone. But I chose this one! Maybe I should just get up and leave in silence? In the end, it can be considered a deception. I agreed to psychological help, not a direct hit!

In the end, I took a deep breath, looked at the fire in the fireplace and slowly answered: "My mother didn't participate in my life in almost any way. She looked much more like a maid who cooked, washed, and did other chores around the house. I don't even remember her name, that's how insignificant my mother was. Next, by relatives. I have never seen any relatives on my mother's side. I've seen each other from my father's side. . . I only saw my grandfather. But he died six years ago. "

When I finished speaking, I briefly glanced in the direction of my interlocutor. Celestia's face became much sadder and she beckoned me to her. Despite my embarrassment, I crawled a little closer to Celestia and felt her wrap her wing around my back. Before I could say anything, she whispered softly: "The loss of a dear person is painful, I remember it. But you know that without me, right? Judging by the way you calmly said about your grandfather, you've almost come to terms with his loss. You've told someone about this, haven't you? "

They say that people feel better when they talk about their problems.

Sighing, I looked at the fire again and reluctantly replied: "I told Rising about it when you sent me to Ponyville."

Celestia didn't look surprised and just smiled slightly before saying, "See, you have at least two friends in Equestria. You are no longer alone, my little human. There's no need to be so harsh and cold anymore."

That reminds me of something. Don't connect Celestia with that incident, okay? Please?

Unable to help myself, I chuckled briefly, which caused Celestia's embarrassment, followed by a question: "Did I say something funny?"

Turning slowly to Celestia, I wrapped my left hand around the tip of her wing before responding calmly: "Your phrase is that there is no need to be firm anymore. I've heard it before. From my father. These are the last things he managed to say before I left home. "

For just a moment, I could see a cocktail of embarrassment, surprise, and most importantly fear on Celestia's face. Taking advantage of the moment, I tightened my grip around her wing and continued: " I remember this moment perfectly. After collecting all my things, I went down the stairs. It was night, my parents had gone somewhere, I wasn't interested in where exactly. I didn't want to talk to anyone before leaving, I wanted to leave quietly. But when I opened the door to the exit, my father met me. A slightly gray-haired man, no longer as intimidating as he used to be."

I stopped for a second to replay this picture in my head once again. Fortunately, Celestia decided not to resist and listened in silence. Taking a deep breath, I tightened my grip even more and continued, "He was awkwardly rubbing his neck, as if he was ashamed. I didn't say anything, I just walked by as if my father had never existed. And then, my shoulder was gripped tightly, forcing me to stop. Do you know what happened next? The father, this bastard, started talking about the fact that he had been going to a psychologist for the last few months and realized his mistakes, very fucking timely! Then he did something that broke my patience. He hugged me and apologized for everything he had done to me. "

After that, I stopped, wanting to create tension for Celestia. But to my shock, she smiled slightly and suggested naively, " And after that you hugged him back and you felt love for the first time?"

How could she even think about it? Did she lose the logical chain in the middle of the way, or is this some kind of trick?

Shaking my head, I replied, looking sternly at Celestia: "He said the same thing as you. Supposedly, I can go soft and show my other side, which never existed. He even suggested that I go to a psychologist too! I interrupted his story by punching him right in the nose. Oh, it feels like real damage, blood on the knuckles. I used to revel in this feeling with ecstasy. Right after that, I pushed him away and explained a simple thing. If I encounter an absolutely insurmountable obstacle, then I will ask for help. But I don't need the help that was offered first. Do you understand? "

I turned slightly and placed my fist against Celestia's chest before finishing with the words, " I'm coming for help. No one will get the opportunity to feel like a saint at my expense. So it's better for people like you to look for other goals. Or maybe you should go to a person who is difficult to help? I have an orphan friend, do you want to become his mother? Don't answer, we both know that the vast majority of people will never agree to help at this level. You people never help to your long-term detriment. And the stories about self-sacrifice that everyone loves so much only confirm this. You will not reach this level, so you come up with heroes who can. Heroes who will never be real. "

Celestia looked at me with some sadness before looking away and removing her wing from my back. It looks like they're letting me go. Or she just admits defeat. Sighing, I slowly got up from my seat and walked towards the exit. Gripping the door handle, I cast a brief glance in the direction of Celestia and said with a slight nod: "I don't even know what to say. On the one hand, I really want to yell at you and use all the swear words that I know. On the other hand, I don't have the strength for this. And desires. So, rejoice in the success of Celestia. Enjoy it while I sit in my room and think. By the way, the flowers in the hallway have wilted, they need to be watered."

Without waiting for her answer, I left the room, slamming the door behind me and quickly started down the stairs. Did I do the right thing? I kind of said what I think, I kind of told the truth, but it feels so strange. Probably just fatigue. As I descended, I began to scroll in my head the way to my room. So, at first, Celestia walked forward for a long time, then turned left, where there was a small corridor and began to climb the stairs. Now I just need to repeat it all in reverse order. It's very simple.

Yes, it's more than simple, even with poor eyesight. So we have the opportunity to think about what to do when the Chrysalis takes effect. Of course, it would be "morally right" to betray Chrysalis, quickly reveal everything that will happen and enjoy the image of the hero. But what do I get out of this option? Nothing really, except a phantom confession that will disappear in a couple of days.

My thoughts stopped for a moment when I noticed a spot vaguely similar to the sun next to me. Assuming that this was Celestia's office, I nodded slightly to myself and continued walking forward. After a couple of minutes of boring walking, I managed to spot two guards I already knew. Hmm, there's a Discord behind the door. Maybe there's some way I can use it?

Almost immediately, I shook my head and continued walking forward. It is unlikely that I will be able to remove the stones from his torso and arms. Although, even if I had succeeded in freeing Discord, he would not have become a reliable ally. So let him stay in the room and do nothing. A completely different conversation is what to do with Ahirata. If somehow I can restore his body, maybe we can establish cooperation. At the last meeting, he looked very apathetic, so I could just give him a new purpose in life, in the form of serving me.But how do I do it?

You can dig into the local library or archives. Well, if we find them. Let's think about continuing our collaboration with Chrysalis. What do we get out of this?

I took a deep breath and found that I had already reached my room. Chuckling, I quietly entered it and closed the door behind me. After making sure that no one was around, I slowly walked over to the table and sat down on a chair and took a deep breath. What will I get if Chrysalis wins? My own country, the resources to return to Earth, in general, many of my wishes will be fulfilled. But will Rising stay by my side? Will there be anyone at all next to me after they find out that I was actually an agent? Will at least one living soul be by my side voluntarily?

I shook my head slightly and took a deep breath. All my desires or one person? I never thought that I would even think that this was a dilemma. Taking a deep breath, I looked towards the window and muttered: "What happened? Did I start spending too much time with other people and start adopting morals? If so, when did it become so natural?"

Suddenly I felt a movement, a shift of weight to the right. Lazily shifting my gaze, I froze in place. His right hand pulled out a pencil, paper and a lock card from a drawer on its own. And the scariest thing is that the hand was writing something without my intervention. Being in shock, I just looked at the piece of paper and muttered nervously, "Why the hell aren't Luna's shackles working?"

The hand seemed to care absolutely nothing about it and continued to write. In the end, the black limb stopped writing and stopped as if nothing had happened. Trembling slightly, I took my right hand off the table with a light movement so that it just hung next to me. Sighing, I looked at the piece of paper. And to my surprise, I found a partial map of Canterlot along with the surrounding area. There were only those places where I was, such as the train station, the castle, the area with houses and the like. How is this even possible?

Luna said it was a product of your dark magic. I mean, it originated inside you, so why shouldn't it have access to your memories?

Sighing, I nodded slightly to myself and focused my attention on two sheets of paper. If it were just maps, I'd be pretty calm, but it's more than that. It's a plan or even an operation. Looking at the various arrows and inscriptions, you can roughly imagine what my right hand literally wants. To be brief, I will have to get my soldiers out of the city and expect a Changeling invasion. When this happens, we will have to wait until both sides are as weakened as possible. After that, I will radio the soldiers to return to the city and at that time I will defeat Chrysalis and the princesses. In other words, a battle against all sides.

Briefly glancing at my other hand, I took a deep breath. In this case, I will have the opportunity. By defeating all the enemies and all the promising threats, I can gain influence. The influence is of such a level that I will be able to achieve perfection, break morals, finally free people. This will be the victory I have dreamed of for so long. And unlike the country I get for working for Chrysalis, here I can do absolutely anything I want. I've been dreaming and striving for this for too long to just turn down the opportunity.

This is wrong and you know it perfectly well. It's not going to work. And even if you win, will it be worth it? Rising will definitely not appreciate this and, at best, will see you as a monster. At worst, he will openly talk about it. You can also forget about the imitation of friendship from Flying. Who's going to stay with you? A report whose nature is still unclear? Or just a scorched wasteland?

Bending over the plan on the table, I closed my eyes and muttered: "I still have time before the Changeling attack. I'll think it over, listen to every argument for and against in my head. And in the end I will make a decision. The decision of which will decide my future."

Striving for. . .

So, another week has passed. During this time, I was able to do several things. For example, to find out the exact date of Cadance's wedding, which was very simple, I just asked Celestia. Well, the wedding will be somewhere in Canterlot, definitely not in the castle. I wasn't invited by the way. I don't even know if it's good or bad. Anyway, I managed to visit Ponyville one more time to collect some things. I didn't cross paths with Twilight. Either I'm lucky or she's busy with my phone. It doesn't matter anymore, though. After today's triumph, nothing will matter anymore.

Taking a deep breath, I briefly looked at my right hand, which was resting on the table. I can't even think of another option. My thoughts are confused, I have long forgotten about sleep. Succumbing to emotions, I raised my left hand and said before hitting my right: "Because of you, all this is happening, because of you I can't stop, because of you I can't start living! "

Just like all the previous thousand times, the right hand dodged by itself before falling lifelessly back onto the table. It's no use, I can't fight it. Suddenly, I felt pain all over my body. But unlike the shackles of Luna, it felt as if all the old fractures and organ damage had been opened up. It's like I'm being bitten by wolves from the tree again, like I'm fighting in Ponyville again, like my rib cage is being cut through with a sword again, like my whole body is being squeezed by Ahirata again.

Breathing heavily, I felt sweat standing out on my forehead and asked looking at my right hand: "That's what you're doing, isn't it? You don't want me to have the strength to even think about getting out of the situation, do you? He probably really isn't there. Striving for perfection is all I have and will ever have. Everyone else is there only because they have to. After today, everyone will run away from me in horror. But I can still use them. "

Of course, no one answered me. Shaking my head slightly, I looked under the table at the black bag. I just feel like people should finally find out about it. I don't have the strength to hide it anymore. Sighing, I lightly kicked the bag, which caused a ringing sound similar to the impact of metal plates. Well, it's true plates, thanks to my efforts, but not made of metal. Sighing, I looked at my right hand again and grinned: "It doesn't matter, Rising will come here soon and then everything will be fine. I told him to come here yesterday, around this time."

Like an actor in a script, I felt a certain thestral approaching me. Sighing, I briefly looked at my right hand again before turning around in my seat and focusing on the door. As Rising approached, I tried to calm down. I've got it all figured out, I have a plan. Maybe the darkness causes me pain all over my body every time I try to resist it. But, I can use my environment. Maybe today I can start living?

Shut up, you crybaby. You know yourself that there is no turning back and there has never been one. Without striving for perfection, you are not a person.

Immediately after this thought flashed through my head, I felt a sharp pain in my lungs, as if they were turning inside out. And, worst of all, while I was gasping for breath, Rising began to knock gently on the door. Damn it, I'm not going to die today!

Starting to frantically knock on the grudge, I eventually succeeded and after a sharp intake of breath I was able to shout out: "Come in, Rising, come in!"

As soon as the door started to creak open, I stopped hitting my chest and calmed down with a deep breath so as not to scare Rising. Let him think that everything is fine with me. The next moment after I calmed down, Rising awkwardly opened the door and asked without taking a step inside the room: "You asked me to meet you here yesterday. Is something important going on?"

Nodding slightly, I beckoned him to me with a tired gesture of my left hand. With some uncertainty and fear, Rising began to approach me. As he approached, my eyes were able to see him more closely. A worried face, in a sense cute drooping ears and of course blue eyes. If I'm not lucky, I'll never see it again. Taking a deep breath, I carefully stretched out my left hand to Rising and asked politely: "I know you don't really like it after the last time, but can I stroke you?"

Don't wait for an answer, punch his skull and eat his brain.

A slight tremor ran down my left arm, as if it, too, was trying to gain independence and strike. Fortunately, I managed to keep control and just after that, Rising nodded slightly, biting his cheek. Smiling, I gently stroked the thestral's mane and said with a sigh: "Thank you, I need to relax a little. But you came here because I called you here, right? Well, I won't keep you waiting. "

I was silent for a moment, trying to collect my thoughts. I need to say something so that he doesn't ask any more questions. Yes, I hadn't thought about it until now! Well, I think I just need to do it the way I can. Sighing, I put my hand on my knee and said: " Rising, I have information that danger is approaching Canterlot. I already have a plan, don't worry about me. But we must not allow losses among ordinary soldiers. So I have a request for you. Gather all the soldiers without exception and leave the city. Also, don't forget to keep your walkie-talkie on. I will contact you as soon as the danger is eliminated. I have my own walkie-talkie in my closet.

Rising's eyes widened and he stepped back slightly, asking fearfully, "Danger? Is it approaching the city? Mr. Sir Boss, the last time you decided to handle everything yourself, there was a catostrophe. And your right hand is a vivid example of that!"

He thinks you're weak. Convince him otherwise by breaking his knees. Although not. You'd better break his spine, it's better that way.

Gritting my teeth due to another wave of pain, I was able to wave my hand slightly and say putting my hand on his shoulder: "Relax, Rising. I plan to enlist the help of Luna and, as a last resort, Celestia. I've got it all covered. Just don't create a panic and act like everything is fine, okay?"

For a while, Rising demanded surprisingly firmly: "Promise that you will be fine. Promise that as soon as the danger is eliminated, you will be alive and will not be unconscious for several days again. I'm not sure I can handle it one more time."

Instead of answering, I looked away and took a deep breath. I wish I could just say no to myself and try to be normal. But it won't work. I, my personality was built on the pursuit of perfection. I exist only to free people. Taking another breath, I said, looking at Rising askance, "I can't promise you anything, Rising. I really wish I could, but I can't. All I can tell you is that I don't plan on dying today. I will do everything to survive. For you."

What an abomination. Your grandfather always told you not to play with the victim. Or now you don't even care about him!?

When the pain ran through my whole body again, I couldn't hold back a groan and propped my head on my hand. Unfortunately, Rising did not ignore this and anxiously asked with a hoof on my knee: "Is something wrong, Mr. Sir boss? Are you feeling ill? "

I was silent for a while, wondering if I should at least try to hint to Rising what was going on. But the decision was made for me. I felt another pain all over my body, followed not by my words coming out of my mouth: " Yes, I was just trying to hold back a sneeze and that's what happened. My damn allergy, remember?"

While Rising was thinking about these words, I continued to feel pain and a strange feeling. It's like something from inside is grabbing me, which doesn't allow me to speak or move. Has it already started to develop so fast? Although what's the difference? I can't stop it. And even if I could. . .

It doesn't make sense, crybaby. You are nothing without me, without Perfection. So, shut up and just watch me solve real problems.

In the end, Rising narrowed his eyes and nodded slowly before asking with some disappointment in his voice: "Okay, I get it. Well, I think I should go and start gathering soldiers to leave the city."

Then he turned around and slowly walked towards the exit with his ears pressed to his head. Watching him go, I started trying my best to say my own words. Surprisingly, I managed to kick the bag under my desk and shout, "Wait, Rising, I have one more thing!"

Extremely slowly and reluctantly, Rising turned around and raised an eyebrow. It seems that the lack of promise on my part really offended him. Sighing, I picked up my bag from the floor and stood up with difficulty. After taking a few steps towards Rising, I put the bag on his back and said: "I understand that you have a lot of questions. But I have a very important request. Take this bag and don't open it until you leave Canterlot. Inside, therethere will be my note where detailed information is written."

Rising looked at the bag in surprise and then looked at me. Seeing my almost pleading expression, he sighed and said as he headed for the exit, "Okay, just please don't strain yourself too much in dealing with this danger, okay? There are still so many things you need to do that I have to help with, do you understand?"

Don't get your hopes up, orphan. For disobeying earlier, I will kill you on the spot at the first opportunity. And there's no way you can save him, you crybaby.

In response, I could only nod slightly in response to which Rising sighed again and headed for the exit. As soon as he left the room, I collapsed onto the bed and moaned softly from the pain all over my body. There was a lot more of it during the conversation, as if the darkness didn't want to let me do anything at all. It looks like I'm going to lose control of my body again soon.

Rolling over on my back, I looked at the ceiling and muttered, forcing a smile: "At least I did everything I could. I can only hope that Rising will make the right decision and that Luna will be strong enough. I can't get out of this swamp on my own. And who knows? Maybe after today I will be sent to prison where I will have time to think and learn how to live without striving for anything. "

While I was lying on the bed and still recovering from the pain, I felt the rapid and even to some extent, evil approach of someone else to my room. To be honest, I'm not in a position to speculate who it could be. The figure stood in front of the door to my room and looked from side to side several times before yanking open the door and entering the room. After taking a brief look at the visitor and seeing the dark black color, I asked, returning my gaze to the ceiling: "Hey, Flying. Did you come to me with the news?"

In response, he only hissed and said irritably, coming closer to me: "No, your main fan just came up to me and informed me about the evacuation due to danger. What is this supposed to mean!? If you're going to betray the queen and leave me disgraced, then I'll show you right now why I'm the best scout!"

How cocky. And it's not perfect. Give me the controls for a second, I'll fix this ailment quickly.

Gritting my teeth, I took a deep breath and closed my eyes for a moment, trying to come up with a decent answer. Which is very difficult to take into account the pain that is trying to make me strike and the lack of sleep for a long time. In the end, I took a shuddering breath and replied slowly, "Calm down, I did it to get the soldiers out of the city. It would be unpleasant if the changelings had to meet unnecessary resistance. So everything is under control. "

Flying looked at me for a while with anger in his eyes and said rolling his eyes, " Okay, but don't even think that I believe you completely! Even if you really just want to withdraw the troops, which I doubt, you definitely want to suspend me to take all the recognition for yourself."

Raising an embarrassed eyebrow, I focused on Flying's irritated face. I never thought he would be so suspicious. Maybe he's nervous right now? Well, unfortunately for him, I can't stop. Sighing, I slowly moved to a sitting position and replied, trying to sound soothing: "Flying, relax. I will definitely mention you at a convenient opportunity. Just understand, when faced with princesses, only I and maybe Chrysalis will be effective. "

Flying was silent for a moment before taking a deep breath and saying with a shake of his head, " It doesn't matter. I'm just sick of the lack of recognition. If I get nothing for hard work again, then I can't vouch for myself. "

Hmm, I thought he'd react more strongly to me calling his queen by her first name. Maybe he's not as loyal to her as he claims to be? No, shut up, you crybaby. For espionage, I will execute him personally today.

Slowly getting up from my seat, I stretched slightly before asking: "Well, do you have any more questions for me? If not, then I wouldn't mind getting information about what to do. Like, the position where I should be standing or something."

Flying stood in place for a while, rubbing his temple with a hoof before answering slowly and awkwardly: "Do you have a map of the city or something? It will be easier for me to show on it."

We are not allowed to disclose plans. So, no, you don't have anything, crybaby. Let him describe the information in words.

I shook my head slightly from side to side and said, pointing my finger towards the window: "I don't have anything, because you didn't bring me the map a week ago. But you can try to navigate by the view from the window."

Snorting, Flying went to the window, opened it and began to look for the right place. Looking at him from behind, I felt another wave of pain, as if calling on me to push him out of here. Considering how busy Flying is, he won't be able to defend himself properly. Especially if I cut off his wings before throwing him out of the window.

Fortunately, by breathing slowly, I managed to stabilize myself and just keep waiting. Although the pain urged me to act, it had already slowed down a lot. Eventually Flying turned to me and said, "Have you seen a place called school here? Well, opposite it is a tall building with two staircases and a bunch of guards. This is the place where the wedding will take place. Your task is to hide somewhere nearby and provide support to Her Majesty if a battle begins."

I have. Jump out the window. And no, not to end your useless life. This is necessary to get to your destination as quickly as possible and explore the site of the massacre as best you can.

Nodding slightly, I took a few steps towards Flying and asked: "Can you step aside and show me where to go with your hoof? At this distance, I won't be able to see anything properly."

With obvious reluctance, Flying retreated slightly to the right, making room for me by the window. After taking a few steps forward, I leaned on the windowsill and out of the corner of my eye saw a hoof pointing at some kind of purple spot. Then the hoof shifted slightly to the left to draw my attention to another spot of a lighter shade and a different shape. Nodding slowly, I asked just in case: "Second, this is the wedding venue, right?"

"Yes. Can I go now, or do you need help with anything else? What else should I do for free?" Flying asked with annoyance. Wow, he's been whining a lot today. Something happened.

Don't think about it, he's going to die today anyway. A damn spy.

Despite the next wave of pain, I briefly looked down at him and asked calmly: "Has something happened? You've been whining a surprisingly long time. If you want to say something, do it directly."

Surprisingly, Flying took a deep breath and said, looking away, "Today I received a letter from the Queen. Do you know what it said? I am not allowed to participate in the great feast today. And you know what the worst part is? I wasn't even told what I should do instead! It looks like the queen wants me to just lie down and die of hunger and boredom! "

After a short silence, I put forward the first suggestion that appeared in my head: " You feel that you are not appreciated enough. You've probably developed some kind of complex. Like, I don't know, inferiority? Maybe you need to find something that you can be really proud of. Something that makes you feel superior to other people. You just need to be more stable during something frustrating. "

"I'm all right! I am the best scout among all Changelings, I have something to be proud of." Flying quickly replied by kicking his hoof on the ground.

Stop digging into the emotions of people who will die in just a few hours. Although, what am I talking about? In general, stop digging into a pile of junk called emotions!

The pain once again dealt a complex blow to my entire body, which made me cough. After a few seconds of struggle, I was able to take a breath and quickly blurt out, "Flying, from the way you talk about it, no one will admit it. You are struggling to find confirmation of your words from others. You either need to learn to value only your opinion or find something that you can really be proud of. Everyone needs a sense of superiority and a self-assigned status that has nothing to back it up will not help you get that feeling. "

I felt Flying come closer to me and said with anger and embarrassment in his voice: " I am the best! The rest do not recognize this because they are jealous. But I know the truth, that the best scout! I'm stronger, I'm smarter, I'm better! "

Sighing, I put one foot on the windowsill and calmly replied: " You know that's not the case. You don't have a thing that makes you really feel better than others. You're just kidding yourself. So just think about finding something to be proud of, okay?"

Without waiting for his answer, I put my other foot on the windowsill and said with a slight wave of my hand: "Okay, bye. It's time for me to get busy. And you, please, try to think over my words. It seems to me that it is the lack of a reason for pride that makes you so cheeky and irritable."

All I heard was an exasperated sigh. Rolling my eyes, I jumped down and took a look at the sky as I fell. It did not have pink shades like yesterday. Did something happen that I wasn't informed about? Although it seems more realistic to me that yesterday was just some kind of unusual natural phenomenon. I think if there was some kind of shield around the city, I would be one of the first to know about it.

Do you know what your problem is, crybaby? You're making assumptions with zero data. You can't find an unknown angle of a triangle without knowing anything.

Sighing, I looked down at the path remaining in the ground and began to prepare for a somersault to soften the fall. At the same time, I felt a strange sensation, as if something was coming out of my chest. My gaze quickly shifted to the source of the sensation and I slightly opened my jaw. Several thick black tentacles came out from under the coat and began to reach for the shackles that Luna had made. I don't even know if I should be happy that I'm free of them or nervous that the darkness was able to find a way to bypass the blocking of magic?

In any case, the tentacles wrapped around the shackles and jerked the shackles in half. These tentacles are much stronger than my own. Sighing, I slowly shook my head and focused on the tiny distance that remained before landing. In the last few moments, I went into a somersault and felt surprisingly little pain. Like, from falling from such a height, I should at least feel a tremor in my legs.

Shut up, crybaby, and listen to me. I'm going to activate invisibility now, and you're going to get busy. And don't even think about resisting, you won't succeed anyway, crybaby. And you know that I'm giving you a better path to the future.

Sighing, I quickly got up from the ground and did not have time to shake myself off, as I noticed the invisibility of my body. Nodding slightly to myself, I looked ahead and as soon as I saw the right silhouette of the building, I started walking forward. Along the way, I could feel the absence of lines ahead. It looks like someone is already preparing for the wedding. It can be assumed that this is Cadance. After all, the bride or something.

Shaking my head, I quickened my pace and tried to spot someone on the streets with my eyes. Surprisingly, I managed to make out several groups of golden color in the distance. The guards? Well, I used to beat them without any problems, now I can even win.

That's right, a crybaby. Right. They are nothing more than human shields on legs. Even if the princesses put up a decent resistance, the deaths of their citizens should take a toll on their morale. If necessary, I will blow up the entire Canterlot to destroy the enemy's morale. Totale Krieg, for the sake of freedom? Yes, that's definitely what good guys like to do.

Unable to restrain myself, I chuckled slightly, covering my mouth with my hand. Today, both the good and the bad guys will be completely smashed on their heads. Today I will finally achieve perfection. Taking advantage of the power vacuum that will appear after the death of the princesses and Chrysalis, I will be able to gain tremendous power. The power with which I will finally free everyone.

Nodding confidently to myself, I turned my attention to the destination I had almost reached. There were two staircases leading up, with four guards standing next to each of them. Hmm, how many are in one place, what will they do if there is a sudden explosion? Shaking my head slightly, I calmly walked between the ponies in golden armor and began to climb the stairs. As I moved forward and up, I was able to discover even more guards and what looked like a bell at the top of the building. How sweet, they want the whole city to know about their useless wedding.

Don't think about it, there won't be any wedding today. Focus on avoiding the guards and find a place from which you can conveniently observe everyone. And remember, you can't let one side win easily. If you see that one of the sides has a huge advantage, then it is necessary to strike at it.

Sighing softly, I carefully walked past the two guards, straight into the building. Almost instantly, my eyes noticed a large door in front of me, from behind which there were some sounds, as if someone was walking. Frowning, I walked the remaining distance and leaned my ear against the door hoping to hear some conversation. Surprisingly, I managed to barely hear Twilight's voice: "I'm sorry."

There was only silence in response before a reply came from a voice I didn't recognize: "You will be."

No, wait, there's something here. The voice is unfamiliar, but the tone and timbre did not seem to be fake. This is, this is Chrysalis. Yes, it's a Chrysalis.

Nodding slightly to myself, I pushed the door a little so that I could see for myself what was going on in the room but not risk giving myself away. Unfortunately, due to my eyesight, all I could see was a purple spot around which a green dome appeared and began to descend. In just a few moments, both signs disappeared, leaving nothing, as if Twilight wasn't even there. What a strange spell, hmm.

After that, the pink spot, which was presumably the transformed Chrysalis, began to move away. Great, she's leaving. Smiling slightly, I slightly opened the door just enough to enter the room. In the next moment, a small creaking sound was heard from afar before the door slammed shut. Great, the space is free.

Sighing contentedly, I looked around the room trying to see some convenient place from which to attack at any moment. Columns? Mm, no, it will be uncomfortable to stand on them. Behind the curtain is also not an option, it's just stupid and if there are a lot of people at the wedding, I won't be able to make a quick, disarming attack. Hmm, what is that attached to the ceiling?

Squinting, I started walking towards the object before finally being able to figure out what it was. The chandelier is very large. Briefly lowering my gaze, I saw several small steps in front of my feet. Perhaps the right personalities will be standing right under the chandelier. Yes, it's a bit risky to rely on this, but there are no better places. Sighing, I raised my left hand up and created several thin magical tentacles.

Acting slowly and carefully, I managed to climb onto the chandelier almost without making it sway. Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes and tried to calm the shaking in my limbs. I do not know, thoughts get confused and contradict themselves. I do not know what my thoughts are and what belongs to the so-called dark side. All I can do is do what I've been striving for for so long.

That's the way to work, crybaby. Now sit here and sit. The wedding will not begin soon, and the attack even more so. For now, try not to think about anything, I need these resources more now.

Nodding to myself with difficulty, I sighed again and began to look down with a blank stare. After a couple of seconds of silence, the words burst from my lips: "It seems that this is where the result of my striving for perfection will be. It is here that I will achieve my goal or start a new path, the path to a normal life. Well, or I'll die."

POV Celestia

It's been a few hours since Twilight's tantrum, it's hard to call it anything else. I hope my faithful student is busy right now thinking very well about her actions. Restraining the urge to sigh in disappointment, I looked around at the many ponies gathered for the wedding. There were a lot of ponies on both sides of the long red carpet and almost everyone was wearing beautiful clothes. This is a solemn event after all.

Smiling slightly, I briefly looked to the right at the bride and Twilight's friends. It's a pity that she's behaving so badly today and can't attend the wedding. Anyway, I briefly looked at the groom whose eyes had a slight greenish tinge. Hmm, maybe Cadance used too much of her magic on him.

Sighing, I finally started saying, "Princess Cadance and Shining Armor, it is my great pleasure to pronounce you..."

"Wait!" Twilight shouted loudly as she burst into the room. In response to this, many ponies sighed in shock and began to talk among themselves. I just looked at my faithful student with some disappointment. What is happening to her today that makes her behave like this?

Although I should probably be grateful that she didn't start behaving the same way as my last student.

While I was thinking, Cadance groaned in anger and asked irritably, "Why is she interfering in her brother's life?"

Hearing such an unusual tone for her, I cast a surprised glance in her direction. Suddenly Cadance's tone changed and she asked as if she was about to cry: "Why is she trying to ruin my special day?"

"Because it's not your special day. He is mine. " Declared. . . another Cadance but with a disheveled mane and abrasions? How is this even possible? Spells of such precise transformation into a specific pony have long been banned and forgotten.

"What!? But how did you escape from my bridesmaids?" Cadance asked, standing next to me, pointing accusingly with her hoof at her dirtier version.

Ran away from the bridesmaids? I think I already know who the original is.

The contestant exchanged glances with Twilight before replying with a smirk: "I distracted them with what all bridesmaids want, with a bouquet."

Cadance briefly chuckled before replying, "Clever. But you still too late."

Finally, someone besides them spoke up. To be precise, Applejack who asked confusedly, "I don't understand. How can there be two of them? "

Cadance, with abrasions, took a few steps forward and said, looking at the ponies present: " She's a changeling! She takes the form of the pony you love and gains strength by feeding off your love for them."

A changeling? Hmm, it's been a long time since I've heard this name used seriously. I thought they had all moved far to the west. So far away that they will never meet again in Equestria. It doesn't seem like it.

While I was thinking, a circle of green flames formed around Cadacne, who was standing next to me. Stepping aside slightly, I frowned and decided to continue watching for now. In the end, the circle of flame rose up, completely hiding Cadance from prying eyes.

Soon, the barrier disappeared and my eyes widened at the sight of a changeling about my height. If my memory does not fail me, only queens among their kind have such an appearance. Before I could nod to myself, changeling laughed and said: "You're right, Princess. As the Changeling queen, I have to look for food for my subjects.

The Changeling Queen started walking forward and Cadance and said: " There is more love in Equestria than in any place I know. My subjects will absorb so much love that they will gain the power that we had only dreamed of before. And you know what the funniest thing is? The shield, which is supposedly invisible now, has long been destroyed. It is amazing that almost no one began to doubt this. Everyone just agreed that the shield was made invisible to make the enemy give himself away. But now, there's nothing you can do, Equestria will belong to me."

That's enough, it's time for me to show the ponies that there's nothing to be afraid of. I can protect them.

Deciding to stop standing on the sidelines, I took a decisive step forward and said, preparing to use magic: "No, you won't succeed."

"It's not going to work out for both of you." A quiet whisper sounded from above, which I barely managed to notice and recognize. Daniel!? Where is he? What is he doing here anyway?

Instead of any response, a sound similar to a ringing was heard, and in the next moment the chandelier began to fall down. My eyes widened at the sight, and taking a step back, I quickly teleported several ponies that could have been crushed by the chandelier. But no one saved the changeling queen. As if in slow motion, I managed to notice how she lifted her head up and slightly covered her mouth at the sight of it.

In the end, the chandelier slammed loudly into the floor, pinning Chrysalis down so that everyone could only see her head and neck. In the next moment, I heard Daniel's sigh and the sound of footsteps. Suddenly, the queen of the little ones began to scream loudly and hiss as if something was being torn off. To my own surprise, I was right and the changeling Queen's horn came off her head and rose into the air.

How disgusting and creepy, especially for most ponies. I hope the children didn't notice this. Because if so, it could have left them traumatized.

Suddenly, Daniel appeared right in front of me in his usual exhausted look for the last time. It looked like he had an invisibility spell on him. When I noticed the Chrysalis horn in his hand, I didn't know what to do. On the one hand, I want to be horrified and step back. On the other hand, I want to thank him for defeating the villain.

After a moment of reflection, I forced a smile and said, closing my eyes for a moment, "It's a little cruel, but you're still good, Daniel. See? There is a lot of kindness in you, you have. . ."

I was interrupted by a loud chuckle from Daniel and the words that followed: "Oh, you misunderstood the situation, Celestia. You see, Chrysalis was just standing in the most comfortable position, I figured that there would be no such luck the second time. Plus, she has an army behind her, so I thought she had too many advantages. But you shouldn't be happy. I am for equality, so today everyone will get what they deserve."

It sounds . . . very, very bad.

At first I tried to be calm, but then my eyes caught a terrible detail. The shackles that Luna created. The shackles that were supposed to hold back the darkness inside Daniel were gone. It looks like I need to live this moment again. With a convulsive sigh, I took a firm step forward and demanded: "Let him go, whoever you are and whatever you would like. Otherwise, it will be worse. "

In response, Daniel just rolled his eyes and, turning the changeling's horn in his hand, said, " You see, Celestia. There's one thing I've wanted for a very long time. I need to be Perfect, I need to become the highest point in the world. And today is the best time to get it. I do not know anyone stronger than Luna, and since you are her older sister, I can assume that you are at least as strong as her in pure strength. So all I need to do is kill you and neutralize Luna while she sleeps. And perfection will finally be achieved."

He's already talked about it. But since he is now under the influence or even under the complete control of darkness, his desires could become much less bright.

Restraining my anger, I took another step forward and asked activating the horn: "Why do you need this? What are you trying to achieve? Power, fame, universal adoration? "

Daniel calmly straightened up and said, looking down at me: " The destruction of morality, society and other useless structures created by pathetic garbage. After that, the creation of a perfect world under the control of a perfect being."

So an error has been found in your arguments, evil.

"And how are you going to achieve that? Empathy for others is inherent in every intelligent being, as well as herd instincts! After defeating me and my sister, you won't be able to get an inch closer to your goal!"

Daniel was silent for just a moment and, lowering his head, wrapped two hands around the changeling's horn. Come on, Daniel, I believe in you. Defeat the evil within yourself and live happily! I hopefully took a step forward in response to which Daniel instantly broke the horn in half and said coldly: "There is such a thing as political will, this is a thing that you don't have, Celestia. But I have this thing. And it is thanks to political will that I will become a ruler and will eradicate morality by all possible methods. And believe me, I will not disdain even the harshest methods. No freedom for the enemies of freedom, ha!"

No, it won't work. The evil is already too firmly rooted. I'm sorry, Danielle, but I have to. I hope someday you can forgive me.

Sighing, I quickly released a few rays of pure magic in his direction. Despite their incredible speed, Daniel was able to dodge and reach me in an instant. Not expecting such a speed, I did not have time to do anything and a strong kick hit my chest. Of course, I didn't feel any pain, but the kick was able to push me back.

Taking advantage of the moment, I quickly created a strong shield in front of me from my magic and sunlight. Daniel just nodded and pulled his right hand back. He couldn't move it for a long time, so the darkness either completely possessed him, or had already almost done it. While I was thinking, some black lines began to rotate around Daniel's hand and constantly accelerate. The strangest thing is, as their movement accelerated, I began to feel a strange tremor all over my body. It's like something wants to make me stop moving.

Suddenly, Daniel struck a blow that went through the shield as if it were nothing and collided with my chest with his fist. To my own surprise, I felt a kind of heaviness in my chest and, even more surprisingly, I was thrown back with such force that I crashed into the stained glass window, breaking through it. Quickly casting a glance in the direction of Twilight and her friends, I managed to shout out: "Take the elements of harmony, I will detain him!"

Sighing, I spread my wings and hung in the air, focusing my gaze on my chest. She was covered in stone, just like Discord. How is this even possible? It has no elements of harmony and I've never seen a spell like this. It looks like his dark side is really very gifted.

No, Celestia, pull yourself together! You may not be as smart in battle as Luna, but you control the sun after all!

Nodding to myself, I looked up and did it at the best moment, Daniel jumped out of the window after me. No sooner had I lit the horn than it and my hooves wrapped around the unpleasant tentacles. An attempt to destroy them with a powerful discharge of magic, to my horror, turned out to be unsuccessful. How is this even possible?

Out of the corner of my eye, I managed to discover that Daniel flew to the ground faster than me, and in the next moment I felt the tentacles pulling me down. Being helpless, I had to take a blow to the ground that sent a cloud of dust into the air. Although, to be honest, it didn't do me any harm. If I don't fight this country strike anymore, then Daniel's darkness won't be able to damage me.

Sighing, I stood up on all fours and looked ahead at Daniel. He stood straight with his shoulders wide apart and was shaking with his eyes closed. Hoping for the best, I shouted, "Come on, Daniel, I believe in you! You don't need to spend your whole life chasing perfection, and even more so, you shouldn't kill an innocent pony for it!"

Daniel just took a deep breath and his right hand pointed upwards. Groaning slightly in pain, he said softly: "There, look over there, not at me."

How strange. Why would the darkness inside him ask for this?

I was pulled out of my thoughts by the loud sound of an explosion coming from above. I closed my eyes trying to calm down, but mostly unsuccessfully. It, this thing, created an explosion. I can only hope that not one of my little ponies has been born. But it seems to me that today will not be a good day.

Sighing, I lit the horn and began to create my own weapon. It's been so long since I've had to do this, but it looks like the moment has come. In the end, a golden halberd appeared, which I held tightly in my magical grip. Opening my eyes, I looked straight ahead at Daniel and waited for his actions. To my surprise, his eyes widened and he stood in place for a moment before saying irritably, "I don't have much time, the changelings are already approaching. Do a favor for future generations and just let me kill you."

Without saying anything, I instantly teleported behind him and tried to cut off his right arm, which was completely infected with darkness. Surprisingly, Daniel seemed to know where I was going to teleport to and kicked me in advance, which pushed me back without doing much harm. How is this possible?

He can't know where I'm teleporting to, right?

Taking advantage of the delay, Daniel quickly ran up to me and jumped at the last moment and struck at me with two legs. The force of the impact was so high that I was sent flying and even the flapping of my wings could not stop it. After a while, I felt a collision with something wooden and opened my eyes. Then this feeling was repeated several more times before I finally stopped.

Opening my eyes, I was surprised to look at the many buildings of simple ponies that I had pierced with my body. I knew that after successfully passing the tests of will, Daniel became strong, but I did not imagine this. Shaking my head slightly, I raised the halberd again and looked around for the little human.

No, Celestia, pull yourself together! You are now fighting a dangerous enemy and the lives of your little ponies are at stake. Now is not the time for tenderness!

Sighing, I looked ahead and saw Daniel standing on the roof of one of the buildings and frowning at me. I met his gaze for a moment. They look. Is it okay? In addition, his body did not transform in any way as it did with Luna when she became Nightmare Moon. What if. . . What if he's doing everything on his own right now?

I opened my mouth to ask a question, but I was interrupted by Daniel, who pointed a finger behind his back and said irritably: "Look what's going to happen now. Because you're resisting too much, I don't have time to call the troops back to the city."

I stared at him in embarrassment for just a second before suddenly the whole sky turned black and the air was filled with a sound like the buzzing of insects. That's a lot, a lot of changelings. Where did their hive find so much love to increase its population to such a scale?

Stop thinking, Celestia, we must fight and then deal with this invasion!

Gathering my strength, I held up a halberd in front of me and said, "You better give up right now, monster!"

In response, Daniel just jumped from the roof of the building right at me. Taking a deep breath, I lifted the halberd so that it landed on its piercing part. He won't be able to dodge while in flight. I'm sorry, but the situation is really serious. I am so sorry.

To my shock, Daniel planted his left hand on the spike of the halberd, but his main body was not injured in any way. For a moment, I was horrified at the sight of blood sticking to my weapon and at the sight of the human's pierced arm. While I was startled, Daniel kicked the shaft of my weapon, breaking it and landing on the ground. Then he immediately pulled out the part of the halberd that was stuck in his left hand and tried to deliver a sweeping blow at me.

I dodged without much trouble, stepping back, but Daniel tried to throw another blow at me from top to bottom. Another dodge and another blow that followed. As I retreated, I started concentrating magic to use the spell. He won't be able to react to it.

This is the end, Daniel. I'm sorry that despite my best efforts, I couldn't help you.

Just a second before the next blow, a multitude of blades appeared around Daniel, which consisted of sunlight and which began to fly at him at high speed. I saw his eyes widen and even noticed the fear. But to my surprise, he threw a piece of halberd and covered his face with both hands and ran at me. Breaking through the blades of light with multiple wounds, Daniel touched my petrified chest and kicked me from below, which sent me flying.

Quickly gathering myself, I opened my wings and hung in the air to find that I had been thrown out of the city. If I am pushed back again, I can dig in on the mountain on which Kanterlot stands. And in this case, it will be a bit pro-climactic for me to fight in an area with a strong slope. Looking down, I frowned and found no one. Where is Daniel?

Suddenly, I heard a strange buzzing sound with everything next to me. Looking down, I froze when I saw what was emitting this sound. A rune made of blood was attached to the part of my chest that was covered with a stone. Did he take advantage of the fact that I can't feel this part of my body!?

Is Daniel himself so smart or is his dark side? And anyway, who is in control of the body now, who am I fighting? Maybe Daniel is doing it himself, not even resisting the calls of the dark side? No, I don't want to accept it!

An attempt to use my magic to dispel the spell was unsuccessful and immediately there was a loud explosion that threw me back. There was an unpleasant buzzing in my ears, but otherwise I didn't feel much damage. Breathe, Celestia, it's time to pack up. There are already too many changelings on the streets, there is a possibility that Twilight and her friends could not get to the Elements of Harmony. There is no other way out. The next time you see Daniel, you have to strike as hard as possible.

Feeling my back hit the stone surface, I quickly stood on four hooves and looked around, waiting for another attack. My eyes didn't find anyone, but they noticed an interesting thing. There was a small barely noticeable cut next to my neck from which blood was dripping. Is it because of the explosion? It doesn't matter though. Without straining, I quickly used a healing spell and with a small flash, the wound disappeared.

In the next moment, my ear twitched from the sounds of fast running behind me. Turning around, I saw a wounded Daniel running at me down the mountainside. How was he able to land on a higher point of the mountain than me? Well, it doesn't matter anymore. Sighing, I began to gather a lot of magic in my right hoof to end this. I have to protect my ponies. I hope someday you will be able to understand and forgive me, Daniel.

As soon as he closed the distance and swung with his right hand, I raised my hoof before instantly delivering as powerful a blow as I could. As if in slow motion, my eyes were able to finally make out Daniel's body, which had many holes, many of which were squat, and his face, which looked empty. When my hoof collided with his chest, there were many cracks and he was slammed into the mountainside with great force. No, it pierced through the surface of the mountain.

Squinting, I looked ahead at the long tunnel, trying to make out Daniel's body. It was terribly wounded and did not move at all. There were expressions of shock and pain on his face. Blood flowed profusely from numerous wounds. It looks like this is the end, the blow was quite strong. Looking at my hooves, I flapped my wings and said, bowing my head, "I'm sorry for everything, Daniel. I hope your death wasn't too painful. And I hope that at least one second with friends brought you true happiness."

This is the end. Now I have to deal with the changelings. If Luna hasn't woken up yet, I need to wake her up so that she can help me.

Sighing, I nodded to myself and flapped my wings hard and headed back to the city. I had a strange feeling along the way. Of course, my kick was very fast, after all, I concentrated too much magic in the hoof. But hadn't he noticed that? He was taught by Luna and she has always been a proponent of careful reconnaissance before entering battle. He had to do, I do not know what. But definitely not to die like that from a single blow!

"Maybe go back and heal him?" I muttered as I hovered in the air. Despite all the possible bleeding, he has a chance to survive. He can go through another test of will right now to get out of the clutches of death again! And maybe, just maybe, it could throw the darkness back. He'll come back to normal and I can keep him from burning up with my own magic! And even if the darkness doesn't recede, I can knock him out without killing him until he's recovered. And then everything will be fine!

Slowly, I turned my head towards the hole in the mountainside. It was as dark as an abyss and incredibly deep. Sighing, I began to fly quickly to her, hoping for the best. After all, Changelings feed on pony love, they won't kill anyone. The ponies will be a little scared, the city will be a little damaged, but no one will die as long as I'm a princess.

But the darkness inside Daniel is another conversation. He directly announced that if necessary, he would kill. And no one knows how many will die so that morality will be destroyed as he wants it to be. The fate of all living beings in Equestria or even beyond is on my shoulders!

Confidently nodding to myself, I landed in front of the hole in the mountain and was about to enter it. But Daniel's body was not discovered by my eyes. Where could he have gone? Slightly retreating, I began to frantically look around trying to detect a threat. He couldn't go to Canterlot and just start killing ponies, right? He couldn't do it right!?

Suddenly, I felt like something was putting pressure on me and pulling me down. It's like a whole mountain has fallen on my shoulders. Before I started thinking, I heard a deep and slightly hoarse voice from above: "Are you trying to find someone, trash? Don't answer, I know you need a crybaby. Ha, I only have bad news for people like you!"

Anticipating the worst, I looked up and saw a creature standing on the side of the mountain, above me. It basically looked like Daniel except for a few new fangs and arms that seemed to have changed their structure to look more like claws. Frowning, I said, lighting my horn, "Do you think that by gaining full control of Daniel's body and changing your appearance a little, you can defeat me, monster? You're not going to make it!"

It just laughed out loud in its creepy voice and doubled over as if it had heard the funniest thing in the world. After a few seconds, she waved her hand dismissively and said, calming down: "First of all, call me Perfection. Secondly, I decided to balance our fight a little bit, just for the sake of honesty. And what luck! You showed me a good healing spell and there is Tartarus under this mountain!"

Tartarus, what kind of support could he find there? No. . . it can't be. He couldn't have copied my spell so easily! He couldn't have gone so deep underground to get to Tartarus in such a short time!

I took a small step back and began to look around in an attempt to find a new threat. Noticing my emotions, the so-called Perfection said calmly and coldly: "Oh, don't worry, I told you everything would be fair. Hey, conservationist, get up with me, stop hiding!"

Before I could do anything, there was a red flash next to Perfection and a new creature appeared next to him. A large red crystal in his chest and eyes like precious stones, one of which glowed brightly. Yes, this is Ahirata. But her body was completely restored. Light green scales covering the entire body, a reptilian elongated muzzle and a long tail at the back. To my surprise, she stood very uncertainly and said after looking at Perfection: "I want to make it clear that I will not kill anyone except the owners of the elements of harmony and princesses. And I plan on giving you only support."

In response, he just waved his hand and said, rolling his eyes: "How unusual it is to realize that you are a woman. I hoped to the last that you were a man. Ahem, it doesn't matter. Just stand behind me and give me decent support. And don't try to do something crazy. In the end, I can just break the crystal in your chest and your life will be over. "

Ahirata lowered her head for a moment before saying softly, "I can't believe you implanted my eye in your hand. What an abomination. And that's not to mention the other things you're planning. "

Perfection just slapped the lizard on the shoulder and replied coldly, " Don't show off. I promised you that I would return the eye as soon as the battle was over. After today, you can go back to your dear Tartarus and rebuild it as you wish. Now be obedient girl and give me some support. "

Then they both looked down at me. I took another small step back, despite the trembling all over my body, and began to concentrate the magic in the horn. Noticing this, Perfection began to knead her fists while Ahirata activated the second eye, seemingly preparing some kind of spell. In the end, Perfection said with a chuckle, "I'll give you a seven-second head start. During this time, you can do whatever you want. Write a will, cry, or tell shameful secrets. After that? I will gladly take you apart."

Think, Celestia, think! How do you beat them? The fact that there are two of them already greatly complicates the situation. I remember that a long time ago it was difficult for Luna and me to cope with one Ahirata. But now, besides her, this so-called Perfection is fighting against me! Is there a pony anywhere that can help?

POV Rising Moon

Looking at the Canterlot where a lot of black creatures flocked, I couldn't help but tremble. The captain said he would deal with the danger and radio me as soon as everything was okay. But how is he going to handle it? There are an infinite number of them!

Taking a deep breath, I quickly took a look at the many soldiers around me. Each of them had a tense expression on their face and they seemed to be waiting for some kind of instructions from me. What do they want from me? I was told to just withdraw the troops from the city!

While my anxiety was only growing, I heard a sudden pop. Turning towards the sound, I saw a red cloud in the sky over Canterlot. I squinted, trying to see what caused it and who it hurt. But unfortunately the attempt was not successful. I hope this is some kind of captain's attack with which he defeats these weird weird things.

But we need to be more determined. I cannot allow the captain to be on the verge of death once again. So if in five minutes the radio in the tank does not transmit any messages, then I will send the soldiers to the city myself. Yes, I will do that.

Sighing, I looked at the bag that was lying next to me, on the armor of the tank. I think the captain wants me to be the only one to see this. Looking carefully around, I realized that they were still looking at me. Well, I can try. Sighing, I carefully opened the bag so that only I could see the contents and saw strange white plates on each of which there were drawings in a common style. Frowning, I opened the bag a little more and sighed with a lot of light. It looks just like. . . Just like a cutie mark!?

Trembling slightly, I looked at the contents of the bag and saw a note there. Quickly grabbing the note, I closed the bag and took a deep breath before starting to read.

Hey, Rising. If you're reading this, well, to put it mildly, something terrible is happening. But I'll probably survive today, just with a bunch of wounds. But I don't want to lie and hide anything anymore. So I'll be blunt. These plates with drawings are pieces of pony bones. The ponies I killed with my own hands. This is my sincere confession. I want you to decide what to do with it. You can tell the princesses about it or just throw it into the river. It's your choice, Rising. Whatever you did, thank you. You can't make a mistake here.

P.S. Sorry for the bad handwriting, I wrote it without looking.

I just sat there trembling watching it all. The captain killed several ponies. And he admitted it himself! I can't believe it. The man who was so kind to me. What can I say, one of the two people who has ever been kind to me! And here it is. Now I also have to decide what to do knowing this! Why was this choice given to me and not to anyone else? It's hard for me to choose which side to follow the captain from, but here it is!

Suddenly, someone hit me on the shoulder, making me jump in surprise. Turning around, I saw that it was Flying, who looked very annoyed. Taking a deep breath, I asked, trying to sound calm, "Did you have to scare me like that? Oh, it doesn't matter. What's wrong, Flying?"

Daniel continued to keep the irritation on his face and replied by pointing a hoof at Canterlot: "Are you blind or what? You're kind of in charge right now, and we're not doing anything. Don't you see that right now I, ahem, that is, we all need to head straight there!"

I closed my eyes for a moment and looked at the city, trying to ignore the many stares focused on me. Should I go to the city or not? Should I tell you what the captain did or not? After a few seconds of silence, I hit the tank on which I was standing with my hoof and said, raising my tone: "The captain said that a threat was coming to the city and he would deal with everything himself. As soon as the situation stabilizes, he will contact me on the radio. There should have been a few more left in the castle."

Please, I beg you, don't ask any questions. It's already hard for me.

Unfortunately, Flying and several other soldiers asked a question at the same time: "And what are we going to do if they don't contact you? Are we just going to stand here and watch these things destroy Canterlot?"

I wanted to argue that so far no damage has been noticed. But the next moment, many explosions thundered and smoke began to rise from the direction of Canterlot. Taking a deep breath, I gathered my strength with difficulty and said, looking at the buzzing radio: "If they don't contact me in three minutes, then we will head to the city, all together."

Flying was silent for a second before answering: "No, going in a crowd one at a time will not be interesting. Oh, it's not safe. It would be better if I gathered my soldiers and tried to enter the city by another route. For example, by rail. Or down that broken ladder. "

Well, that sounds a little better. Yes, it looks good. The tanks will move forward and distract the main attention, so that Flying will face fewer opponents.

Taking a deep breath, I replied with a slight nod, "Okay, take all your soldiers with you and get ready to head for that staircase. I don't think these things are expecting an attack from that side."

"Um, no, I'm not taking all of mine. I'm afraid that due to too many ponies, the already ruined staircase may be completely destroyed. I will take only the strongest and those who can be trusted with me."

When did he become so calculating? When we were learning strategy and tactics from the captain, Flying always chose the most direct and stupid solution.

Shaking my head slightly, I looked at the Canterlot before shifting my gaze to the walkie-talkie. Still silent and still buzzing. I think there's no point in waiting any longer. Taking a deep breath into my lungs, I ordered, trying to sound confident: "Start the tanks and get ready to march. We are divided into three groups. Me and one tank will go along the main road. Report and another tank, will go along the railway tracks. Flying, gather everyone you need and head for the stairs. "

Surprisingly, everyone willingly obeyed and there were many footsteps of soldiers who regrouped. But unfortunately Flying has raised its voice again: " Actually, Report has already left."

"What!? When did he leave? With whom? And why? " I asked in shock, starting to tremble violently again

Flying was silent for a second, probably shrugging his shoulders and replied, " He took all his soldiers with him and said he had to inform Princess Luna about it. In his opinion, she is sleeping now and she just needs to be woken up to save the day. "

I was silent for a while before nodding slightly, " Okay, no Report. So we'll all follow the main road while you and a couple more ponies climb up the broken stairs in the city."

Fortunately, that was enough for Flying and it went away from me. Sighing, I turned off the walkie-talkie and looked at the Canterlot where explosions periodically thundered. Then my gaze shifted to the bag. I can't just make a decision. I'll just wait for the situation to get better. And then I'll ask the captain to decide for himself what he's going to do. Yes, that's what I'll do. Closing my eyes, I muttered to myself:

"Captain, I don't know what condition you're in, but I'll help. I'll do everything I can, but I'll help you. Just hang in there and don't give up. I believe in you and your kindness. I see that you have always been striving for kindness.

Author's Note

Uh, yeah. For Christmas, my gift to readers is a cliffhanger. Am I ashamed? Yes, it's a shame. Well, I couldn't think of anything better so. . . Merry Christmas!

Perfection

No, there are no such ponies. It's daytime now so Luna is sleeping and unlikely to wake up. I can only rely on myself and hope that Twilight and her friends will be able to get to the elements of Harmony. No matter how stupid it sounds.

Sighing, I looked at the two villains standing over me. If Perfection is right, which I doubt, I have seven seconds before they act. Sighing, I took a small step forward and began to think about what of the huge list of my spells I should apply while I have a break. By the time I started thinking, Perfection had time to raise one finger and say, "One second has passed. Did you write a will, moral domination?"

Without saying anything, I looked into the eyes of this creature. If it was able to copy the healing spell, then it can do the same to others. But can he copy the spells that the Alicorns can cast? I doubt. And I don't think he'll be able to move the sun just by seeing me do it. After I nodded slightly to myself, Perfection raised his second finger and said: "Two seconds have passed. It's time to give way to the real person."

Is it just me, or is he trying to speak in verse? No, it doesn't matter! He's probably trying to distract me on purpose.

Quickly shaking my head, I directed magic into my horn and focused on a massive object, the sun. Slowly, it began to approach, causing the sky to change color and causing the villains to change their faces quite a bit. I hope that the creatures all over the planet are not too scared. But despite the sweat standing out on his face, Perfection calmly said: "Three seconds have passed. Don't think that a cataclysm can stop another cataclysm."

Ignoring him, I began to draw magic from the sun and distribute it throughout my body. My last blow meant that he was unable to react to my movements. Calm down, Celestia, this fight won't be difficult. Just two strikes and both threats to my little pony will disappear. As soon as I smiled slightly, Perfection sighed and said bored: "Four seconds have passed. Have you finished your training yet, a symbol of dogmatism?"

In response, I took a step forward and said confidently, "It was very stupid of you to give me a head start, monster. Now you have no chance of winning. After all, with such a scorching sun that you can't take away, your empire will collapse very quickly even if you win. You will have no one to rule over!"

Perfection just waved his hand and calmly replied with a crunch of his neck: "I wasn't going to rule anyone. You can't build a perfect world out of dirt."

What!?

Noticing the embarrassment on my face, Perfection just grinned and asked mockingly: "What happened? Does elementary logic scare you? Well, I'll only increase your fear. "

Suddenly, there was an outbreak of black magic and Perfection from his high position found himself just a dozen feet in front of me. He even copied it!? I took a tiny step back and Perfection continued by raising one hand: " Morality is not a thing that was invented by the church, the state, secret societies or anyone else to control people. It's just a natural continuation of things that are embedded in the brain of many creatures. Therefore, it will be a bit problematic to really destroy it. "

Perfection took a step towards me and continued, clenching his raised hand into a fist: " Therefore, my plan is extremely simple. I will destroy everyone. Absolutely everything that has even the beginnings of empathy will be destroyed. Don't worry, it's not xenophobia or racism. If there were humans here, I would also destroy them all. After the fun part, I can start experimenting. Chemistry, biology, genetic engineering. All to create perfect beings like me. "

Such a monster. Even Nightmoon did not set herself the task of destroying all living things. Although eternal night indirectly leads to this. But the creature directly stated that its ultimate goal is the destruction of all creatures on the planet.

Gritting my teeth, I said, taking a step towards him: "Today, after you nailed the Changeling Queen with a chandelier, you said you were going to rule! Does the position of a perfect being tend to change every couple of minutes?"

Perfection only looked up to look at Ahirata and waved his hand. With a slight nod, she teleported to be next to him. Grinning, Perfection looked at me again and said: "That's what the crybaby said. Now you're talking to me. Well, do you have anything interesting to show me, trash? Or can I end you already?"

Looking at him defiantly, I said firmly, "I've already realized that you can copy spells. So you won't see anything new anymore. "

Taking a deep breath, Perfection released a small cloud of steam from his mouth and said, standing in a fighting stance, " I won't need this. I feel that this body can reach much higher height. It just needs a little incentive."

And that incentive will be a fight with me. No, he's bluffing. How can fighting someone make him stronger?

As soon as he finished, I felt a lot of pressure on myself. Even breathing became a little difficult. Taking advantage of the moment, Perfection instantly shortened the distance to me and delivered a powerful punch to my jaw. To my own surprise, I felt it and flew back!

After a few seconds of rubbing my back against the rock, I finally stopped. Frowning, I created a circular shield around myself and stood on all four hooves. Looking around my surroundings, I managed to notice that I was thrown a little closer to Canterlot. Is that good, perhaps? Although, no, if the battle moves to areas with civilians, everything will be very bad.

Celestia, pull yourself together!

Sighing, I continued to look around and soon saw a couple of villains looking down at me again. They looked at each other and nodded as if they had already thought of some kind of plan. Black lines began to spin around the hand of Perfection, foreshadowing another attack that turned to stone. In the next moment, he jumped off the high ground, lifting several large boulders into the air and ran towards me.

Knowing that this attack would break through my shield, I put it away and began to prepare a teleportation spell. After all, now I can replenish my magic reserves from the sun, which means I have a huge advantage in endurance. Sooner or later, they'll both get tired.

Nodding to myself, I looked ahead and saw that Perfection was only a couple of steps away from me. Grinning, I teleported a few dozen hooves to the left. Great, I dodged it! Wait, why do I feel so weird? It's like I'm being emptied. . .

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that Ahirata had grabbed my wing and a yellow stream of magic was actively coming out of it. Growling, I abruptly flapped my two wings, which pushed the villain back and lifted me into the air. But the feeling of a little emptiness remained.

How much magic did Ahirata manage to take away? It doesn't matter though. I can just restock from the sun.

Sighing, I tried again to take magic from the sun and recover. But it didn't work out. There's just no more magic in my body. While I was confused, Perfection stood next to Ahirata and asked while looking at me: "So, you just took a piece of her soul, right?"

In response, she nodded slightly and said, also looking at me: "Yes, but her soul is just of titanic proportions. I managed to take only a small piece. Hmm, but by the look of her, she's already forgotten that I can do that. No wonder, she's a couple of millennia old. Her mind can't store everything."

How could I forget that? Ahirata takes souls or pieces of a soul. Right now she's taken a piece of mine, you could say she's reduced my magic supply!

While I was still in the air, Perfection grinned and asked, looking up at me: "Hey, Celly! What else did you forget? Do you remember how many servants there are in your castle? Do you remember how old you are?"

"Shut up," I growled, continuing to flap my wings and stay in the air.

Unfortunately, Perfection continued to ask, "Do you remember your childhood? Are you sure Luna is your sister? Do you have at least one shared memory with her from childhood? "

" I told you to keep quiet! " I shouted, channeling magic into the horn. I won't use a spell on him, he doesn't deserve it. I'll just incinerate him with a wave of pure magic.

Perfection just smiled cheekily and asked slowly, with pleasure, " Do you remember your parents?"

Celestia, calm down. It's. . .

Unable to restrain myself, I quickly shot a bright ray of pure magic at him. My eyes could see how the beam melted the stones and made the air tremble. But in the next moment, I felt a powerful blow to the head. Then on the back of the head. And finally a kick in the back.

The force of three blows quickly threw me to the ground with such force that I made a small depression in the rock. To make matters worse, a huge pressure fell on my body again, which almost did not allow me to move. Groaning in pain, I opened my eyes and saw Perfection falling on top of me. Black lines were once again spinning around his arm. Gritting my teeth, I tried to channel as much magic as possible into the hooves to overcome the pressure and dodge. But it was already clear that I didn't have enough time.

In the last moments before the blow, I managed to see an amazing but still happy sight. The hilt of the familiar sword struck the hand of Perfection, which caused his blow to hit the rock without harming me. Having accumulated enough magic, I managed to hit Perfection's chest with my hoof, which made him hiss and teleport somewhere. Standing on my hooves, I smiled slightly at the sight of Luna.

My dear sister. I don't know how she woke up and got to me. But she did it at the right moment.

Nodding gratefully to my sister, I turned on the spot to look at the villains. Ahirata stood and nervously shifted from one foot to the other. Perfection, on the other hand, clutched at the place of impact and breathed heavily with his head bowed. While I was examining the villains, Luna took a step forward and pointed her curved sword in their direction before saying, "This is your end, monsters. My sister and I have never defended Equestria from threats far more powerful than you can even dream of."

In response to these words, Ahirata took a small step back while Perfection continued to hold onto his wound and breathe heavily. Hoping they wouldn't do anything yet, I turned to Luna and said, "He can copy spells. The exception is our unique spells. For example, the control of celestial bodies."

Luna nodded slightly, standing in a fighting stance and asked: "Do you know how he does it? Even a guess?"

I have no idea. It's actually weird. Creatures without horns can only create magic with the help of runes. How could he repeat my spell? The only thing I can assume is that he found a connection between natural magic and its reaction to ordinary magic.

Suddenly, I heard Perfection laugh and say, almost singing, "Ich sind das Bauvolk der kommen Welt."

Confused by the sudden speech in griffin, I bowed my head in response to what Perfection continued: "Ich sind die Zukunft und ich sind die Tat. Verstehst du, Luna? "

When I heard my sister's name, I frowned and looked at her. To my surprise, she quickly shook her head and backed away. Oh no. Perfection took a step forward and said with amusement in his voice: " Oh, how good it is to have deduction! I remember how you reacted sharply to the tank shot, Luna. I just needed to think hard. Who could you have fought with earlier to earn psychological trauma? How lucky that it was with griffins! "Luna continued to back away and muttered quickly shaking her head, " No, that was a thousand years ago. Everything is fine. It won't happen again!"

Oh, Lulu.

I tried to stretch out Luna's wing to calm her down, but she instantly pushed me away and said straightening up with difficulty: "I'm fine, Sister. I'm fine."

Perfection only raised both hands up, exposing the serious dent in his chest that my hoof had left. Despite this, he said with pride: "Another proof of a just world! Luna could have fought in the past with any other species, and then my trick would not have worked. But it was the griffins she was fighting. Your resistance makes no sense! The world is on my side and asks for your destruction. "

While Luna was trying to calm down, I took a step forward and objected: " It's just an accident. You're just lucky! The world has no will, and even more so it will not ask for anything evil like you!"

Wait, what is this weird feeling? It's as if the air doesn't move naturally.

Perfection laughed, and more and more strange black lines began to swirl around him. When his body was completely hidden from my influence, he finally started saying, "Watch my victory, trash! I'll show you why I'm Perfection!"

At some point, the black lines seemed to turn into steam but did not disappear anywhere. In general, the body of Perfection was surrounded by slowly moving black smoke, which made it possible to clearly see only the heads. It looked as if the skin had been replaced with some dark material vaguely resembling stone. His eye sockets looked like just two holes in the rock in which there was nothing, just an abyss. His mouth filled with fangs was wide, almost the entire front of his head, and steam came out of it when he breathed.

But perhaps the most frightening detail was the head. To be precise, the growth on it. It was as if Perfection had tried to create a horn for itself but had completely failed the task. Above the left eye there was an outgrowth similar to a stone and which was twice as large as the eye socket. Moreover, there were four small spikes on the outgrowth. During the breath of Perfection, these spikes moved slightly to always be pointed with the sharp side at me. It's like they have a mind of their own.

What a vile creature you've become. I can't believe that this monster voluntarily decided to make himself look like this.

Perfection slowly straightened up and said looking at me: "Ahirata, take care of Luna. Because of the crybaby, I won't be able to fight her properly."

"We agreed that I would only support you." She replied awkwardly, continuing to stand at some distance from the monster. Maybe I can somehow win her over to my side?

Before I could think of anything, Perfection said in a chilling tone, "Do as you're told, woman. You have to understand that you can't beat me. You feel my superiority. You know that you live exactly as long as I want you to. You are my property. Or do you want to bet?"

With this attitude, she will turn against him herself. Any second now.

After a few seconds of silence, Ahirata sighed and said softly, taking a step forward: "I am not your property. I just want to be safe so that I can quietly do the restoration of Tartarus."

Taking a cautious step forward to meet her, I spread my wings and put a hoof to my chest before saying, "I know that we caused you a lot of pain. But I see that you have reformed and do not want destruction like this monster. If you turn against him right now and help defeat him, I will absolve you of all responsibility for your past actions. You can start your life with a clean slate. "

" Sister, this won't work. Don't you look at her at all? She had already obeyed him. " Luna said faintly, continuing to stare at Perfection.

But maybe, maybe?

"No, you're lying. If it wasn't for the fight, you would have left me to rot underground. I'll deal with Luna." Said Ahirata before lighting up both of her eyes at once. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a stone wall appeared right in front of Luna, which pushed her back. After my sister left my field of vision, there was a flash around Ahirata and she also disappeared. It's just me and this monster left.

Taking a deep breath, I looked at the new form of Perfection and asked mockingly: "What are you trying to achieve with this look? Maybe you want to scare others? Or are you trying to hide your imperfect appearance from others? Because reality very often destroys your deep illusions."

In response, Perfection's wide mouth twisted into a predatory smile. Suddenly, he lifted one of his legs and brought it down to the ground, which lifted many large boulders into the air. Under the influence of an unknown force, they quickly flew towards me. Although he probably just pushed them. In response, I calmly created a large blade of light that, with a wide sweep from left to right, cut through all the boulders. But Perfection has already disappeared somewhere.

He must have hidd. . .

"Are you looking for someone?" A familiar deep voice asked, tapping me on the shoulder. How stupid. Turning around, I quickly directed as much magic as I could into my hoof before striking. Just a moment before the impact, I felt my hoof being grabbed. Suddenly, a wave of pain passed through my jaw. The impression made my eyes roll back to the back of my head for a moment.

There was a second blow to the neck and a third kick to the stomach that threw me back. Before I could open my eyes, I felt a strong pressure on my back and enthusiastic words of Perfection: "I can feel it. Here. Over here! Victory is coming to me! The world itself is handing me a cup with my name on it! A reward for the most perfect being. What I deserve!"

You haven't won yet, monster!

Gritting my teeth, I abruptly scooped up a lot of magic from the sun and, despite the pain, began to redistribute it through my body. In the next second, I teleported and swung at Perfection with my hoof, which was trembling slightly from the huge amount of magic. To my surprise, the small spikes on the monster's head suddenly stretched out and instantly dug into my hoof. What nonsense is this!?

I tried to pull my hoof back, but I couldn't, the spikes were too deep. And even more annoying, Perfection didn't even turn in my direction. He just stood with his back to me and said with unusual tenderness in his voice: "Such lovely creatures. I created these four little ones to protect me and suck out the magic of my opponents. This is the prototype of perfect creatures that will replace trash like you in the future. They are not very intelligent, not very independent, but loyal and have no concept of morality. Do you like feeding them? "

I don't even know how to react to this. On the one hand, it's disgusting. No, this is the peak of disgust. But on the other hand, he talks about them so tenderly.

My thoughts were interrupted by a sudden feeling of weakness. After taking some more magic from the sun, I teleported back, and fortunately the spikes didn't follow me. Sighing, I quickly created several shields around myself at once and looked at the wounded hoof. There were exactly four holes in it, from which surprisingly not a drop of blood was coming. Maybe these prototypes also feed on blood?

While I was thinking, I noticed how the sky was coming back to normal. Looking up, I slightly opened my mouth in shock. My sun, the thing I've controlled for millennia. It was slowly returning to its normal place without my intervention. Now it will be very difficult to replenish magic reserves from it. In combat conditions, it is impossible.

Taking a deep breath, I tried to gather my strength and looked at Perfection. He lightly stroked his spiked growth and said, looking at me: "Now that you don't have a battery at hand and my babies are full, I can finish with you. The final act. The Grand final. "

I'm not going to fall for that weird line punch anymore. Maybe the fog prevents me from seeing his body well, but I still see the silhouette.

I smiled confidently while Perfection was preparing another attack. Around his right arm, the fog began to spin with increasing speed. Eventually, he started running towards my shield, which I began to strengthen further with magic. If his attack breaks against the shield, he will have even less magic. He doesn't have endless supplies.

As soon as the rotating mist came into contact with my shield, one piece after another began to fly away from it. Hmm, apparently using fog is not as effective as lines. I took a step back just a moment before the first shield fell, followed by others, weaker ones. But it's still very strong. The next moment, I felt an incredibly powerful blow to my temple. It was so fast that I couldn't even notice it.

Come on, Celestia, there has to be a way out!

I sent magic into the horn trying to teleport, but I was interrupted by incredible pain. Slightly opening my eyes, I stared at Perfection in shock. His spikes stretched out again and pierced my horn in several places, which fixed me in place. Slowly licking his lips, he raised his hand, around which the fog was still spinning rapidly.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. It won't work, I can't do anything without the horn. I can't stand for anything. Opening my eyes with difficulty, I said, trying to sound confident: "You won't succeed anyway! Twilight and her friends have already taken away the Elements of Harmony. They will defeat you!"

"Take care of yourself first." Perfection grinned before bringing her fist down on my head. Almost immediately, I felt my hooves give way and my brain almost shut down from the pain. Eventually, my mind was able to stabilize and I opened my eyes. I was lying on the ground and Perfection was standing over me with a very proud look.

I tried to say something but was interrupted by a sharp slap on the back. Then another fist came down on my head from above. Perfection lifted me up by grabbing my head and said, slightly opening his mouth: "Mmm, how nice to see you in this state. And how nice it is to see what my body is capable of. To defeat you, I just needed to draw to myself all the natural magic that I found on the mountain. So little."

I flapped my wings slightly to escape from his grip, but nothing happened. Horn, I don't feel it at all, the damage is so great. Despite the pain, I was able to squeeze out a smile and say with my eyes closed: "Okay, you've won. Kill me and enjoy your perfect world. Which will never happen."

Perfection just growled and threw me to the ground like a thing. Then he kicked me in the back. Then again. And again and again, driving me a little deeper into the ground each time. At some point, he started shouting to keep hitting: "Come on, where's your fuse? You have to give me a real challenge! Aren't you ashamed to lose after all I've done is surround myself with the natural magic of this mountain? Aren't you ashamed to lose to such a small force!?"

He's acting almost like a kid who threw a tantrum. Do I even feel a little sorry for him?

Enduring the pain, I smiled slightly and assumed, looking at Perfection from the bottom up: "I'll assume that you exist as long as Daniel has access to magic. So you're a baby, you've lived less than a year. Poor kid."

I felt another powerful blow on my back, which this time caused several crunches. While I was moaning in pain, Perfection shouted, "That's it! I only had the crybaby's memories, which I studied incredibly carefully. I had less than a year to develop. I have passed from the four-legged beast to the peak of evolution! My victory should have been an absolute triumph of will! I will! My victory should have been something impossible. Why the hell are you so weak?"

Before I could say anything, the spikes of Perfection lengthened again and pierced into different parts of my body. After just a few seconds, my eyelids felt slightly heavy. Perfection hit me once more before saying with a disappointed sigh, "It doesn't matter. Soon you will fall asleep and die from heavy bleeding. Even if you survive, I've damaged your spine. You lost, I won. This is the end. I feel that the soldiers are already in the city. Let's see if they're willing to stage terror for me."

Perfection turned around on the spot and walked towards the city. Through the fog, I could make out an interesting detail. His right hand, which he used to deliver the most powerful punches, looked thinner than his left. It was as if the powerful attacks had destroyed part of his muscles. Smiling slightly, I closed my eyes and said humbly lowering my head, "And yet you are not so evil. You're just a little kid with a lot of problems."

He didn't say anything in response and just continued walking towards the city. As soon as Perfection jumped off the cliff and disappeared from my field of vision, I yawned slightly and felt some incredible calm.

I'll rest just a little bit. I hope Luna is okay. Although even if not, I'll find out soon enough. One way or another.

POV Rising Moon

The loud sounds of the tank moving and the ponies that didn't have enough room to climb on them almost blocked my ears. Flying took less than a dozen soldiers with him. I hope he wasn't noticed by those things that attacked Canterlot. And I really hope that the Report is alive. How could he just take the soldiers and leave alone? And why didn't anyone tell me about it!?

Pull yourself together! These things can attack us at any moment. . . . And I doubt that it will be possible to find a solution where no one will get hurt.

Taking a deep breath, I carefully pulled the sword out of its scabbard with my wing and looked around. The tank I was sitting on was in front of the column and had almost reached Canterlot. There is literally less than a minute left on the road. With another sigh, I lowered my gaze to the open hatch of the tank. If the enemy is ahead, you will need to ask them to use these "flamethrowers". I hope that their effect is not too painful.

Suddenly, I felt a sudden heat and even sweat on my face. Raising my head, I opened my mouth in shock and stared at the sky. The sun got closer. No, it has become MUCH closer. Most of the sky was occupied only by the sight of a huge star. Why did this happen? Can these things that attacked the city control the sun? Are they trying to scare us this way?

With difficulty, I turned away from the sky and turned around to look at the soldiers. Although they continued to hold the formation and go forward, most of them looked up at the sky in fear. Something definitely needs to be done about it. While the tank continued to drive forward, I stood on it and said, trying to sound confident: "It's okay, don't panic! It's probably an illusion or. . . Uh, or. . ."

"If this is an illusion, then why is it so hot?" One of the soldiers suddenly stopped walking. Just a second later, he was supported by several more ponies. Now we definitely need to do something about it. I fell silent, trying to think of something worthy to say.

The captain told me. Yes, the captain told me!

Pointing with my hoof at the sun in the sky, I said, trying to sound confident: "Captain, I was told about such illusions. They are incredibly realistic, but only a few wizards can make them. Obviously, this illusion was created by the things that attacked the city to scare us. "Before anyone could say anything, I hit the tank's armor with my hoof and said, raising my voice slightly: " Today we cannot afford the luxury of fear! And in general, the enemy is trying to scare us because he realizes his doom! We have technology, training, a plan on OUR side, and most importantly, right now the captain is also fighting these things. Well, most likely. If we are calm and collected, we will win without any problems!"

Surprisingly, my speech was able to calm the soldiers, and they quickly returned to the ranks. Um, I don't even know how I did it. Probably just luck. Nodding to myself, I turned away and looked ahead. The tank I'm sitting on has almost reached the city. The next second, the shadow of the arch covered me from above. It's like there's some kind of boundary.

The main thing is not to think about it negatively. Everything will be fine. Now the captain will come and defeat everyone without any problems. No one is going to die today.

Sighing, I lightly rubbed my forehead covered with sweat and began to look around. So far, no harm is visible. However, for some unknown reason, most of the windows were broken. They couldn't just spot us and ambush us, right?

Wrong. In the next instant, creatures like a mixture of beetles and ponies began to climb out of all the broken windows. In just a few moments, they completely surrounded us and bared their teeth. Wait, since they're not doing anything, I have a second or two to come up with something. That's right, it's their mistake!

The flamethrower releases fire only in front of itself. Since we are surrounded, the fire will be able to defeat a quarter of the attackers. Well, it's better than nothing.

Trembling slightly, I put the sword in front of me and slightly leaned towards the hatch of the tank hesitantly said: "Uh, well. Fire!"

Surprisingly, the pony in the tank reacted almost instantly and the next second a wide stream of fire went out of the barrel of the tank. The beetles that were hit by this attack began to scream loudly and roll on the ground in an attempt to extinguish themselves. The worst thing is, absolutely unsuccessfully. It's horrible. . . But is it possible to negotiate with them?

Not in such circumstances. They attacked the city and have already caused some destruction. It's too late, all that remains is to move forward. Although I can try to talk to them. Just to know for sure that there were no other options.

With difficulty, I took a breath and jumped off the tank's armor, continuing to hold the sword in front of me. The pony beetles seemed scared because of the demonstration of the tank's operation. It's a good thing they don't know that there won't be another volley of fire in the next few hours. Shaking my head slightly, I said, looking towards the beetles: "Please, I beg you, give up. No one wants the streets of the city to turn into rivers of blood."

For a moment, the bugs stopped baring their teeth. As if they were really considering my offer. Maybe everything will really end well today? If they just leave, it will be a little bad, no one will restore the windows in the city and the already burned beetles too. But at least as few creatures as possible will die. Overall, everything will be fine!

Suddenly, the heat began to subside, which caused many, even the pony beetles, to raise their heads up. The sun slowly but surely returned to its place. Um, if they ask, I'll say it's a symbol that they're ready to negotiate. Smiling slightly, I looked back at the pony beetles. They just stood looking at each other, as if they didn't know what to say to such a proposal.

But so far they are not going to give up. If I say something very good, they will definitely agree to leave! Maybe they'll even apologize and help rebuild the city!

I lowered my sword and took a cautious step back before opening my mouth to say something. But suddenly there was a strange flash of something black that confused me. Shaking my head quickly and blinking a few times, I looked back at what was happening right in front of me. And all the pony beetles were gone. Not a single trace remains.

"So the disinfection has been carried out. There are no parasites left." A deep voice above me was heard. No, it can't be like that. The captain couldn't turn into that creepy thing again! He's in perfect health!

Dropping the sword to the ground, I quickly raised my head and looked in the direction of the voice. And I saw a creepy creature, a monster. His entire body was surrounded by a strange black fog or even smoke. Because of it, I could only make out the silhouette of the captain's body and head. The head looked like a perfect stone replica of the captain's face. Except for the empty eye sockets, wide mouth and a strange growth with spikes on the head.

Again. This monster. What does he call himself? Perfection? Yes, that's what he called himself. Although I'm not sure.

Barely able to keep my balance, I somehow managed to find the strength to ask: "What happened to the captain? What did you do to him, monster?"

Perfection just waved his hand dismissively and replied even in spite of me: "First of all, you know how to call me correctly. Secondly, I just took for myself what I deserve. I took away the instrument of influence on the world around me, this body."

Gritting my teeth, I looked around. There were no traces of the pony beetles at all. But the other ponies were still with me. Most of them were trembling slightly, but some even held their weapons at the ready. However, out of the corner of my eye, I noticed one unpleasant detail. The tank that was behind the formation lost its barrel. It was just torn off the body. Swallowing, I asked, looking at Perfection again: "What have you done with these bugs? And a tank?"

He couldn't have killed them, right? He's not exactly a monster, right?

Perfection only grinned maliciously, showing his huge mouth filled with fangs. After a couple of seconds of silence, he slowly raised his hand and said, pointing behind his back: "I just tore off the barrel of the tank and threw it there. I just killed the Changelings. Ha, my blow was so fast and strong that the torn bodies were thrown out of the city. How nice. "

They were killed. Everything could have ended so well today. Successful transports, a lively and kind captain. But then it appeared. Gritting my teeth, I picked up the sword from the ground and asked loudly: " Why did you kill them!? If I had talked to them a little more, they would have agreed to leave! Why this bloodshed? "

A small barely noticeable gust of wind and I found that Perfection was standing right in front of me, looking down at me with its empty eye sockets. I recoiled slightly from such suddenness, in response to which he chuckled and said with his hands behind his back: "You see, orphan, changelings feed on love. In other words, they are parasites. There can be no peaceful solution to the conflict with them. To take them in would be to set up a time bomb. And even if you had convinced them to leave, they would have found another place to eat. Doesn't morality dictate to you all your life that the best solution is one that doesn't offend anyone?"

He sounds so confident. I can't even bring myself to think about a rebuttal. No, Rising, pull yourself together!

With difficulty, I held the sword in front of me so that Perfection could not come closer to me. Despite the smirk on his face, I replied: "It doesn't matter. Killing was still a bad decision. First you need to at least try to find a peaceful solution! "

Perfection just grabbed my sword with his right hand and said, pointing with his other hand towards the tank, " You gave the order to set fire to these changelings. In fact, the responsibility for their murder rests on your shoulders. Let me do the math. One, two, three, no SIX! Sechs. You killed six people, orphan. Are you sure you have the right to tell me about a peaceful solution? "

I slightly opened my mouth and began to tremble even more after these words. While I was unable to respond, Perfection let go of my sword and stepped back before saying with his hands on his hips, " Well, it doesn't matter. I have a suggestion for all of you. You see, I need to arrange a little terror. Global scale. You can help me with this by becoming faithful servants and maybe I will save your life. If you refuse, I will turn you all into cheese and you will bleed to death."

Throughout his speech, my eyes were focused on my sword. After colliding with the hand of Perfection, the blade of the sword was cut into pieces. It looks like paper that was mercilessly cut with scissors. A lot of times. With difficulty, I tore my gaze away from the sword and said, looking at Perfection: "What do you mean by global terror?"

"The complete destruction of any creatures having at least the rudiments of morality or herd instinct. " Perfection replied calmly. Not a hint of a joke.

He wants us to kill everyone. Absolutely everyone. To save ourselves. What could be more monstrous than this?

I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to think of something. He turned my sword into such a thing with a simple touch. What can I hope to do? Probably nothing. But I don't want to just give up. Maybe, just maybe there is a way out?

Despite my fear, I took a confident step forward and said, looking into the empty sockets of Perfection: "I won't give up and neither will you, Mr. Sir boss! I know you're in there somewhere. Resist, fight, don't let this monster win. I know you can't let us die!"

Surprisingly, Perfection did not move in any way but clenched his teeth. It was as if he had been temporarily stopped. This is my chance. Making a sharp dash towards him, I tried to plunge my broken sword into the only part of my body that seemed vulnerable, into the eye socket. Unfortunately, as soon as the impact site was only a couple of inches away, a setback occurred. In less than a second, the spikes on Perfection's head somehow lengthened, grabbing my sword. And with a light movement, the sword was thrown far away.

It looks like this is the end. There's nothing else left. What a fool I am. Hardly anyone would be as dumb as me to resist him.

Out of fear and disappointment in myself, I closed my eyes and trembled, waiting for a wave of pain. But for the first, second, nothing happened. And the second one too. Moreover, in the third second, Perfection began to laugh out loud. Even too much. He's probably just enjoying the fact that I didn't succeed. I guess I'm just a loser. Nobody needs it.

"HA! HA. Ha, Ho Ho. "Perfection finished his laugh before falling silent. Hesitantly, I opened my eyes and saw that Perfection was looking down at me with a thoughtful look. Is he such a monster that he's considering how best to kill me?

In the end, he calmly asked with his hands on his hips, " Are you still planning to resist? Or are you giving up already?"

Why is he asking this? It's some kind of trick, probably. Uh, just keep quiet. Yes, I'll just keep quiet.

After a while of silence, Perfection sighed and said, pointing down the street, "I feel that there are Elements of Harmony and their owners."

Then he pointed behind his back and continued: "There, Luna continues to fight with Ahirata. Theoretically, all of them together can put up a decent resistance. Theoretically. "

Raising an embarrassed eyebrow, I asked, almost losing my fear: " Why are you telling me this? You don't look like you're going to lose."

In response, Perfection slowly lowered himself so that I was forced to look directly into his empty eye sockets. Look straight into the abyss. When he felt me shudder, Perfection leaned into my ear and whispered in a chilling tone: "I am Perfect and everything I do should only confirm this. Therefore, my victory must be incredible. I want all the forces opposing me reach their limits. I want the world of moral domination to throw EVERYTHING against me. And suffered a crushing defeat."

I wonder how he will react to rejection? Like, does his tone sound so vulnerable, I guess?

Not daring to object, I waved my hoof at the other soldiers and continued to look into the eyes of Perfection. Surprisingly, all of them willingly obeyed and almost immediately followed the sounds of stamping hooves combined with tanks skidding in place. After just a couple of seconds, the sounds began to recede. I'm alone. One against the abyss.

"Why don't you go with the others? Do you want to die or do you think you can defeat me one-on-one without a weapon?" Perfection asked with a grin and continued to play peek-a-boo with me. How can he even see anything if his eye sockets are completely empty? And what were those spikes that broke my sword!?

Shaking my head, I answered straightening up: "I can't just run away. Who knows what a monster like you can do? And what's more, there's a captain somewhere inside you. And he's still resisting you! "

In response to this, Perfection briefly laughed before saying, raising his fist, "Well, if that's the case. I need to keep myself busy. Let's check how much your will to live a life filled with useless things is great. "

Before I could even think of a question, I felt a powerful blow to my chest. The force sent me flying and caused a wave of pain that I couldn't even imagine before. It was as if all the bones in the body had cracked at the same time and hundreds of blades had been thrust into the organs. No, that's not even close to describing that pain. Why haven't I switched off yet?

It probably doesn't matter anymore. Yes, it doesn't matter anymore. I guess I've already done everything.

My hints of reflection were interrupted by a sudden stop and the subsequent dull pain in my back. Turning my head slightly, I managed to realize that I had crashed into a house. Ha, my body couldn't even break through the wall. That is, the blow was not so strong. But he still caused me a lot of pain.

Slowly, my body collapsed to the ground and a cough of blood came out of my mouth. With each drop of blood spat out, I felt my eyes getting darker and darker. Without knowing why, I looked up to see the Perfection. He stood calmly with his hands on his hips and looked in my direction. If the captain is somewhere inside, he's looking at it too. He's relying on me!

Gathering all my strength, I tried to stand on all four hooves. And I even managed to get up a little bit. Only to collapse to the ground with another coughing fit, completely exhausted. It continues to darken in my eyes. Despite all this, I opened my eyes wide with an effort of will and looked straight at Perfection.

Captain, if I could stand up and fight, I would do it. But all I can do is look at the monster that captured you. This is my limit.

Slowly but surely, it got darker and darker in my eyes until finally I was plunged into complete darkness and the pain disappeared. My pain-free mind was immediately filled with embarrassment. Am I blind from overexertion? I lost consciousness but didn't realize it? Or did I just die?

Suddenly, a white flame appeared in front of me, which further increased my embarrassment. But despite all this, I felt a strange desire to touch the flame. Although I can't do anything else in my condition. As soon as my hoof touched the flame, it quickly began to increase, which made me close my eyes for a moment.

As soon as the light decreased a little, I opened my eyes and saw green grass under the hooves. Looking up, I saw a tower with a ladder, a long-extinguished bonfire, a large building and a concrete sign on which a familiar two-legged figure was sitting. Is this really the place?

Yes, this is the place. The military base where the captain trained me and the other very first soldiers. Half of whom either died or left. Is this some kind of illusion? Or maybe everything that happened after the first day was a dream? Maybe there was no adventure in Manehattan. No Ahirata. Everything was always fine.

Following some instincts, I began to walk slowly towards the captain who was sitting on a concrete slab. The one with the number of this military base written on it. At one point, the captain even started waving at me, as if he was attracting me to him. At the sight of this, I accelerated and in just a couple of seconds I was in front of him. I stared at his face for a few seconds. No scar, no glasses, no bags under the eyes. Just a small smile on his face.

After a while of silence, he asked in a mocking tone, "You're looking at me like you've seen a dead man."

Upon hearing this, I quickly looked away and said in a trembling voice: "I'm sorry, Mr. Sir boss. I'm sorry for everything. "

" Call me by my name, Rising. You're the only person I fully trust. You have the right to call me Daniel. " He said, moving over a little and tapping on the stove.

He wants it. So I let him down with my loss.

Closing my eyes, I flapped my wings a few times before landing on a concrete slab right next to Daniel. He chuckled slightly and asked, looking ahead: "Is it hard for you to look at this place? Personally, yes. "

After briefly taking in the entire military base, I nodded slowly before replying, " Yes, it's painful to look at. I still can't believe how many died that day. I don't even want to count the specific death toll. We were all like a family. "Daniel put his hand on my shoulder and said with a sigh, " Yes, almost like a family. "

Almost. Just almost a family. I probably will never have a real one.

We were both silent for a while before Daniel asked in a serious tone, "Rising, can you answer my question, please?"

Despite the fear caused by his tone, I nodded slowly. This was followed by a long breath, followed by the question: "What are you going to do without me? Or no others at all?"

The question caught me off guard. What am I going to do without Daniel or anyone else? What will I do if I'm completely alone. . .

Who will I be without someone around? I always do what I'm told. Do I have any desire of my own? Find a family? No, I don't have any hope for that anymore. The other members of the Guard are almost like family. But the real one? I'm not sure if this is possible for me.

While I was thinking, Daniel continued, and with each word the gloom in his voice grew: "Just think, Rising. You usually follow me. Yes, sometimes you make some demands, but in the end it makes a strong correction for me. What will you do if I'm not there, or anyone else? Will you live if everyone suddenly leaves? "

I was silent for a while before asking, trying to sound annoyed: " Why are you even asking this!? "

Daniel sighed and said, lightly stroking my head, " Because now you have a choice. Leave, surrender, and then you can be with me and all the dead soldiers. Or you can keep fighting. But for whom? And how will you live even if everything goes well today?"

No, I can still hope that the real Daniel is trapped inside this monster. I will believe in it to the end! I will believe in MY thoughts to the end! I will believe in MYSELF to the end!

Gritting my teeth, I said, hitting the concrete slab with my hoof: "Even if everyone leaves, I will still be there, I will be able to move on, even though it will be hard. The time spent with you has finally allowed me to understand a lot. But I understood the most important thing now. I can be myself. The evil I received from others was not related to me at all. My parents, bad educators in the orphanage, and others. They all treated me badly because they had problems THEMSELVES! My personality has nothing to do with it! Being myself won't hurt me!"

When I finished speaking, I began to breathe deeply. How many words came out of my mouth at once. In response, Daniel just took his hand off my shoulder and said, "Well done as always, Rising. Now it's time to get back to reality."

Before I could ask anything, the entire space around me turned into a white flame. It grew further and began to burn me. Moreover, I felt the pain of many wounds returning. But slowly it all began to be suppressed, and moreover, I heard clicks inside me as if the bones were fusing together. My vision returned to normal again and I looked ahead at Perfection, who was standing in the same position as before.

I will defeat you. For Daniel, for myself, and for everyone else. Because it's my wish.

I quickly jumped on my hooves and immediately felt an incredible surge of energy. Either I've become a hundred times stronger or my body has suddenly become as light as a feather. While I was rapidly approaching Perfection, a red flash suddenly occurred next to him and another creature appeared. It looked, I don't even know how to describe it. A green and two-legged dragon without wings? Yes, perhaps this description will do.

The creature was breathing heavily and looked out of breath. After a few seconds, Ono finally spoke in a female voice: "It was impossible to deal with Luna. I've spent too much magic on Celestia. If I don't replenish my supplies in the near future, there's almost nothing I can do. I have the strength left in me to hold the opponent for a maximum of a minute. After that, I'll be useless. "

" Overcome yourself, Ahirata, and continue to provide support. I'm not going to let you take even a drop of magic away from me. If you die today, it's only your fault." Answered Perfection, even in spite of the new arrival. Ahirata? Yes, I remember something. That's what the monster called itself, which killed many soldiers in Ponyville. So this body is her real appearance?

Don't get distracted, Rising! We need to keep fighting for Daniel and for ourselves!

Nodding to myself, I abruptly flapped my wings and flew at incredible speed to Perfection, putting one hoof forward. I don't have a weapon, so I'll have to fight with my hooves. To my own surprise, I reached the opponent in less than a second and did nothing Perfectly, calmly taking a hoof kick right between the eyes. After seeing the success, I flapped my wings several times to climb higher and looked at the enemy. He staggered back, clutching at the spot where the blow had landed.

After a few moments, he withdrew his hand, revealing that a small crack had formed in his stone-like shell. Surprisingly, Perfection smiled broadly and said, looking at me from the ground: "Ha, not bad, orphan. It's a wonder my spikes couldn't react to you. You're probably so pathetic that they didn't perceive you as a living being or a threat.

Orphan. No, the absence of parents is not all that I am. I am something more.

I hissed a little and shouted looking down at him: "Stop calling me an orphan! I am more than just a child without parents. I am Rising Moon!"

Perfection smiled only wider and said taking a step forward: "Actually, you're wrong. The fact that you are an orphan already defines you in many ways. I have read that children who grew up in orphanages have problems with choice and personal boundaries. "

He shook his head slightly and finished with a chuckle, " What are you talking about, if your name, which you use so proud, is just a thing based on a drawing on a blanket? If you weren't an orphan, you wouldn't even be called that. Your personality is an orphan. That's it, it's the end, no more, no less. The pony is an orphan."

Enough! I can't just let myself be mocked like that! I also have the right to pride and dignity!

Nodding to myself, I abruptly flapped my wings and headed down to Perfection. This time, he grabbed my hoof with one hand and threw me aside with a sharp sigh. After a couple of seconds, my short flight ended with a blow to the ground from which I abruptly rose and looked towards the enemy. He just stood there. Does he consider me a threat to that extent?

Suddenly, my ear twitched in response to an approaching noise from both sides. Left and front. Turning my head to the side, I saw a tank with six colorful ponies sitting on it with ornaments around their necks. Yes, they are heroes. Maybe I don't really like them, but they will help.

Sighing, I looked ahead and saw a dark figure flying in the sky. After a couple of seconds of thinking, I finally realized who it was. Princess Luna. I don't even know if I should bow down in front of her right now or if the current situation allows me to refuse it?

No matter. The main thing is to detain these two so that the heroes can use their elements.

I took a confident step forward and said loudly: "Your time has come to an end, Perfection! You have no way out of this situation. Just give up and bring Daniel back!"

At first, he smiled slightly, but then his face assumed a neutral look. Suddenly, Perfection looked into a seemingly random alley and shouted, "I can feel you, spy. And I find it disgusting that you decided to take a form at least close to mine."

I tilted my head in embarrassment and looked into the alley from which a two-legged figure with a spear in his hands was awkwardly coming out. It walked as if it had never used two legs before. Did it look just like Daniel? What's going on here anyway? What is this supposed to mean!?

While I was shocked, the figure chuckled slightly and said in Daniel's voice: "What can I do? A madman is the most powerful being that I know well. It was easier for me to copy him."

The madman. Wait, that's what Flying always calls the captain! But how could he turn into his perfect copy?

Perfection just put his hands on his sides and said after looking around: "Luna plus the elements of Harmony can put me at a disadvantage. But they're coming here very fast. So I need to defeat you two in a few seconds. Great, this already looks like a perfect victory. "

He took a step towards Flying and said pointing with his left hand at me: " Ahirata, deal with him and take his soul to replenish his magic reserves. I'll deal with the spy. "

She was silent for a while before slowly walking towards me with her arm outstretched and her right eye burning. Noticing Ahirata's approach, I asked after taking a few steps back: " Why are you doing all this!? What is your goal? Why would you help a monster who wants to destroy everyone?"

She doesn't look as evil as Perfection. Maybe I can come to an agreement with her?

Surprisingly, my question only made Ahirata pause for a moment. It's even easier than I thought. In the end, she finally answered with her head down: "I want to be safe. The princesses imprisoned me underground for a thousand years with the help of the elements of harmony. Now I just want to restore Tartarus and live in peace. "

Gritting her teeth, she lit her eye again and said taking a step forward: " This can only be achieved if the princesses and the owners of the elements are destroyed. I have to do this. This is the last evil that I will commit."

As soon as Ahirata finished speaking, I felt the pressure on my body, which was increasing with every second. But to my surprise, when my hooves began to shake, there was a sound like a fire burning and I felt a new surge of strength. Briefly glancing at my hooves, which were already completely covered in white flames, I gritted my teeth.

I don't have much time. And to be honest, I don't want to know what will happen when this flame ends.

Sighing, I took a sharp step forward and hit the eye that shone the brightest with my hoof. Ahirata's head immediately fell back and she retreated a few steps. I sighed and tried to convince her: "I'm sorry about that. But are you sure it's worth it? Maybe if you help in the victory over Perfection, you will be forgiven for everything you did before? "

In response, she hissed and said, removing her hand from the damaged eye: " You're wearing the armor of the guard. I killed your friends. I destroyed an entire village of ponies. Tell me, will you ever forgive me for any of these things? Is there at least one being who will forgive all this? "

For a moment I stared at her crystal-like eye, which had a small crack. Taking a deep breath, I said, standing on my hind hooves and wrapping my wings around her, I said: " I didn't hold a grudge against you. To be honest, I was against killing you. You must have had your reasons. And if you did that, it means they were very good. So, if today you help in the fight against evil, then I am sure that others will forgive you. If you don't try, you won't find out, right?"

Come on, please. I don't want to fight anyone today. The fewer fights the better.

At first, I felt a cold and clawed hand lightly on my back. I don't know why, but I felt a tremor all over my body. Probably a consequence of this strange fire. But in the end, Ahirata took a step back and replied awkwardly, "Okay, I'll trust you, little pony. I will help you defeat this monster. "

Turning her back on me, she clenched her teeth and said, trying to sound threatening: " But if the princesses don't spare me, then I will blame you for my wrong decision! And I will do everything to kill you before the next imprisonment!"

It is ok. She's not good at sounding threatening.

In response, I only nodded slightly in response to which Ahirata said again, "He is too dangerous in close combat. I'm just going to put pressure on him to move slower. Everything else is up to you. And you have less than a minute. After that, my magic supply will run out."

Sighing, I flapped my wings and looked at the battle between Perfection and Flying, who had turned into Daniel in an unknown way. Thanks to the spear, the latter successfully held on but looked very tired. It was as if he was straining to the limit.

Having gained altitude, I began to dive down to deliver the most powerful attack possible. As I accelerated, the battle between the two continued. At some point, Perfection broke the shaft of the Flying spear and raised his fist around which the fog began to swirl very quickly. But in the next second, he slowed down very much. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that Ahirata was standing and her eyes were shining very brightly.

She really helps. Wow. To be honest, I didn't even think that my words would work so well for her.

Sighing, I flew the remaining distance and kicked the strange growth that was at the head of Perfection. To my surprise, the outgrowth was shattered by my blow and the monster itself growled before jumping a couple dozen hooves to the side. Sighing, I landed on the ground, right in front of Flying and asked: "Are you okay, Mr. Sir boss? Oh, I meant Flying. Are you okay?"

He just grinned and said brushing himself off a little: "Yes, it's all right."

I opened my mouth to ask the obvious question, but he interrupted me: "I'm a changeling. Are you happy with this answer?"

What!? SO HE ATTACKED THE CITY TOO?

I took a small step back and asked trying not to panic: "So you attacked the city too? Why are you admitting this so easily?"

In response, he just waved his hand and said, "Do you know what I realized today? The hive is going to fuck itself. And the queen, too. And other changelings too! I've heard that some changelings separate from the hive and begin to survive on their own. I will do that. "

I squinted at him suspiciously. What if he's lying? What if he's just waiting for the right moment to stab you in the back? Although, I think at this point you need to be more trusting. Yes, I will do that. After all, he had been around for a very long time. He had many opportunities to do harm.

So far, he hasn't done anything wrong. Well, sort of.

Sighing, I looked at Perfection, who wrapped his arm around the place where I hit him. After a couple of seconds, he took his hand away and showed that the outgrowth on his head had turned into a bloodstain. Judging by the clenched teeth, Perfection was furious. And his anger only increased when a voice rang out from my left: "Here he is, girls! Come on, the elements of harmony are with us. We will defeat him."

Turning in the direction of the voice, I saw a lilac unicorn that, along with other ponies, was jumping off the tank's armor. Then I saw Princess Luna land on the ground behind Perfection, holding a curved sword in her magic. With Ahirata, me and Flying in mind, he is completely surrounded.

Without saying anything, Perfection clenched his right hand into a fist and the fog around her grew bigger and faster. In response, the six heroes flew into the air and a dazzling glow appeared around them. At that moment, I felt a strange weakness and a kind of heaviness. It's like I'm going to pass out. When I looked down, I found that the white fire on my body was slowly decreasing.

I don't want to know what will happen when it goes out completely.

While I was thinking, the six ponies had already risen high enough into the air and a rainbow stream of magic came out of their ornaments and headed upwards. At this time, Perfection continued to stand motionless. Although I have a feeling that he can't move. In any case, a rainbow stream of magic began to descend, preparing to descend on Perfection. But suddenly he raised his fist and the mist turned into a single ray of magic. What!?

For a while, both beams of magic were roughly equal. But at some point, the darkness began to push the colored beam back further and further. In the end, the dark ray of magic finally pushed back the enemy and reached the Elements of Harmony. In just a moment, the jewelry turned to stone and suddenly crumbled! Fortunately, the ponies owning them were not harmed. But this is probably the only happy thing in this situation.

No. Not happening. He can't win. He just can't!

My gaze returned to Perfection, and I noticed two detail. First, there was a red crystal lying on the ground next to his foot. Very similar to Ahirata's eyes. Secondly, his right arm was missing from his silhouette, which was visible through the fog. It just disappeared. But despite all this, Perfection enthusiastically raised his left hand and said laughing: "Yes, that's it! Even the strongest thing you have was remotely me! This is the end of the reign of morality and useless creatures."

Squinting, I noticed that a long crack ran down the cheek of Perfection, which connected with the same one on the forehead. He didn't seem to pay attention to it and said after looking around at everyone present: "This is my victory! You, all of you, couldn't do anything. A missing hand? Everything I took from Celestia was just spent in full? I don't care about that! Perfection is finally triumphant, after so long! "

As he spoke, the fog around the body began to dissipate and revealed to my eyes that the rest of Perfection's body was also encased in a shell similar to stone. Several more cracks ran through his entire body and he said with a shudder, "Yes. Finally. Crybaby, no matter how loud you scream, I won. The fact that your voice is louder than ever will not change anything! I'm going to get up and kill them all. The fact that Celestia is still alive won't stop me."

It sounds almost. . . Desperate? Upset? Like he's going to cry right now? Maybe he's actually trying to convince himself that he's won?

Perfection fell to his knees and his stone shell began to gradually fall apart. With each piece that fell, more of Daniel's ordinary skin and even clothes could be seen. Perfection groaned in pain and said softly: "Even my death is perfect. Remember this, trash. All of you, ALL of YOU are the same! You live the same way, you think the same way, you will even die completely indistinguishable from each other. But I, but I! "

When only the face remained of the stone shell, which was also rapidly collapsing, Perfection said his last words: " But I'm not going to die as a living being. No. I will die as an ideal, as a striving. I'm going to die because I'm really over. Because I did everything I could for this world."

In the end, the shell finally fell apart, exposing Daniel with his eyes closed. At the sight of a familiar face, I quickly ran up to him and hugged his neck with my hooves. Fortunately, I was able to hear breathing. He's alive, alive!

Almost no one died today. It's all good. Everything is fine.

Out of delight, I hugged Daniel even tighter and he said, putting his hand on my back: "Hey, hey, Rising. You're going to strangle me at this rate."

Smiling awkwardly, I loosened my grip and took a small step back. Daniel rubbed his neck lightly and looked around at everyone. It seemed that guilt and even fear were growing in his eyes with every second? Eventually he came back to me and asked softly, leaning into my ear: "Did you open the bag? Have you told others about this?"

Um, maybe you shouldn't bring it up. Just throw the bag into the sea and forget it like a bad dream?

It seemed that Daniel guessed from my silence about everything and said with a sigh: "Rising, where is the bag? If you don't want to make a choice, then I'll do it myself. Give me the bag."

"Daniel, please..." I said, but was abruptly interrupted.

"Rising, this has to be done. I don't want to hide it anymore. Moreover, I don't want to avoid responsibility anymore. I want to take responsibility for everything I've done." Daniel said at the same time firmly and gently. But it was obvious that if I didn't comply, he would do it himself.

If he wants to talk about it, then I probably have no right to stop him.

Sighing, I turned to the swelling, in front of which stood six ponies with worried faces. Suddenly, I froze in place and noticed one thing out of the corner of my eye. The fire on the body was completely extinguished. And immediately I felt tired. Any second now, I'll just switch off.

Gathering my remaining strength, I was able to order: "There is a closed bag inside the tank. Someone bring it to me!"

Fortunately, in less than a second, a thestral with a bag in its hooves flew out of the tank. He had a very tense face. However, as with all the other surrounding ponies. While the thestral was flying towards me, out of the corner of my eye I noticed a flash of green light from the side where Flying was standing. As soon as the light cleared, I could see how he turned into another pony beetle. Almost indistinguishable from others.

I hope he will be treated with understanding. He also helped defeat Perfection today. Besides, he said himself that he was going to live separately from the rest of the Changelings. Everyone can have a second chance, right?

As soon as the bag landed in front of me, I took a deep breath and handed it to Daniel. He nodded gratefully to me and took it with a slight smile before turning to Luna. She was frowning heavily and was still holding the curved sword. I don't think that's logical. Daniel doesn't have one arm after all. I don't think he will be as strong as before.

In any case, Daniel opened the bag and emptied out all its contents right in front of him. I saw all the ponies' eyes widen. After a moment of tense silence, Daniel took a deep breath and said, bowing his head, "Luna, I have something I need to tell you. Firstly, Celestia is alive, she is somewhere in the mountains. It's better to hurry up, she has a lot of wounds after all. Secondly, these bones with the cutie marks that you see. These bones belong to the ponies I killed."

After these words, I felt even weaker. Unable to find a better footing, I rested my head on Daniel's shoulder to watch his conversation with the princess. She only frowned harder and slowly started walking towards Daniel. Eventually, Luna stopped a couple of steps away from him and asked: "This. . . It's true? If this is a joke, it's the stupidest thing I've ever heard in my life!"

Keep your eyes open. I have to see this. I have to be there.

Unfortunately, fatigue was taking its toll and I felt like I would fall asleep at any moment. Daniel seemed to sense it and patted my head a little before saying, "Luna, it's true. This is my purely heartfelt confession. I take responsibility for everything I've done. I blew up the police station in Manhattan! I killed a pony whose bones are lying in front of you! I killed a few more creatures! I set off an explosion right at the wedding, and I fought today too! "

In response, a deep breath filled with a lot of emotions followed. After a few seconds, Luna calmly replied, approaching Daniel point-blank: " My dear sister and I will decide your verdict. Until then, you will be arrested and, obviously, stripped of all awards and titles. "

Daniel nodded slowly and took his hand off my head. After that, I felt like I was already falling asleep. I'll switch off any second. Daniel sighed and said under his breath, "I didn't think that my striving for perfection would end like this. But this is probably the best ending that could have been, right, Rising?"

I couldn't even nod in response. My eyes finally closed, I fell on my side and passed out even before touching the ground. In the last few moments, a seemingly completely random thought formed in my head.

This is the end. Everything that comes next is just an afterword.

Complete

It was quiet enough in Ponyville. Well, considering the events of a few days ago that devastated the entire Equestria. On the streets of the city, today's editions of newspapers were actively bought up, in which there was an unusual lot of interesting information. However, this and the many ponies on the streets did not prevent the Pegasus in the sky from collecting debris over the city. Rain is planned for today. And no one is going to change the plan.

When the first drops began to fall on the ponies' heads, they began to go to the nearest available shelters from the rain. The luckiest sellers in the market had a small roof over the counter. Others had flimsy roofs at best, or nothing at all. Small children were just returning to their families' homes. At least that's what obedient children did.

But there was one house in Ponyville that had no one to return to. A flimsy hut, miraculously not collapsed under the weight of time, which was located very close to the forest. Through the cracks, water dripped into the abandoned room, which fell on a table on which there was an extremely unusual thing. Today's edition of the newspaper. How could she get here? Who brought her here? Probably some teenager chose this place as his personal melancholic refuge.

In any case, there was a black-and-white photograph of a multitude of creatures on the front page of the newspaper. On the left, Six colorful ponies are owners of harmony elements that, alas, can no longer be used. In the very center, two thestrals, one of whom blinked in the photo, changeling with a bored face and Ahirata, who looked extremely nervous. And finally, there are both princesses on the right. There was a loud headline under this photo a few days ago that read: "The wedding in Canterlot could have been the greatest tragedy in the history of Equestria if it hadn't been for them!"

A sudden gust of wind through a hole in the wall of the hut caused the newspaper to open, revealing more details. The wedding in Canterlot was interrupted by a Changeling attack and the betrayal of the captain of the Night Guard, Daniel Ctumer. Moreover, after the defeat, the latter confessed to a variety of crimes, which include: the murder of several ponies, damage to state property and the attempted murder of princesses. A royal trial was held over him, the results of which are still not known to the public. In response to questions from the press, our good rulers only said the following: "In old Equestria, the death penalty was imposed for such crimes."

Many experts point out that the modern criminal code of Equestria does not provide for the death penalty. So, the most likely and popular scenario is that the former captain of the Night Guard was imprisoned for a long or life term. In any case, justice has been served.

The wind turned the pages once again as if it were a real reader and opened several articles at once related to the events in Canterlot, their participants and what contribution everyone made to the victory over evil. In the first and shortest article, the following was written: "Sergeant Report Stutter, despite the danger, made his way through the changelings and, having reached the castle, woke up Princess Luna. He refused any comments and photos, saying that he did not want too much attention to himself. Despite this, Princess Luna has publicly stated that Report will receive a monetary reward for her heroism."

A drop from the ceiling fell and soaked another photo. It depicted a thestral with a cap on his head and a coat with a crescent moon symbol. Below this image was a brief summary of the following content: "Since Report refused the promotion that was offered to him in the first place, Sergeant Rising Moon received the title of new captain. "

Upon taking office a few days ago, he made the following statement: "What happened recently is a tragedy. Yes, safety is preserved, but still several living and breathing creatures with dreams and families died. I don't want this to happen again. I believe that my task as captain of the Guard is not to brutally end conflicts. My task is to protect the weak, to avert threats that threaten someone's life. And I sincerely want the prevention of threats to happen bloodlessly. No matter how naive it sounds."

A few more drops fell from the ceiling onto the photo of the new captain of the guard, which made it absolutely not clear. Fortunately, the photo associated with the following article was still more or less intact. It showed a changeling with the same bored face looking straight at the camera. Under the photo, it read: "This changeling helped in the victory over evil and declared that he completely renounced his hive (Whatever that means). His name is Abdomen and for a long time he was disguised as a thestral. Moreover, being in a strange guise, he received the rank of sergeant of the night Guard. Therefore, the question of whether the Changeling can retain his title or not is being actively discussed. Although now most are more interested in what to do with the rest of the changelings and their queen who have been captured. "

The final article on this page did not have a photo, but it was still quite intense: "A former villain, the sole creator of Tartarus and one of the most cruel creatures ever to travel the lands of Equestria. This is how historians know the almost forgotten name of Akhirata. However, this mare belonging to an unknown species received a full pardon from the princesses for helping to defeat evil. Ahirata refused to give any comments and to be photographed, saying that she considers it extremely strange. However, in the last few days, there have been rumors that she has been seen several times in Ponyville interacting with Harmony Elements. But has Ahirata really reformed, or is she just waiting for an opportunity to betray? Time will tell."

With a powerful gust of wind, several boards inside the hut broke, but the most important thing was that the newspaper overflowed to the next page. There were many short articles in it, only two of which had photographs. The first one was that after the day of recovery from the events in Canterlot, Shining Armor, the captain of the Solar Guard and Princess Cadance got married. The photo showed the newlyweds waving their hooves goodbye.

The second article was perhaps the last of the interesting ones in today's issue. It had a picture of a Minotaur and a centaur playing guitar and drums. There was an article under the photo: "Popular among young ponies and at the same time a scandalous group called the Civil Offensive, recently performed the largest concert in the history of Equestria, which took place in Vanhoover. According to approximate estimates, more than fifty thousand fans attended it. Although many people are worried that the band, which was formed earlier this year, organized its own concerts from the very beginning. Where did they get so much money from? If they have a secret sponsor who benefits from a band that openly offends all Equestrian traditions?"

In response to the question posed at the end of the article, the rain suddenly began to fall even harder, which is why the hut began to creak, preparing to fall apart at any moment. The walls started to shake due to the wind and eventually the board suddenly fell right on the table, right on the newspaper. A piece of wood covered most of the text of all the articles except for one sentence.

THE END

Author's Note

Uh, yeah. This is the finale. (The main character has finished striving for perfection). I started writing this story over a year ago and finally finished it. (To be honest, when I started writing, I didn't think this moment would come at all. Have you seen most of the HiE stories on this site?) Will there ever be a sequel? Yes, probably yes. I already have a few ideas. Completely random and not having a clear connection, but I have these ideas. When will the sequel be released? I have no idea. Maybe tomorrow I will write and publish the story "Striving for Correction" (the name was invented in two milliseconds). Or it will happen in a few years. Or something in between?

Anyway, thanks to everyone who reads this. Each of your comments, likes, and views gave me motivation to keep writing. Thank you all for your attention to my story, I hope that it has caused you at least a little positive feelings. Thank you all.

Well, that's all I wanted to say (or should I say write it?). So, bye, see you someday!

Last fight with human (Edited)

The wind howls from above, the sky is blocked by clouds. The main thing is not to start raining in the near future. I don't have an umbrella, at all. To my right, cars occasionally raced along the road. Hmm, no one even threw garbage in my direction, surprisingly.

Suddenly, there was a strong gust of wind causing me to freeze slightly. Sighing, I buttoned up my coat and continued walking forward. It's already late in the evening. I'll come home and cook myself some chicken from, ugh, from the store. Thank you, Grandfather, you taught me to hunt, accustomed me to fresh meat, but after death you did not give me money for a hunting license.

When my legs took me to the area where I live, my teeth reflexively clenched. The surrounding reality looks, to put it mildly, miserable. Low houses, garbage that rare creatures throw out right on the street. Stink, running animals, mustiness. And who lives in a place like this? I, perfection.

Why the hell should I be here!? I moved from my hometown without any help, I am the best student in this city, in general, and I am the one who day by day becomes better than the useless people sitting here. So why doesn't a just world give me what I RIGHTFULLY deserve!?

Taking a deep breath, I looked around trying to remember how to get home. In this hellhole, every building looks the same. It is impossible to discern any differences through the mask of squalor. And this mask is called normality. Once again calming myself down, I noticed an alley that I seem to have passed through a thousand times. But no, it's another alley. It's just a miserable corridor leading to a miserable hole in which anyone should live, not me. Yes, that's probably where I need to go. Nodding to myself, I put my hands in my pockets and walked forward down the alley. But soon I was met by a fork. Right or left. Hmm.

"Well, here I can choose at random." I said with a shrug before turning left. Squinting, I realized that it was very, very dark here. No light bulbs or lampposts. Stretching my right arm forward, I slowed down and started walking forward until I felt myself touched the wall. Dead end. Adore.

For a couple of moments I just wanted to sit by the wall and think. From the moment I stopped being surrounded by an objectively aggressive environment, everything began to decline. It feels like the pace at which I'm getting better is slowing down and my "beat and insult" approach of actions is becoming less effective.

Although, no, it's just a black streak. Everything will get better soon. It's darkest before dawn. Keep moving forward, Daniel. I've always had only two options. Defeat all or be crushed.

The sound of heavy footsteps behind me pulled me out of my thoughts. Slowly turning around, I saw who it was and barely restrained a laugh. Yes, of course it was a man in a jacket and tall. Taller than me. A real titan. But there is one small nuance. Judging by his belly, he's fat as a pig! Okay, okay. Probably, it is necessary to politely bypass this gentleman and declare his non-aggression like all normal people.

"Fuck off, I don't want to waste time on dirt like you." I said, starting to approach him.

I really hate petty thieves, they are nothing more than idiots who are unable to follow instructions and justify it with an "unfair system". They will never reach a level even close to mine. I am in this state now because I have focused my energies on personal development. But this man? No, he doesn't do anything and most likely steals to buy himself a new burger. What an abomination.

"Don't push your luck, kid -" He takes a folding knife out of his pocket "- empty your pockets."

Hearing this, I stood on the spot at a decent distance from him and thought. Which was hard considering the brain, which from this moment hardly keeps me on my feet. But with a creak, the main organ of the body began to work.

I've only fought a man with a knife a couple of times, which already reduces my chances. Of course, my physique is forty-two thousand times better than his, but I don't need a knife in the liver. I need a plan. Attacking right now would be too risky-a bad plan. I doubt he'll attack first if I don't provoke him. He is not blind and probably sees my shoulders, arms and legs. Yes, provocation will be the best option in this situation. I need to get him to attack me like a wild animal. Stupid and pointless. Just like most people.

"You know, I really feel sorry for you, you're not only an idiot, you don't even have money for a good knife. Do you know that even bones can't be broken with such things? There is no need and no sense in such a knife! I'm sorry, but even pigs can't be butchered with such trifles, and you certainly won't be able to cut off an extra piece of fat from your belly with such a toy!" I said, trying to hurt my opponent's self-esteem.

"Your tongue is too long for a sucker, maybe you need to trim it?" He replied with venom in his voice. Damn, when did fat people become so brave? I remember the wonderful times when fat people were either humiliated. The era is gone, gone.

He's already on the verge of breaking down I need to make another lunge.

"Unlike someone else, I don't just have a long tongue, if you know what I mean." I replied, mentally preparing for his attack. And suddenly my eyes registered how he adjusted his leg to make a dash forward. Did it really hurt him? Ha, ha, laughter and nothing more! It's been a long time since I've seen someone so pathetic. Here it is a sign that the black streak is ending!

"Enough!" He jumped back and tried to stab me in the chest with a knife, but I took a step to the side, grabbed his wrist and delivered a powerful blow to the jaw. He staggered from the impact and tried to keep his balance. But I didn't give him time to rest and kicked him in the stomach. I felt like a titanic layer of fat was blocking most of the impact force. But despite this, the fat man fell on his back and dropped the knife.

No one can come close to my level, especially a pathetic person like you.

I grabbed the knife with my hand and focused on it for a second. Not strong, looking at him, I feel his lack of any quality. But maybe it will be possible to get some money for this toy. Shrugging my shoulders, I put the knife in my pocket before approaching the opponent and putting my foot on his chest.

"Sorry, I just need the money. I owe money to the bank, and I need it urgently, but I don't have a job, so I thought I could earn it this way. Please don't hit me." This man has been telling me with a tremor in his voice throughout his story.

These are such pathetic people now. They will never tell you anything about themselves. But when they are in danger, they abruptly become so open. What is this fat guy counting on anyway? That I won't call the police and report the robber? Well, then he's right. I don't like to tell the police about my adventures.

"We will proceed as follows. I'm taking the knife as compensation, and this time I'll feel sorry for you, but if I meet you again, you'll regret it. Do you understand?" I said with strong emphasis on every word in the last sentence.

There was fear in his eyes, but he quickly nodded back at me. What a delight it is to watch how people obey. Don't worry, doggie, soon I will free the world of useless morality and then you will have no excuses. You will either become better and freer or you will die without fitting into a new perfect world.

"Good doggie" I said in a tone similar to addressing a dog. Although, how should I know? I have never had a dog or pets as such. Fresh air in the apartment is much more useful.

I've sorted out the trash. I think it's time to go home. The stomach requires food, and the brain requires new knowledge.

Grinning, I took my foot off the fat guy's side and walked on. At the same time, I listened attentively to everything that was happening around me. Judging by the absence of sounds, he does not dare to stand up. And rightly so. He'd better not try to look like a threat to me right now.

Once, in another alley, I caught a bright light away from me. Turning there and clenching my hands into fists, I froze in place. There was a strange white sphere hanging in the air. It just hangs and does nothing. She just levitates as if she belongs here.

So, a logical approach to battle. It's a spotlight. No, it does not fit here there is no tripod or at least a pair of wires. Moving on, uh, ball lightning? Yes, yes, it's a ball lightning. This is the most logical option. You just need to not look at the fact that it's not raining and just turn around and leave.

I start walking faster and the sphere starts chasing me. Maybe it's not a ball lightning. Or maybe I just need to run faster. And much more. But even despite the acceleration, the sphere continued to follow, which made me nervous. Just a little bit of course. Perfection should always be collected and guided by logic.

Shit. I'm not going to die today.

I feel a rush of adrenaline in my body and start running as fast as I can, but the sphere is moving faster and catching up with me. Running out of the last alley, I saw ahead of me the stronghold of reason in this hole - my house. Although it is rented, but it is still the best of all that is nearby. Not a single bag of garbage and perfectly clean walls. But unfortunately, when I was already incredibly close to the door of the house, I felt an electric discharge at my right hand. My eye was able to make out a sphere that touched my hand and carried a discharge all over my body. The next moment I felt pain all over my body and fell to one knee. Before I lost consciousness, I was able to mutter: "Come on, come on. I can't just die here. Can't. . ."

My head is splitting and my eyes are closed. I feel a light breeze. Why is the wind blowing here? I was in the alley! And the ground is too soft for concrete. Where am I?!

I get up quickly, barely keeping my balance, and get an answer to my question. Not in the alley that's for sure. I see trees everywhere. On the left are trees, on the right too, in front and behind the same picture. I look up and see the sky, well, at least something familiar, but why is the sun so big and not blinding? Where am I anyway?

My train of thought is interrupted by a growl behind me. I quickly turn around, almost falling, and see three wolves with green eyes and bodies made of fucking wood. One of them, presumably, is the alpha of the pack, gray and about twice as large as its relatives from a simple dark wood.

I need to analyze the situation. I got into the forest after a white sphere caught up with me, and now there are three wolves made of damn wood in front of me, and I have a folding knife, a wallet and a phone with me. Great.

While the alpha stands in front of me, baring his teeth, the two smaller ones circling around me, excluding the possibility of retreat. I take a fighting stance, take the knife in my right hand and begin to think out a plan of action.

Sooner or later one of them will lose patience. I have to wait. This is just another test on the way to perfection.

Routine (Edited)

POV Princess Luna

It's been a few days since my sister and I realized that a new creature had appeared in Equus. All this time, at my sister's request, I was trying to get into the creature's dream again to understand and talk. I can't believe my sister is so frivolous. In any case, from the moment I listened to my sister, the door to the creature's dream was not discovered. It was as if it had stopped dreaming. What if by my mistake I accidentally completely robbed him of the ability to dream?

I shook my head from side to side trying to dismiss this depressing thought. It's okay, it's just that sometimes some people don't have dreams. Even if I made a mistake, my sister and I can fix it. Everything is fine.

My eyes wandered through the many doors to the dreams of various creatures in search of a specific door of the creature while my mind turned to how my sister and I reacted to the information about the new creature.

We were silent for a few seconds, analyzing this information one by one. There was a deathly silence in the room, which was interrupted only by the howling of a light night wind outside the window. I don't know what my dear sister was thinking at the moment, but my thoughts were focused on a number of issues. How dangerous is he? Is he going to hurt the pony? If so, how dangerous can he be?

My thoughts were interrupted by Tia who said: "I think that before you do something about it, you need to learn more about it."

"Let me guess, do you want me to try to get into his dream again?" I asked, assuming such a request.

Tia slightly grinned in response to my guess and replied with a nod: "Yes, exactly, and if I manage to talk to him."

"Of course, to talk and find out where he is. And then catch it to protect the pony from possible danger. It's all clear, Sister." I said as I was about to leave the room.

But I was stopped by Tia, who was surprised by my conclusions and said: "No, Lulu, no. I'd rather you try to talk to him and negotiate."

"Why?" I asked in a confused voice. Why negotiate with him if you can just grab? Throughout Equus, there are at most a dozen creatures capable of resisting the power of the Alicorns. And it is unlikely that this creature is included in this list.

My sister looked away slightly to the side and quietly replied: "I have a hunch that it's like an unstable spell. I know I haven't even seen him in person, but listen to me, Sister. I feel that if you put too much pressure on it or, on the contrary, do not put pressure on it in general, it can explode like an unstable spell."

"If that happens, we will stop it quickly." I objected with an emotionless face. Of course I love my sister, but sometimes it seems to me that she relies too much on the kindness and her feelings. Sometimes you need to show rigor and cold calculation.

"And in any case, many ponies can blame us for this. Even if he hurts just one or two ponies, it will still be an event. Imagine, the princesses took control of a creature from another world and failed. " Tia replied in a firm and serious tone.

" Then we'll just hold him tight until we're sure he's safe for our subjects," I retorted, starting to get a little annoyed. Why can't you just agree with me?

"Lulu, we won't be able to physically monitor him every moment. It's better to have a friend than a possible enemy." Tia replied at the end with a little smile. I opened my mouth to say something, but no answer came out.

I took a deep breath and reluctantly said with a nod, "Okay, I'll try to get into his dream again and talk. But if it turns out that he is a danger to our ponies, we will proceed with my plan of action. "

" I'm not asking for more. " Tia replied with a smile before coming up to me and hugging me. At first I was confused, but after a few moments I sighed contentedly with my eyes closed and hugged my sister back.

"We . . . I love you, sister." I said, correcting myself a little.

"And I love you, Lulu." Tia replied, hugging me a little tighter.

I finished remembering when I felt the tension start coming from one of the doors. I pulled her to me in the hope that it would be at the creature's door, but alas, it has been just another door to pony's dream. Before entering the door, I thought.

The routine begins again.

POV Daniel

It's been a few days since I first tried to make a rune. Larger and larger groups of wolves are approaching the castle more and more often, and my right hand has not yet healed completely. I can control my magic better now, but small runes remain unattainable for me. And also during this time I have increased my limit of consecutive runes from five to eight. After the eighth rune, a very strong exhaustion begins. Speaking of exhaustion, do you know that feeling when you wake up and feel exhausted? I am experiencing it right now after yesterday I once again practiced making runes until I fall from exhaustion. Now I'm lying on my coat and trying to restrain the desire to fall asleep from exhaustion. After a while, with great difficulty, I was able to get up.

I get up and decide to continue planning the plan to destroy the wooden wolves. I walk over to the folded sheets of parchment with a map of the forest drawn on them. The map is not too detailed, but it shows a river, a swamp, several caves and a castle in which I am. There are crosses drawn on the map that indicate the places where I was looking for the main cave of the pack with which I am now at enmity. Looking at the map, I understand that taking into account the distance between each cross, the cave is located in the south about a mile from the castle.

I can't just go to the cave with my condition and hope to win. But I'm perfection! No one can compare with me! Fuck these thoughts again. Where was I? Oh, yeah. Today I will just find food and relax in the castle, I hope at least today there will not be a sudden problem besides my mental health.

I leave the library and head for the exit through the throne room. As I walk through the throne room, I begin to feel a strong desire to destroy him.

This hall, like any other example of non-perfection, must be destroyed! These thoughts are very difficult to ignore. The main thing to remember is that any difficulty is a test on the way to perfection.

I cope with the urge to destroy the castle hall and go outside. I don't even have time to go to the bridge when I see a group of five wooden wolves at the other end of the bridge. I start forming two runes with arrows in my hands. Before letting them go, one thought flashes through my head.

Routine is also a kind of test.

POV Abdomen

A report for Queen Chrysalis.

From the Scout Abdomen

The creature- . . .

I ran into problems writing a report to the queen already at this stage. This creature is almost always silent and when it speaks, it swears or evaluates the situation. I didn't get any information about the creature other than its very strange form of magic. Instead of using magic passively like Earth ponies or using it actively through the horn like unicorns, the creature uses strange signs of magical nature for attacking spells, but at the same time shows high physical strength only slightly inferior to Earth ponies. And although this is useful information, it will not help in any way to make him an ally of changelings.

I put the pencil and the unfinished letter in my bag and decide to observe the creature again. I spread my wings and fly to the place of residence of the creature - the Castle of Two Sisters.

When I fly up to the castle, I sit on a tree and take the form of a squirrel. I look at the bridge and see that the creature has prepared its signs and there are six Timberwolves in front of it on the other side of the bridge.

Although this creature gives little information, it is interesting to watch it. I've never seen this creature fight on a bridge I wonder what will happen.

The creature fired two arrows and destroyed the shell of two Timberwolves, which forced the others to turn their attention to the creature. It began to run across the bridge, spreading its front paws to the sides. While the first victims began to recover, the rest moved out in a line across the bridge. When the syringe and the creature got closer, the first in the line tried to jump, but his hind leg was torn off by an ordinary arrow. While Timberwolf was stunned, the creature threw him off the bridge with a back paw on the side of his stomach. When the wolf was in flight, the creature shot an arrow at him, which instead of piercing the wolf bounced off him and hit the second in a row, which knocked him off the bridge.

When the last wolf remained on the bridge, he hastily retreated to his already restored brethren. The creature ran towards the wolves as before with its front paws spread out. As soon as the creature sets foot on the ground, all the Timberwolves tried to attack it at the same time. It reacted quickly by taking the nearest wolf and using it as a human shield. When all attacks were blocked, the creature threw its makeshift shield into the abyss.

Knowing him, it will now wait for a good moment to attack. It's even a little sad that the battle is not over, but it's already clear how it will act.

To my surprise, the creature got on all fours and began to attack with amazing speed, repeating the movements of the wolves. The very appearance of the creature has changed slightly. The creature's small mouth widened and opened wide enough to bite off Timberwolf's head. His veins took on a gray color and small black lights periodically began to appear on his skin, burning through the creature. Due to a complete change of style and an increase in speed, the Timberwolves did not have time to do anything. The first wolf was quickly torn in two and its core was eaten. The second was not so lucky. His limbs were slowly and painfully torn from his body after which his head was eaten. The worst thing for the wolf was that he was alive throughout the whole process. And only when his head was chewed, the creature found and ate the core, giving the last wolf the embrace of death.

I never thought that I would feel sorry for Timberwolves, but this creature showed the absolute purest cruelty. It should be our main weapon against Equestria.

When the creature finished its fight, it tried to get up on her hind legs, but it started growling, hitting itself on the head and spinning. After a couple of minutes, the creature returned to its normal state except for a lot of small bleeding holes in the body. The creature knelt down and began to shake in pain. Throughout the time it was kneeling, the creature was quietly saying, "Never again, never again."

After a few minutes, the creature began tearing off pieces of clothing and bandaging its wounds. When the creature finished dressing the wounds, it got up unsteadily and began to slowly waddle towards the river.

And here my routine continues.

Preparation for the oath

I am in deep meditation right now. I've already lost track of time and was able to relax a little. How much time has passed? A minute, an hour, a day, or even a century? What is time in general? Is it the same illusion to simplify perception as the concept of good and bad? If so, then what is not an illusion at all to simplify perception. What if no one could build an ideal world because everyone, without exception, is such an illusion? What if even nihilism questioning all these illusions is itself the same illusion? What if even perfection is just stupidity. No no no, that last thought was terrible. If everything is as an illusion, then there will be no reality with which to compare. Reality and truth must be and these concepts are embodied in one-in perfection.

A sharp blow to the side brought me out of meditation, which turned into reflection. I had no time to open my eyes when I already felt a strong discomfort. Finally opening my eyes, I saw in front of me the face of Shining that had already bored me. Although I still don't distinguish between the faces of ponies, I just distinguish them by color. I could try to look at the sides to see these "cutiemarks", but I really hate the idea of looking at the sides of a pony. In any case, Shining started talking

"How long have you been sitting like this?"

"I didn't sleep at all last night," I replied in a dispassionate voice.

Shining wanted to say something, but I beat him to it, "You didn't sleep well. Yes, I saw you tossing and turning in your sleep."

Shining replied with a grin, "Are you a mind reader?"

"Fortunately not. I don't want to go through garbage like your brain. "

He sighed, but instead of leaving like a coward, he continued, "Anyway, I have crackers if you want, I'm ready to share. "

I waved my hand, dismissing his offer, "I'm not interested in your handouts. Eat, don't choke."

Shining just walked towards his shelf. I quickly lost interest in him and decided to look out the window. Looking out of the window, I saw a lot of trees rushing past and in the distance the castle in Canterlot rises. Only now I noticed that I woke up in the afternoon. I hope this doesn't knock my night mode. Although it is very pleasant to see normal sunlight after a constant night.

I decided to get out of the train. Wrapping the compass in a map and taking the sickle in my other hand, I got off the train into the fresh air. Leaning on the railing, I began to enjoy the scenery. A lot of trees and bushes that merge from the speed into one green mass. The wind is rasping my mustache and hair that have grown out. Again, I need to get a haircut, otherwise soon my hair will start climbing into my eyes. And as the most important thing in this picture is the castle. Even though it looks pretty good from a distance, it's still hard for me to get rid of my aversion to this structure. Thoughts about how unfairly expensive he is cannot leave my head. I shook my head and focused on the landscape again. Among the landscape I saw a city to which I have conflicting feelings. Ponyville. On the one hand, I was able to loudly declare myself and talk a little with my grandfather. On the other hand, it was in this city that I met a crushing defeat. The city has long gone out of my sight and I stopped thinking about it. Instead, I just continued to enjoy the scenery.

After a while I noticed the train station, but unlike the last time there are a lot of ponies on it. I sighed, preparing to break through this crowd and returned to the train. When I got on the train, I saw that Shining was just standing next to the door instead of giving instructions. Probably they will go further. I went to the exit and waited for the train to stop. While I was waiting, my stomach rumbled.

Shining looked at me with a grin, "You should have accepted my offer."

"I will answer with an statement for an statement. You shouldn't have been born."

Surprisingly, Shining, instead of being upset, just calmed down and made a stony face. I lost interest in him and continued to wait. Suddenly I heard the sound of the train stopping and I got ready to get out. As soon as the train finally stopped, I opened the door and went out into the fresh air. Thanks to my height, I was able to make my way through the crowd quite easily. I ignored the ponies in the crowd and instead focused on finding Luna. I ran my eyes all over the neighborhood, but still couldn't find her.

Suddenly I felt a presence behind me and a familiar voice "Boo!"

I was slightly startled by such a sudden appearance, but I turned to Luna anyway and handed her all the things while saying "It's not scary."

She just grinned and got down to business, "Anyway, congratulations on your success. Success in the exam and success in establishing your public image."

I raised an eyebrow, preparing to ask a question, but Luna beat me to it and said, passing the newspaper, "Just read this."

I opened the newspaper and read it.

A ship bound from the kingdom of the Minotaurs was found wrecked on the shore a few miles from Baltimare. Journalists who examined the ship noted that all stocks except bread remained intact. At the same time, no piece or crumb of bread was found on the ship. So far, the Minotaurs have not spoken out about this event.

I raised my eyebrow again looking at Luna "A ship without bread? How does that even apply to me?"

She came closer and pointed with her hoof to the desired article "I meant this."

I started reading the article that Luna pointed out to me.

A city in southeastern Equestria was attacked by a monster. Fortunately, the tragedy was avoided thanks to the intervention of the creature known a few months ago as the "sacred hunter". The motives and reasons for the change in the behavior of the creature remain a mystery, but only one thing can be stated for sure: he's not pony's enemy anymore.

Then a slightly distorted quote of me began, but I already had enough of the information I received. I handed the newspaper to Luna and started walking towards the castle. For a short time we walked side by side in silence, but Luna soon broke it.

"Even though you were able to avoid the tragedy, do you realize how close you were into it?"

"Yes, I can imagine. As an excuse, I can say that it was difficult to fight this monster."

"We are pleased that you admit your mistakes."

I just nodded at Luna's statement and we continued walking towards the castle in silence. Only now I noticed that there are a lot of ponies on the street and surprisingly, those of them who are dressed are moving towards the castle. Interesting. Switching my attention to other things, I started looking for something else interesting. In the open square there was a foal inviting a passing pony to buy a newspaper. Next to the foal was a table on which there were several bundles of newspapers. A cold November wind blew, causing the colt to shake slightly from the cold, but he still continued to call. Looking even more closely, I noticed that he was wearing a gray hat with holes in it. Poverty.

I turned to Luna, "Can you lend me money? Don't worry, I can pay you."

Surprisingly, instead of resenting my request, Luna flashed a horn, causing several coins to appear in my hand. I nodded to Luna and headed for the foal.

While I was approaching him, he continued to call out, "A monster attacked the city, but the situation was saved by the one who was previously called such. Buy a newspaper and find out more! "

I went to the table with the newspapers, took one and left all the money that Luna gave me next to it. I turned around to go back to Luna, but I heard the colt addressing me, "Sir, the newspaper costs two bits and you left about fifteen. "

I turned my head to him and replied, "Take the rest for yourself. Do with them whatever you think is necessary."

Judging by the silence, his brain stopped at such a suggestion, but he was able to gather his strength and answered very happily, "Thank you very much, sir!"

I walked up to Luna and showed with my head that we were continuing to walk. We continued to walk to the castle together, but the Moon broke the silence after just a couple of seconds. "To be honest, we did not expect this from you."

"Although it looks altruistic from the outside, in fact, I have selfish reasons. The first reason: I create my credibility by creating an image of a "defender of the common people". Unfortunately, given my ambitions, I have to somehow create authority. The second reason: I am convinced that good work should be rewarded accordingly. And the last reason: in a certain sense, this kid is better than me. I mean, he looks like he's ten years old and he's already working. I didn't work anywhere until I was sixteen and just sat on my parents' neck."

"So you're doing everything for your own benefit?"

"Yes, although I must admit that sometimes my benefits are so low that my actions can be called altruistic."

Luna nodded and was about to return to silence, but it suddenly dawned on her, "By the way, happy birthday to you."

I snorted at Luna's statement and waved off "Just a year older. Nothing important. "

"At least it's an anniversary. "

"I can count. As I have already said, there is not much point in arranging a serious holiday from a birthday."

Luna decided to switch the topic of conversation, "In any case, you have an important day today. Today you will become the captain of the night guard."

I didn't say anything to that and just wanted to go back to silence. Unfortunately, Luna was not satisfied with my silence "Don't say anything and don't ask?"

I sighed and still replied, "I guess you won't stop anyway. How will this happen? "

"We're glad you asked. First, you will be put in order and provided with a dress uniform. Then a solemn ceremony will take place at midnight at night. And of course a big feast. This will be one of the most grandiose events in Canterlot in the last few hundred years! "

"Where are you going to get a dress uniform for me?"

"While you were making your outfit, you left a sheet with your measurements on the table. If you believe the words of the seamstress, your measurements turned out to be suitable for work. The curvature of your clothes has more to do with your lack of sewing experience. In any case, it remains only to put your family coat of arms on your clothes. "

"What do you suggest I do if my family doesn't have a coat of arms? "

It's time for Luna to wonder "How can your family not have a coat of arms? In Equestria, every family has a coat of arms. They usually represent the Cutie mark of the most successful pony in the family. Oh, right. " Said Luna realizing the detail.

"Exactly."

Luna was silent for a while in thought, but quickly managed to find a solution. "Well, let's try to come up with it. Do you have any ideas?"

I scratched thoughtfully scratched my chin and after a couple of seconds, snapped my fingers, "I propose to depict an arrow and a bow on the coat of arms. And also to depict broken chains. "

"It sounds interesting, but why such a choice? "

"Everyone in my family except me and my father were hunters and broken chains are considered a symbol of freedom. I think we can come up with something from this."

Luna nodded and that was the end of our conversation. Together we approached the castle gate, which was opened to us by two guards. Walking through the corridors, I tried not to pay attention to the surroundings. Due to the fact that it is day, all the shortcomings of this castle are cut in the eyes. God, I'm starting to remember why I hate this castle so much. I tried desperately to ignore the ugliness of this castle, but was defeated. Barely restraining my irritation and rage, I was able to get to the room with Luna.

When I entered the room, I saw a lot of cabinets with fabrics and other accessories. A table with a sewing machine and several mirrors. On one of the closets hung a black coat similar to what I had and the same black trousers with an extension of the hips. Coming closer, I noticed that there is white fur inside the coat and the buttons have a design similar to a crescent moon.

I turned to Luna and said, "I think it's going to be hot with fur."

"We took care of this. We enchanted the fur for thermoregulation and internal resistance to fire. Only, this does not mean that you can jump into any fire. This means that your clothes will not burn if you unsuccessfully use dark magic, no more. "

I was satisfied with this answer, but not knowing what to do, I asked another question, "What now? "

Luna thought a little silently and replied, "I'll find a seamstress and tell her to embroider the family coat of arms. You should just wait here."

Luna was about to go look for a seamstress, but I managed to stop her, "Wait, why are you going to tell the seamstress about the family coat of arms instead of me? Although technically the coat of arms doesn't even exist yet, it still remains mine."

"Trust us. We have seen an infinite number of coats of arms, so we have an idea of how it should look."

I tried to come up with a counter argument, but because of my contract with Luna, according to which I can't be rude, I didn't succeed. In the end, I said reluctantly, "Okay, I'll wait here."

She nodded and went somewhere out of my field of vision. I just had to wait, leaning on the cabinet. After a while, I heard the door open and a conversation started behind it. Unfortunately, I couldn't hear anything solid, so I just had to look for something interesting. After examining the room, I noticed that it was illuminated by a chandelier on the ceiling. This particular chandelier has six crystals as light bulbs and, judging by the appearance, is made of gold. I turned away from the chandelier, not wanting to see such an unnecessary waste of money and began to look nowhere in particular.

Soon Luna returned and showed me with her head that it was time to move on. I followed her and we went further along the corridors of the castle. Only now I noticed that there seemed to be not enough guards in the castle. Some doors have one guard at a time and some have no guards at all.

Probably most of the guards are now sent to strengthen the garrisons. They will need time to transfer their forces to the castle again.

I shook my head and continued walking with Luna. Soon we reached a room that looked like a mini barber shop. In the room there is a sink for washing your hair, a wardrobe on which there are many various accessories necessary for a haircut and a haircut chair standing in front of the mirror. Literally a couple of seconds after my arrival, a unicorn came out of another room holding a cocktail in its magical grip. Her eyes widened at the sight of me and Luna, so she quickly put the cocktail on the table, which I did not notice immediately.

She put the cocktail on the table and started saying, "I wasn't expecting you so early. Anyway, please sit down and I'll fix your appearance."

I nodded and sat down in the chair that stood in front of the glass. She began to collect the necessary accessories for a haircut and was ready to start when she sighed in horror.

"Your head looks just awful. Do you wash it at all? "

"Yes, once a week, only with water. "

She almost fell into horror with this, but was able to answer before going to the back room, "Okay, I'll go get what I need in the back room."

While she was rummaging in the back room, I rolled up on a chair to the sink and prepared for the procedure. Soon she returned from the back room with shampoo. She came up to me, showed me with a pole that I needed to lean back and started the procedure. First she soaked my hair with water and started applying shampoo on it. Why did she start surprisingly carefully, considering that she has hooves instead of hands, rubbing shampoo over my head. My perception weakened and I didn't even immediately pay attention as she said that I needed to wipe my hair. I shook my head, wiped my hair, and rolled back in the chair to the mirror.

Before starting the haircut, she asked the question "Which haircut do you prefer?"

"Which one, can you do quickly?" I answered the question with a question.

"Well, of course I can just shave all your hair and it will be fast, but if we talk about a normal haircut then..."

I interrupted her with a hand sign and said, "Fine, I choose this option. Shave everything. "

"But it's ugly! "

"Don't you find it strange that you care about my haircut? Do you fall in love with everyone you meet? " I asked deliberately playing on emotions.

She tried to come up with an answer, but I continued to bend my line, "That's exactly because it's not like that, you have to do everything as I ask."

She nodded reluctantly and got to work. She put a sheet on me and put the unnecessary tools on the table. As a result, all she needs for a haircut is a clipper and a razor.

I wonder where pony got the technology to make the clipper work?

She finally got to work.

I left the room with Luna and the renewed view. Unfortunately, the hairdresser refused to shave me completely, so the hair remained on the top of my head and very slightly on the sides. Fortunately, she still agreed to shave her mustache and beard completely.

Looking at me, Luna giggled, "It looks very funny."

I turned to her with an impassive face, "The main thing is that everything was done quickly."

"Probably yes." Luna said, thus ending the conversation.

She doesn't agree with me. I feel it.

Continuing to move through the castle, we reached the room that had already become my home. Only the door to my room has a couple of guards. Well, then I'm a big shot.

Luna opened the door and said goodbye, "For now, you'll have to stay in the room. We will personally come or send the guards when the time comes, depending on the situation."

I nodded to her and went into the room, closing the door behind me. First of all, I went to the bed and checked what was under the pillow. I breathed a sigh of relief because the alpha core and my phone are still in place. Next, I pulled a chair over to the closet to climb on it. Climbing on it, I saw my letter written in blood and took it. Now I have a problem.

How to deliver it in the garden? The Guards are unlikely to let me just walk out, considering what Luna said. Okay, I just need to think. I have a window in my room, I can try to get to the garden. Where is the garden? I need to remember. Moving out of my room, first you need to turn left, then after walking down the corridor a few feet turn right. Then turn left again and climb the stairs and end up in a small corridor. Voila, we are in the garden! So I just need to look out of the window and, given the difference in positions, find the garden.

I went to the window holding the letter in my hand and looked out of it. Turning my head, I was able to find a ledge from which water was flowing like a waterfall. There is only one problem left to get to the ledge, I need to overcome about forty feet. After a little thought, I came up with a plan. I ran into the bathroom and tore off the faucet from the sink after turning off the water supply. Then I went to the window and got ready to jump. Jumping, I threw the severed crane into the wall with enough force to get it stuck in it. After that, I hooked my magical tentacles on the crane, thus lengthening the jump enough to land in the garden.

Once in the garden, I noticed a complete lack of security, which serves me well. Now the question is where to leave the letter so that it is not lost. Looking around, I found the perfect option. A statue of Discord is clutching a lion's paw to its chest. If there is at least a tiny gap between the body and the paw, then I can perfectly hide the letter there. I walked up to the Discord statue and ran into a problem. There is no gap.

I was about to go look for another option when I heard Discord's voice in my head, "Have you not forgotten your best friend Dani? Oh, I'm so flattered if there weren't certain problems, I would have caught fire from embarrassment! "

I turned to the statue and showed no emotion due to the fact that I had not slept all night, "I don't have anything to do with games right now. "

"Oh, you're not funny. Can you at least tell me why you're here for the sake of decency? "

"I have to leave a letter in this garden. " I said, showing the letter to Discord's stone eyes.

"Wow written in blood. How dark and creepy. I now have a personal colony of goosebumps that appeared from fear."

I sighed in disappointment and went to look for other suitable statues. After a few minutes of searching, I found a statue similar to a pony standing in a turtle formation. I put the letter between the shields so that it almost didn't stick out. After making sure that it would not fly away at the first gust of wind, I turned around and was ready to return to the room by the same route, but Discord's voice appeared in my head again.

"Dani! I'm your friend, you're not asking me to be here alone, are you?"

I turned towards the statue and said without emotion, "I'm not going to sacrifice my freedom for you."

I didn't wait for Discord's answer and jumped towards my window with a running start. Due to the fact that the garden is located above my room, I was able to jump to the window without any problems and climb into the room. I managed to sweat from this acrobatics, so I pulled a chair to the table. I had a lot of time left before the moon came, but due to lack of sleep, I settled on a normal sleep. I lay down on the bed and almost immediately fell asleep without even covering myself with a blanket.

From leather ideal to heavenly squalor

"Sir, are you going to be all right?" Rising asked with genuine excitement in his voice.

"I hope so," I replied, finishing my procedure for a second. Experimentally, I was able to create a sequence of taking medications that allows me not to get too severe wounds from burning skin. First, I pour cold water all over my body to stop the burning process for a second. Then I treat the burns that have already appeared with antiseptic and bind them with bandages. In the end, in order to fight increasing fatigue, I inject myself with something similar in effect to adrenaline. The process is repeated until the fire ceases to flare up again. Fortunately, a whole box of medicines provides me with enough equipment.

"Are you sure?" Rising asked wanting to make sure.

"Yes! Where do such questions come from?" I asked, beginning to lose patience.

"It's just that you kind of saved me, there next to the mountain." Said Rising diligently trying to form a thought.

"So what?" I asked without much interest, while the fire on the skin faded for a couple of seconds.

"I thought this was the end. But you, sir, you saved my life!" Continued to say Rising.

"I still don't understand what you need."

"Why did you save me?" Rising asked with such expectation in his voice as if he was a child waiting for a birthday present.

"You are more useful to me alive as a loader and not dead as bad food." I said, noticing the fire flaring up again on the skin, which had already begun to burn through the bandages. I quickly turned my attention to the fire and started looking for cold water.

"But there must be something!" Rising exclaimed as if he wanted something more and could not believe that I was telling the truth.

Can really be something? Maybe you are a father captain and your soldiers are a new big family?

I shook my head from side to side at the same time rejecting my idea and the assumption of Rising. Having dealt with this, I quickly switched my gaze to the fire and poured cold water over it. It took a whole liter bottle of cold water to make the fire go down, but I coped with it. Having reduced the fire on the skin to a minimum size, I quickly took an antiseptic, treated the wounds with it and transported new burns. After that, my eyelids began to close again, as if every second in this state spends all my energy. Having worked out the actions to automatism, I took another syringe and injected it into my chest. Fatigue eased, and I remained conscious.

I raised my gaze higher and saw that everyone was busy with their own affairs. Rising started looking out the window with a look like he still doesn't believe I'm telling the truth. Flying rummages in a box of provisions in search of something delicious. Fortunately, I have already opened both boxes and they are freely available. It's amazing that the cashier and the conductor didn't care so much about two huge boxes and a safe.

Although I can't find the strength to condemn them.

Suddenly Flying climbed so deep into the box that he fell inside. I got up for fun and looked into the drawer. In it, among canned food, biscuits and bottles of water, there was a Flying that fell into a box. I leaned one hand on the edge of the box and put the other on my back.

"How's the weather down there?" I asked with a malicious smile.

"Everything is fine." Briefly replied Flying, continuing even in this position to look for something.

"Since I have nothing to do, I will ask. What are you looking for?" I asked, when grabbing one of the packages of galettes.

"Normal food."

"Is this abnormal?" I asked, pointing my finger at the pile of food that was literally right next to him.

"I don't eat metal." Said Flying, putting me in a stupor.

"You've never seen a conserve, have you?" I asked, being almost completely sure that I was right.

"Con what?" Flying asked, stopping searching the box for a second and focusing his gaze on me.

"Look. Now a representative of the developed world will show you, a barbarian, the wonders of civilization and in return you will become a slave." I said while reaching for the nearest canned food. Taking it, I pulled a knife out of my pocket and pierced the upper part of the side with the blade. Driving a knife through metal like scissors through paper, I eventually opened canned food. As it turned out, among all the preserves, I chose the one in which there was corn.

"Catch it." I said calmly, throwing a Flying can of corn. He managed to react at the last moment and grab the jar with his wing. Seeing that there was food inside the metal jar, his eyes widened and he quickly began to devour the contents of the jar. After licking everything that stuck to the knife, I returned it to my pocket and went to my place.

Sitting down in my rightful place, I realized one very pleasant look. It seems that after a lot of spent bottles of water, medical bandages, antiseptics and syringes of adrenaline, I was able to cope with self-igniting skin. I hope this will not have unpleasant consequences. I calmed down and having received a minimal semblance of rest, I opened the package with biscuits and slowly began to eat them one at a time.

While I was eating biscuits, I could only contemplate what was happening around me. Rising all the food is sitting by the window with a thoughtful look. Flying, in turn, judging by the banks regularly flying out of the box, arranged itself for a combined breakfast, lunch and dinner. But if he doesn't have a knife, that means only one thing.

He opens all the canned food with his fangs.

I turned away from this sight and began to peer into the landscape. Most of the way has already been covered, so I was able to see the skyscrapers of Manehattan in the distance. Among the sparse, lonely trees and long bridges, the city was getting closer. Despite the injected adrenaline, I still began to feel a little tired, forcing me to squint my eyes. When, after a couple of seconds, fatigue did not progress, I decided not to inject additional adrenaline and just aimlessly enjoy the scenery.

Okay, I still have work to do. First of all, you need to come to an interview and answer all sorts of stupid questions. Previously, I need to leave everything that I took from the mercenary base for temporary storage in the hotel room and leave the thestrals as guards. I hope there won't be any overly curious looks from the outside.

I heard the brakes of the train creak and strike sparks on the rails, informing me that I had reached my stop. Getting up from my seat, I gestured to Rising that it was time to carry the safe. He nodded and stood up from his seat. While he was doing everything, I went to the food box in which Flying was still sitting and looked at him. It looks like he has satisfied his hunger and just sat down in the box with a grin.

"Get up, we've got things to do," I said, tapping my knuckles on the food crate.

He groaned in displeasure and grabbed the edges of the box with his wings and began to pull himself out of the box. While he was getting out, I noticed that a solid number of cans he had opened had accumulated on the floor.

"By the way, collect the garbage." I said out of the corner of my eye looking at Flying and pointing to my hand at the opened canned food.

"You don't have to." Flying said with his trademark hoarseness and impudence.

"If you don't take it away, I'll start getting angry." I said, annoyed that he was refusing.

"So what?" He asked defiantly.

"It's better to see once than hear a hundred times."

Despite some fatigue, I instantly shifted my weight to my right leg and lunged with my left. The left foot came into contact with Flying's hoof like a soccer ball and moved it to the side. Because of this, Flying lost its balance and fell forward. I took a small step back and slowly, as if I was just scratching, put my hand on my head. In fact, after such tricks, I had a hell of a headache.

"Enough?" I asked, continuing to secretly suffer from pain.

"Okay, so be it, nerd." Grumbled Flying getting up again and starting to collect cans. After making sure that everything was fine, I put earplugs in my ears and went to the sports bag and hung it over my shoulder. Then I walked over to the open medicine chest and shouldered it. Due to the lack of balance, most of my strength was spent trying not to fall. Seeing that Flying collected all the garbage and threw it into the food box, I shouldered the second box on my left shoulder. This restored my balance and allowed me not to waste energy on its artificial maintenance.

"Let's go." I said when I saw that the Thestrals had already put the safe on their backs. I didn't hear their answer, so I just had to rely on their loyalty.

When I got off the train, I saw a city that was both so familiar and so draining of my strength. Without giving in to thoughts, I looked around to find signs in the direction of the hotel. On the way to the hotel, I couldn't stop enjoying the moderate frost. After a killing and life-threatening cold, it is very pleasant to return to a moderate frost. Clothing is again able to protect from the cold and seems to create a distance from the outside world. The snow is no longer high and almost does not interfere with walking.

After a short walk, I got to the hotel and stopped in front of the door. Due to the fact that my hands were busy with boxes, I had to invent an alternative solution. I carefully, so as not to break the door, pushed it with my foot and, entering the room, held the door with my foot so that the thestrals could enter. When they entered, I stopped holding the door and approached the woman sitting at the reception desk. I put the boxes on the floor and pulled out a bag of money to pay. After a few rounds, I laid out the required amount in one hundred bits and again shouldered two boxes on my shoulders. While I was doing all this, I felt the lines bend and take the shape of two thestrals. They had already gone to the second floor and left me alone.

I shouldered two boxes and started walking towards the stairs. Without much difficulty, I climbed the stairs step by step and got closer to my goal. Having overcome the stairs, I saw two thestrals standing in front of the door to the room, who were still holding the safe on their backs. I put the drawer back on the floor and pulled the room key out of my pocket. I inserted the key into the lock and gently pushed the door with my elbow. I picked up the second drawer and entered the open room where the alarm clock was still lying on the bed. I put two drawers and a gym bag in the corner of the room and for a second succumbed to the desires, lay down on the bed. I stared at the ceiling and just breathed slowly. Unfortunately, I heard some mumbling that made me move to a sitting position and pull out the earplugs.

I asked, looking with displeasure at the two thestrals who had already put the safe next to the drawers.

"Mr. Sir Boss, I'm confused. What should we do now?" Rising asked hoping for further guidance.

I turned my attention to the alarm clock. Taking it in my hand, I saw that it was half past twelve o'clock in the afternoon. Considering how long the train was traveling today is the thirtieth of December. And that means what?

I have an interview today.

"Okay, I have a plan. I'll go to the interview and the two of you will share the money I gave you, Rising. You can do whatever you want with them " I said before getting out of bed and slowly heading for the door.

"Are you going for an interview? I'm with you!" Rising said with unknown enthusiasm.

"No, you're not going to the interview with me," I said flatly.

"But why?" Asked Rising as a child who doesn't get a new toy.

"There are many reasons. First of all, there will be nothing banal for you to do there. Secondly, I consider you to be my area of responsibility only as long as I see you in my field of vision. That is, while I don't see you, I calmly exhale and cannot think about you. Thirdly, you have no idea how disgusting it is for me to stoop to such a speech in order to convey my thought. Only silence and peace allows me to bounce away from the licked leather ideal and jump to the contradictory heavenly squalor in order to reach the ultimate truth. " I said at the end, tired of simple speech. After hearing the last sentence, Rising froze like a computer unable to cope with the task.

"In short, you're not coming with me." I said, shaking my head and putting earplugs in my ears. Having finished with this, I left my room, deciding to leave it open.

With a quick, energetic step, I descended the stairs and found myself in the lobby. Keeping a fast pace, I walked through the lobby and yanked the door open and went outside. Once on the snow-covered sidewalk, I pulled out a map that had been folded many times from my pocket and started looking for eighth Avenue. Unfortunately, it turned out to be on the other side of the city, so a quiet walk will not work.

Okay, we need to at least minimally prepare for the interview. Ideally, play an ultra-positive social liberal and get the approval of the public. Answer all questions like a real good girl. Family is good, the state is our friend, nothing needs to be changed, everything will be fine. . . Yes, this is not a very funny joke, let's move on to the real plan. To answer all questions in the most terrible way. Honestly and openly. But with a small detail. Using big, complicated words, we will confuse everyone and put ourselves in the best light.

After running an impressive distance, I stopped in front of a real skyscraper. Resting against the sky is a huge building that towers over all living beings like matter over a young mind. But the great mind nourished by matter begins to change it for itself. I looked up and saw a sign with the inscription proudly hanging in front of the double doors. The Manehatten Times.

I pushed the door forward and entered a really stylish building. Clear, perfectly smooth doors without pretentiousness. Ceiling lamps with a simple black shade. Pointers that say in simple words where the stairs are, where offices are, and so on. After making my first impression, I took out the earplugs and put them in my pockets. I noticed a pony sitting at the table who is most likely a secretary. While I was approaching the secretary, I noticed the clock that shows the time almost twelve o'clock in the afternoon.

Barely had time.

"I was recently invited for an interview and here I am." I said to the secretary.

"Ctumer am I right?" The secretary asked in a calm, measured and professional voice.

"Yes, it's me." I replied, wanting to start the interview as soon as possible and finish it.

"Hot News will accept you. She's in the seventh interview studio. It's on the second floor. Everything is indicated on the signs. " The secretary explained briefly.

I nodded and started walking calmly towards the stairs so as not to make the lines worry too much. Unlike the stairs in the hotel, this one has higher steps, as if even the stairs have a high and low social status. Although I'm not really surprised by this. Having overcome the stairs, I began to look for signs that would guide me along the heroic path. I saw one clean and smooth pointer on which it was written in white on black that the interview studios from the first to the seventh were waiting for me ahead. It's like I'm going through a recount of my sins.

I walked along a well-groomed, in a sense, licked corridor and reached the cherished door to the seventh studio. I put my hand on the door handle and slowly opened the door. In the room I was greeted by a quite cozy landscape. A modest chandelier on the ceiling illuminating the room with warm light. Two armchairs, one blue, the other red, both seem privileged, and in front of them is a strict wooden table at which a maybe familiar blue Pegasus with a chestnut mane is sitting.

Something familiar but I can't remember.

"You've come! I was afraid you wouldn't come, but you did. So. Please sit down and we will begin the interview." She said abruptly switching to a professional voice that had not yet been practiced.

Without saying a word, I took a few steps and sat down on a red armchair with my legs spread wide apart and stretched forward. When I got closer to Pegasus, I saw that she seemed to be unaccustomed to this place, as if this was a choice not agreed upon by anyone but accepted by everyone.

"So questions are questions. Let's start with a simple one. What were you doing before our conversation?" Pegasus asked, looking at the notebook with notes.

It's better not to call it Hot. We'll call her Miss News.

"I was in an incredible state similar to the battle of the infinitely low with the tiny high. I experienced the euphoria of a fool and the contempt for everything that exists of a wise. It was as if I felt in a radical form the endless conflict of nature and reason."

"Excuse me, what?" Miss News asked as if she didn't understand anything.

I laughed without genuine mirth and justified myself: "I have a very poetic and philosophical mood today. Soon I have an important day of the year, so I'm a little excited and can't keep myself in check. I just want to succumb to momentary desires and go along an unknown, crazy interplanetary path in search of a door from the plastic world just for myself. "

"Um. " The only sound Pegasus could squeeze out, as if he couldn't stand such a stream of consciousness.

Stop doing nonsense and turn on the regime of a radical dissident. YOU came here to gain fame and support in society.

I heard someone writing very fast. Turning my head to the sound, I saw how the feather itself quickly writes everything on the sheet. The feather even has its own separate mini table where there are papers and a jar of ink.

"Has exploitation even reached inanimate beings?" I asked, turning to Miss News, but watching the feather out of the corner of my eye.

"This? It's just an enchanted feather. It records everything it hears, but there are more advanced and very rare feathers that may not record something unnecessary, such as swearing. This is an ordinary enchanted pen that does not prevent it from being incredibly expensive, but the newspaper can afford it. "

"Poor feather. It was a happy, carefree instrument and became a slave, doomed to eternal suffering of the mind. " I said, trying to squeeze sincere empathy out of myself.

"Can we continue the interview please?" Miss News asked.

"I am not your boss and I have no right to tell you. Let's continue the interview." I said, slightly lowering the degree of poetry. Quite a bit.

"Thank you. Next question. How did you end up in Equestria?"

Say that you don't remember otherwise they will call you crazy and refuse any cooperation.

"It was a very surreal experience. I remember how after a long hard day where I as always opposed the plastic world, something attacked me. Something like the pure light of purified squalor wanting to consume me. I tried to run away from him but it didn't work out and here I am. In this country, which is even more plastic than the past." I told the truth.

"Good." Miss News said slowly, as if she didn't believe a single word.

"I am an honest person. The next question." I said a little disappointed and leaned on the back of the chair.

"Yes, the next question. Why did you attack Ponyville then? Or was it done by someone very similar to you?" Miss News asked as if she had no believe that I did it.

No lies. The only way to convince someone is to surpass them physically. Beat, wound or break. To teach you, plastic men to live, you need to be beaten very well.

"I think to convince someone, you need to beat him. Only physical defeat and the emptiness that follows it can make someone change their point of view. I came to the city to once again confront the plastic world and win over one of its tiny molecules."

"How's it going?" Miss News asked as if she had already stopped looking for logic in my words.

"I defeated the guards. I defeated supposedly folk heroes in front of the eyes of that very people. And I fought until I lost consciousness. I did it all alone! Without material and moral support from anyone! Considering the ratio of losses, I am sure that this is my victory." I said remembering my success and a little upset that it wasn't complete.

"OK, next question. Where were you for the three months between the battle in Ponyville and the encounter with the monster in the city in the south of Equestria? By the way, that was the first time we met, if you haven't forgotten."

So that's how I know her. In any case, I have nothing to hide here.

"I was in Canterlot Castle and trained under the guidance of Luna. It was like a three-month death. For three whole months I was part of the plastic world and obeyed its restrictions. Luckily, I'm alive again. " I said, pointing with my hands at my moon-like face.

"Yeah. Shall we move on to the next question? " Miss News asked as if she needed permission.

"As I know, you, as a presenter, make decisions and I just answer questions." I said stretching his hand forward as if he was passing the baton of the board to Miss News.

"I know it perfectly well! That is the next question. There are rumors that you have come into conflict with one of the most influential nobles in Equestria. Is it true?" Miss News asked, consulting her notebook.

Yes, I came into conflict with a dirty bourgeois to save the world proletariat! I am sure these words will immediately arouse the sympathy of ninety-nine percent of the public.

"Yes, I have entered into a conflict against another representative of the plastic world. I live to destroy the plastic world and in the future, with a calm soul, begin to live a truly free life." I said out of the corner of my eye looking at the enchanted feather. It completely exhausted the strength of the next sheet and picked it up from the side and put it in a small pile of other tired sheets.

"An unscheduled question. What is the plastic world that you talk about so much? " Miss News asked in the hope that an explanation could enlighten her.

"The plastic world is all that exists now. Good and evil, the perception of each being's life as a value, any laws and, of course, love. All this is not real, not realistic, not alive. This is a meaningless mass of non-existent things that make up the current world. Plastic world." I said, saying the information as it turns out.

"If this is the "plastic world", what will happen if you theoretically destroy it?" Miss News asked as if she was communicating with a mental patient.

Slow down before it's too late!

"A society united by perfection, that is, a person who has achieved absolute authority, the ultimate truth and will give up everything plastic will lead society in the free world. In the free world there is only infinite freedom for everyone and from everything. Some sectarians will be able to continue to worship plastic, but they will never take away freedom from others again. "

"So you're an anarchist?" Miss News asked as if that was the only description she could come up with.

"An anarchist in most cases is someone who wants the plastic world to remain like this only in a slightly freer form. I want to break the plastic world like glass so that freedom from everything and for everyone reigns in an empty room. " I said refuting her statement.

"Let's just move on to the next question. What do you think of the Griffonian Republic?" Miss News asked as if she no longer expects a normal answer from me.

"The Republic? Democracy, fake liberalism and other plastic toys? These are instruments of stability and moderation. Such management methods, if they are not threatened by something, will simply stagnate. Only authoritarian management methods can contribute to progress. "

"Finally a normal answer. What do you think about the current situation of the Solar and Lunar Guards?" Miss News asked, glad that the dialogue had become useful.

"Like a torn rag. The division into two separate and independent guards does not make sense. If you really think about it, there is simply no higher management that can use all the forces at once. For example, according to the information that I have, Wonderbolts are still considered an air force formation, but at the same time does not conduct any combat exercises. Now they are just artists and nothing more. At the same time, only their commander can change the situation! I personally saw that the Solar Guard does not obey its captain. To fix all this, us need to create a vacancy for the supreme commander-in-chief who will control all subdivisions and reform them as he sees fit. Otherwise, everything will remain in the state of a torn rag."

"Thank you for the detailed answer. Only the last question and the blitz poll remained. Do you have any close relationship with the royal family?" Miss News asked, not believing that she was asking such nonsense.

"No, and it can't be. It's like the relationship of paper and fire. They will not be able to work under any circumstances. " I said, answering surprisingly briefly.

"Okay. So only the blitz poll remained. Describe yourself in a nutshell. "

"Eternal revolutionary. "

"What is the most important thing in life? "

"Freedom. "

"Cats or dogs? "

"Horse meat."

"What's the scariest thing in your opinion?" Miss News asked swallowing after my answer.

"Lose yourself."

"Would you like to have a book written about you?"

"I don't need it, but if they write it, it will be nice."

"Which book should everyone read?"

"No one owes anyone anything."

"Is there a song that can characterize you?"

Say that the anthem of the international.

"I am a full-fledged, multi-faceted personality. More than one song is not able to describe or characterize me."

"Okay. Truly last question. Your ideology?" Miss News said as if she didn't understand my answer.

Ultra Social Liberalism

"I am beyond these concepts. There is no word that can convey my struggle. The closest thing that looks like me is some kind of a jumble of words. Individualist authoritarian ultra liberalism? Liberal Leninism? Something else? Choose what you like best. "

"You can go. " Miss News said after taking a deep breath.

I got up from the chair and walked out of the room. Putting my hand on the door handle, I pulled the door open and entered the corridor. As I walked down the corridor, the gears in my head began to move.

Well done, genius! Great job! You came here to gain popularity and support in society and now you will walk around with the stigma of a madman. Thanks at least for not freaking out, cry baby.

I went out into the cold, snowy street and headed towards the hotel. I didn't pull out the card and decided to trust my memory. Putting my hands in my pockets, I began to move through the snow-covered city with a calm, measured step. Each step pushing through the snow created a sound similar to a crunch. There was practically no wind and clouds, which allowed the winter and not at all warm sun to illuminate my road. There was no one on the street, as is typical for Manhattan. A solid curtain of silence, snow and cold light.

The sun had already begun to move slowly towards the horizon, but still seemed to cling to the predestined time. To my left, I saw the already familiar door to the hotel and pushed it forward. Once in the warmth of the hotel, I slowly began to make my way to the room so as not to agitate the magic lines. Carefully, taking small steps, I climbed the softly creaking stairs. After taking a few steps down the corridor, I reached the open door to the room. While I was opening the door, I was able to catch the dialogue inside.

"What happens?" Rising asked in an expectant voice.

"Quiet! I need to focus." Flying replied in a surprisingly focused voice.

I went into my room and saw an interesting picture. Flying sits in front of the safe and using a medical stethoscope tries to find out the combination. Next to him are two bottles of white wine that have not yet been opened. Rising has bent down to see the situation better and is watching his friend's work. Realizing that a difficult task was being performed for me, I decided to quietly go to the bed in order to better observe everything. I tiptoed to the bed and carefully sat down on it with one leg crossed over the other. I saw an alarm clock nearby. Or what's left of it. The alarm clock seemed to have been killed by a few hoofbeats. No wonder these idiots couldn't turn off the alarm.

"Okay, I won't interfere. How long have you been here!?" Rising asked, abruptly flustered after he turned around.

"Enough to not understand anything. What's going on here?" I said, using my knee as a support for my arm and propping my head with my hand.

"I kind of thought what would captain do in such a situation and came up with this. I thought that the medical..." Began to explain Rising but stopped after Flying abruptly shushed. I showed him with a hand gesture that he should stop for now. He nodded and continued to observe the work of his friend, but took a different position to keep an eye on me out of the corner of his eye. I also watched Flying work from my far stand. He turned the round lock very carefully and nervously, as if doing it for the first time.

I don't know anything about safes. There will be no smart comment.

Suddenly, there was a click of mechanisms and the safe slowly boiled off. I stood up in disbelief and walked closer to the safe. Truly! There were various papers in the safe. Some were tied with a rope and in the center was a huge scroll. Pushing the idiots aside, I sat down in front of the safe and began to examine the contents. In the safe there were scrolls tied with rope and one very large sheet. After removing the rope, I began to sort through and quickly familiarize myself with the contents of the scrolls. When I finished with the scrolls, I took a large long sheet. After seeing its contents and mentally comparing it with the map, I started laughing. Laughing hysterically. So much so that I couldn't breathe properly.

"Are you all right Mr. Sir Boss?" He asked Rising as if he was worried about me.

"Do you see this? This is the compromising material provided right on a beautiful saucer!" I said, showing the thestrals the letters and a large sheet. The letters carefully negotiated every mine, town, and even a tiny village. There was something like a contract in the big sheet. The document states that all the signatories are ready to implement the final decision. In other words, when the discussion is over, no one will question it. And the cherry on the cake! The contract has many red signatures. About fifty if you count offhand.

"I already have an incredible idea!" I said, charging with incredible enthusiasm.

"What idea?" Rising asked with a mixture of joy for me and fright.

"I called it the night of the long swords. I just need to hand it over to Luna along with a careful sketch of the plan and everything else will be done for me." I said, couldn't take the big smile off my face.

"So we're going to Canterlot?" Rising asked as if he was waiting for a direct order.

"What? No! By doing such an outstanding job and taking a lot of additional factors, I can expand my holiday from one hour to a whole day."

"That is?" Two thestrals asked at the same time.

"Tomorrow I will live by the rules of the free world all day. I'm going to have real fun tomorrow."

Flying in honor of this took a bottle of white wine and solemnly began to drink it. Rising stood rooted to the spot and seemed to get a punch in the gut because of such words. Before going to the flea market for another alarm clock, I formed one thought.

It's going to be terrible as always.

Everything will go according to plan

Quiet conversations in another car. The noise of a train rushing along the rails to Canterlot. Strong daylight has long woken everyone up. Even those few who wanted to take a break from reality. Hills, plains and forests are covered with a thick layer of snow. The wasteland has long been left behind and with it any opportunities to change your mind. The killers will be part of the army. And I need to make them work.

As if the possibility of rejection was ever needed.

Taking a deep breath, I opened my eyes and looked at the car in which I am. The soldiers did not dare to talk to each other and completely focused on the carriage in which the assassins were located. Some were so tense that instead of sitting, they preferred to stand right in the center of the corridor with their weapons on the edge. Hmm. Should I praise them for their vigilance or scold them for being alarmist?

On the other side of the train, I was sitting on my seat and propped my head with my left hand. The glasses were removed and placed on a folding table. I have long needed to figure out where to spend all this new free time. Just because I can't sleep doesn't mean I can't work. You can read it or at least start coming up with a way to get out of here. I've been in Equestria for countless months and still haven't even started to come up with something.

Because you're lazy, crybaby. But don't worry, I already have an idea. You just need to learn how to teleport and kill Ahirata. Don't ask questions, just do it. It's a good idea.

Chuckling, I turned my gaze to the companion who was on my right. Rising sat right next to me and looked a little more relaxed than the rest of the soldiers. Is this trust in me? Or just the realization that it will be easiest for me to protect him? Unclear. I sighed softly at the realization of one detail. I can know absolutely nothing about the situation of the soldiers on the other side of the train. They are completely cut off from me by a carriage filled with murderers. And I can't feel the lines at that distance. One can only hope.

"Dreams and hope. And these intangible things should I rely on?" I muttered before starting to concentrate on the lines. All the murderers sat in a circle and discussed something quietly among themselves. Unfortunately, I could not make out a single full-fledged word. It remains only to assume that they are planning another attack on me.

"Did you say something?" Rising asked curiously, turning his head in my direction. Damn. Why did I voice my thoughts out loud?

And I said that the word is not a sparrow. But as always, you didn't listen to me, crybaby. And here's the result.

Sighing, I looked down at Rising and replied: "It doesn't matter. I was talking to myself. There's nothing to do now anyway."

Rising cautiously pointed with his hoof towards the carriage in which the killers were housed and whispered softly so that only I could hear him: "Nothing to do!? Over there are the guys who killed other ponies! And at least one of them does not regret it a bit! It's not that I think they all share this opinion, it's just. . ."

Just calm down and don't whine. These ponies have only two purposes. Serve me as soldiers or as food.

As soon as the thought of food appeared in my head, my stomach rumbled slightly. It seems that a piece of that pony turned out to be too little for my body and in the end only aroused my appetite. But at least I will have something to do in the form of finding food. Maybe it's like in the good old days to roast a bird on a fire? Or maybe even make yourself a chicken with scrambled eggs?

Shaking my head, I remembered the words Rising and calmly answered without a whisper: "First of all, as a soldier, you should have learned to kill without a twinge of conscience a long time ago. If you haven't learned it, then it's time to learn. Sooner or later you will have to participate in the murder of the bastard who eliminated a third of the soldiers. "

Rising shifted uncomfortably in his seat and with a barely noticeable movement of his hoof lured me closer. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that the soldiers in the room were focusing their gazes on me. Rolling my eyes, I moved a little closer in response to which Rising quietly whispered in my ear: "To be honest. . . To be honest, I'm not so sure it's worth taking revenge anymore."

I tilted my head to the side and barely suppressing laughter quietly asked: "Rising, this is absurd. There is an old phrase that gives carte blanche to kill. An eye for an eye."

Rising lowered his head down and did not answer anything. Well, more precisely, the first few seconds. Then he cautiously raised his head and looked at me uncertainly whispered: "Most people have complaints about each other. Even me. And if everyone starts taking each other's eyes, then the world will go blind, right? You didn't take revenge on those musicians who stole your money that's why, right?"

Does he think I'm testing him? Hm. There's something you don't understand, my boy. Revenge on thieves will only get me my money back. And Ahirate's revenge can be a convenient excuse for expanding influence. If you subdue fifty assassins and get good weapons from above, then it will be easier to achieve any goals. That's all. Say it, crybaby. That's your real opinion.

Shaking my head slightly, I sighed, put my hand on Rising's head and said loudly: "Calm down. I don't want to say this, but I have to because of you, Rising. I am not ready to take revenge for the money. It has no such value. But to avenge the dead soldiers? You can always. This not only has value, but is absolutely necessary in my opinion. I don't see anything wrong with that. And I really hope that you won't see anything wrong in this at the most inopportune moment. But you won't do that, will you?"

Rising looked at me in surprise from under his brow and after a few seconds of silence nodded slightly. With a grunt, I took my hand off his head and put on my glasses. Slightly adjusting them, I looked out the window trying to figure out how long it was left to go. Fortunately, the train had already arrived at the mountain, and it was only necessary to climb it. Hmm, I had to go down the mountain by train, but I was always out when I went up. I wonder what it will look like.

I felt gravity actively pushing me into the seat and the train itself slowed down significantly. Concentrating on the view outside the window, I could barely contain my indignation and Spanish shame for the pony designing the route. The train just stupidly goes up at an angle of forty if not more degrees. Just, just what kind of idiot designed this railway? How could he or she get the opportunity to at least offer such a thing? And most importantly, how was it confirmed and built?

Well, don't forget who the ruler is here. Celestia is strongly recommended a revolution modeled on the French one. Why French? The language is very beautiful. What the word "guillotine" alone is worth.

Grinning, I held my glasses in case the slope got even bigger and reached into my pockets with my other hand, hoping that I hadn't lost anything. Fortunately, the knife and the cube are in their place. Although so far the cube is not of much value. Of course, a mini shotgun is a good thing, but I would like more functionality. Well, you can do that too.

Turning my head to Rising, I pushed him slightly to attract attention and began to calmly say: "Remind me soon so that I start keeping a to-do list. I don't want to forget something important. "

He opened his mouth to say something, but his words were not audible against the background of the loudest train horn. His ears drooped slightly and he frowned as if trying to ignore the noise. I frowned too and said putting my hand to my ear: " Say it again, Rising. I didn't hear you."

He took a deep breath as if he was going to scream at the top of his lungs, but was interrupted again and completed by the train horn. I put my palm to my forehead irritably and said as soon as the beep ended: "Just nod if you remember and agree. Otherwise, shake your head."

Sighing, Rising reluctantly nodded, although his face suggested that he wanted to say something. Well, if it was really important, then he would just repeat it later. But I don't think he has information of this caliber right now.

Now? As if he would ever be more useful than a pawn.

I shook my head slightly. Any pawn can reach the end of the board and become a strong piece. Nodding to myself, I focused on the landscape outside the window. The train has already reached quite high up the slope. To the point that Ponyville looked like a few barely noticeable spots from here. Although it may just be spots on the glasses. No matter. The important thing is that this is the bastion of my failure.

Sighing, I decided to distract myself from this thought and got up from my seat. Even with the help of a folding table, it was difficult to maintain balance. With careful, small checkers, I began to get out into the corridor, trying not to touch Rising. Fortunately, the train did not swing at the most unfortunate moment and I was able to safely reach the corridor in the car.

I felt that the eyes of all the soldiers on the train were focused on me. Chuckling, I slowly walked up to the door to the murderers' car and rolled onto it. After making sure that everyone's understanding still belongs to me, I nodded to myself and said: "Okay, as you may have noticed, the train will soon reach its destination. So it's time to discuss how we will move to the castle. The five of you will go ahead, the assassins will follow you, and at the very end a second group of five soldiers with me. "

Seeing that they were a little nervous about the prospect of walking right in front of a crowd of murderers, I rolled my eyes and said firmly: "It's corny and logical. The second group is now at the end of the train and she has already done the same. So it is logical that you repeat the same action. And don't even try to change it somehow. "

Reluctantly, they nodded and slowly began to slide off their seats. Seeing this, I nodded and pressed my ear to the door trying to hear what the killers were discussing in their circle. Alas, nothing could be sorted out. Maybe they even stopped talking when they heard me come to the door. However, it doesn't matter. I don't even need to know their plans to ruin them.

I don't even need to know their plans to arrange a big purge of personnel.

Quickly shaking my head, I opened the door to the murderers' car and took a step into it. There I saw fifty-four ponies concentrated in the center of the train, most often located on the ground. It's immediately obvious that something is being planned. When they heard the door open, they all looked in my direction and frowned. Oh, big deal, I ate a piece of hoof. It was quite small.

Rolling my eyes, I took a step forward and began to speak in a commanding tone, pointing my finger behind my back: "Okay, incompetents, it's time to work. Did you hear the train horn? Great because it notifies that soon your life will radically turn around. All you have to do now is stand up, line up in a row and wait for those soldiers to start moving forward. It's very simple. "

One of them raised his head down and shouted discontentedly, pointing at me with a wounded hoof: " It's very easy after you bit off my hoof, monster!"

And that's what the killer said. What a good comedy.

Rolling my eyes, I focused on his hoof. He found a rag somewhere to move the wound and eventually the bleeding stopped. But despite this, the damage was visible. Judging by the look of my mowing, I bit off about a quarter of his hoof. I wonder if he can walk with such a wound? And can it even be effective with such a wound?

If you don't try, you won't know. I shrugged my shoulders and calmly looking at the wounded pony said: "Don't whine. The bleeding has stopped, so you will live. And I don't think the wound is that serious. And anyway, you brought this on yourself. You're not given a head just to think through murder plans, you know."

The veins in his neck bulged and he opened his mouth to reply, but was stopped by a hoof that was placed on his shoulder. Turning around, he saw that the hoof belonged to an old man. After a brief whisper that I couldn't hear, the wounded pony turned back to me and nodded, gritting his teeth. Grinning, I took a few steps forward and said, "I'm glad we found a common language. Now, get your asses up and follow the order. I need to give the information to the last group."

With a slight hiss, they parted to the sides, allowing me to pass. If I passed by, I could feel their contempt, hatred and aggression towards me. Well, well. Even the murderers have rallied into a single group and are now so fiercely defending each other. Rolling my eyes, I calmly reached the next door and opened it while there was the sound of many hooves around me.

Once in the third car, I saw the second five of my soldiers who, just like the first one, was very nervous. Although judging by their frightened look, even at the sight of me, they are even more nervous. Sighing, I waved my hand and said: "The train will stop soon. So it's time for you to get up. Don't be afraid, I'll go with you."

Trembling slightly, they nodded and slowly began to slide out of their seats, continuing to hold the weapon tightly. Sighing, I turned around on the spot and slightly adjusted my glasses and turned my gaze to the first group of soldiers. Although the crowd of murderers prevented me from seeing the soldiers, I still managed to see something. Soldiers often turned around as if expecting an attack in the back at any second. It's hard to blame them.

After a few moments, the train braked loudly and soon the exit doors opened. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that there is more than one exit door on this train. How did I not notice this before? It doesn't matter though. We must stick to the original plan. Unfortunately, some of the killers did not share my opinion and instead of moving forward turned towards an alternative exit door. Seeing this, I instantly pulled out a knife and a cube from my pockets before shouting: "Stick to the formation! No one steps aside under any circumstances! Execute the order quickly!"

Fortunately, the ponies that had moved away from the herd slowly turned around and returned to the formation. After a few seconds, the whole crowd moved forward after a group of soldiers who had already started to leave the train. With a wave of my hand, I gave the signal to the second group of soldiers and went forward so that I was only a few steps away from the killers.

If the distance is so short, then maybe it's worth checking how the cube works on live targets?

As soon as my foot left the train, I quickly shook my head and returned all the weapons to my pockets. I don't have many people under my command as it is. Making this number even smaller would be a bad decision. Sighing, I began to look around the city that had been awake for a long time, continuing to follow the killers. There were almost no ponies on the street, despite the bright sunlight. Probably, today is a working day.

Shrugging my shoulders, I felt several glances directed at me from different sides. Or somewhere near me. I turned my head to the right and slightly adjusted my glasses and saw the signs of various shops. Are the sellers so bored that they have to look at us? However, it doesn't matter. Then I looked in the opposite direction from which I also felt several glances. There my eyes fixed on a large building with three towers and black windows. There are no signs about what kind of building it is. Right above the entrance to the building hung something resembling a golden shield with the image of a flash. I have no idea something. The morgue? That would explain the black windows.

No, no. It is obvious that this is the mansion of Count Dracula, which was personally given to him by Celestia. Her cannibalistic regime turns a blind eye to his existence so that he kills citizens personally objectionable to Celestia. Source: Report on the Insolvency of the Monarchy by Daniel Ctumer.

With a chuckle, I turned away from the building and looked straight ahead from where I felt watching me. Squinting, I barely managed to make out a figure looking at me from one of the many windows of the castle. No matter how I tried to determine who the figure belongs to, nothing happened. All that can be said is that the figure belongs to a pony. But I can say for sure that it's not Ahirata.

As soon as the very first group approached the castle gate, I felt the lines bend. It's as if someone with a huge amount of magic appears right in front of them. Assuming the worst, I snatched the cube out of my pocket and quickly ran around the entire crowd. In a couple of seconds I was right in front of the first group of soldiers and with a gesture of my free hand I ordered them to stop. Before they could even nod in response to my order, two bright flashes appeared in front of me. A moment later, when the flash dissipated, I saw in front of me Celestia with a calm expression on her face and Luna with a strong frown on her face.

Do the lines allow you to predict the place where they will be teleported? How nice and convenient. Only, it's not clear why Celestia was talking about speed. Probably she doesn't understand the spell she uses.

Before I could chuckle, Celestia asked in a calm and cold tone while the soldiers behind me were bowing: "Can you, Mr. Ctumer, explain what they are doing here? You didn't talk about it when I approved your idea."

Grinning, I rolled my eyes and replied with a wave of my hand: "Oh? I thought you liked the ponies, you drove. Well, it doesn't seem that way. I think many people need to know this. Wait, this kind of news can't wait a second. "

I was about to turn around and shout the news to the whole street, but was interrupted by Luna: " Oh, please. Just tell me why you did it and I'll go back to sleep. Be a good colt today, okay?"

Celestia looked down at Luna in response to which Luna muttered something unintelligible. When she closed her mouth, Celestia focused on me again. Not hearing any words from her, I assumed that they had passed the baton to me and said: "Where else do you think I should place the strike brigade, if not here? I need to train them and at the same time monitor how the FSF works. So this is the only reasonable option. I did it for purely logical reasons and in no way out of a desire to annoy you. "With an exasperated sigh, Celestia shook her head slightly and said firmly: " In any case, I will make a small concession. They can stay in the castle for a day or two, so be it. But in the near future you will have to find another time where to place them. For example, the military base where you trained your soldiers earlier."

No, no. It's not worth visiting that place. It brings back memories of another failure. And you, crybaby, I still need you in some kind of health.

Sighing, I reluctantly nodded and asked taking a step forward: "Now can I go further or do you still need to show the documents?"

Rolling her eyes, Celestia was silent for a few seconds before looking at Luna and saying: "No, let Luna lead the group further. You and I have something else to discuss. "

Luna shot her sister a look filled with annoyance and discontent before saying with a grunt, " Okay, you all. Follow me. Let's start faster, let's finish faster."

After these words, Luna turned around on the spot and went deep into the castle, but absolutely no one followed her. For a moment, she just stopped dead in her tracks. Then she turned to all of us and with an angry look hissed, "I ordered you to follow me. And I want to emphasize. Do it FAST."

She looks so cute when things don't go the way she wants. You need to anger her more often.

After she said that, the soldiers and even some of the assassins shuddered and trotted after the princess. And no matter how ashamed I was to admit it, I also wanted to obey for a moment. I quickly shook my head dismissing this thought and began to look at all the ponies passing by me. Several assassins briefly cast glances in my direction, but when they noticed the direct observation, they quickly turned away. Looks like the hoof-biting trick worked. The main thing is not to abuse it.

In the end, Celestia cleared her throat, attracting my attention and said with a small smile: "I have good news for you, my little human. I managed to scrape together a hundred thousand bits for you. I'm surprised myself that I managed to get so much. Apparently harmony, despite your behavior, supports you."

This is almost twice as much as it will take just to pay for FSF services. Not to mention the costs of the development itself. Trouble. We'll have to invent something.

Gritting my teeth, I turned towards the mountain and said, trying not to show my irritation: "Well, this is news. Although I would like this number to be several times more. "

Celestia tilted her head to the side and looked in the same direction as I asked: " What are you looking at? Did you notice something? "

I rolled my eyes and pointed to my glasses and asked rhetorically: " Do you think the person who wears this can see something that you can't? "

Celestia sighed restraining her irritation and said firmly: " This is not the answer to my original question. I'll say it again. What are you looking at?"

For a bright and wonderful future. Without you.

Grinning, I pointed to the mountain and said: "I'm looking at a source of additional funding. Thanks for a hundred thousand, but it's too little. So I have to use my brain to the maximum."

Celestia's eyes widened slightly and leaning towards my ear, she asked softly, "So, you killed the dragon then, right?"

What kind of stupid questions? And how does she know that? Shaking my head, I just nodded calmly and gave Celestia a questioning look. Sighing, she took a step back and looked around and asked again: "So, if I understand you correctly, do you want to use the jewels looted by the dragon you killed?"

Shrugging my shoulders, I replied, assuming her opinion about it: "Look, I absolutely don't care how much it contradicts morality. I don't give a damn about morality in general. Right now I'm only interested in ending the existence of the bastard who killed my soldiers. And for this purpose, I am ready to direct all the resources I have. Do you understand this idea?"

Or do I need to deliver a note with this thought right into your skull?

Sighing, Celestia reluctantly nodded and whispered: "Please forgive me, think at least sometimes about how others treat your actions. You don't need the ponies to hate you, do you?"

Grinning, I poked her in the nose with my finger and replied: "That's the reason why you're Celly and I'm human. Because of the two of us, you're the only one asking such stupid questions. And just so you know, I have a list of phrases and expressions to provoke supporters of different philosophical and political trends. Hmm, I think I need to replenish or at least adapt all of them in a local way. It won't be fun if I say that Putin is doing well and no one will start repeating the deeply boring facts that this is not the case. But I can always say the opposite. Everything to provoke the interlocutor."

Celestia raised an eyebrow and asked with curiosity in her voice, " Put in?"

It's time, crybaby. In front of you is an absolutely ignorant person. You can tell absolutely everything about this person, she will have no way to verify the information. You can create yourself an interlocutor with your own hands who will agree on political issues. Isn't this a dream?

Taking a deep breath, I raised my hand in front of me, preparing to retell absolutely everything. Then I quickly shook my head. No, I have to tell the information impartially so that the interlocutor forms his own opinion. No formation of a comfortable position. Sighing , I turned around on the spot and waved my hand and said: "Take me to the place where the FSF is working now. I don't remember where it was. I'll tell you everything on the way."

Smiling, Celestia nodded actively and took a few steps to walk side by side with me. After the start of the joint movement, I closed my eyes trying to formulate it normally. You can start retelling the biography. No, it won't do because I corny don't remember it completely. Maybe start with the good and end with the bad? No, that's bullshit too. On the contrary? Well, I don't see any other options. Wait, though. Why the hell should I waste my time and nerve cells trying to explain the identity of a modern politician?

So that she would know the fear that chills to the bone. She, no, everyone will understand that they are faced with a perfect being capable and, most importantly, willing to destroy cities without leaving anyone behind. And even the man who started the war will not be able to go to no comparison with this monster. A monster that solves the problem of plastic.

Taking a deep breath, I put my hands in my pockets and with difficulty resisting the urge said: "It doesn't matter. I'm just not going to say anything. I'm not interested in talking about this person. Just as it is not interesting to talk about any modern politician. I like to talk about totalitarian guys who massively slaughter people for the sake of an abstract picture of the future. Or anarchists who cannot even be called rulers in full."

Another missed opportunity, crybaby. Do you like to lose or what? If so, I suggest you just fall into a ditch and wring your neck. It will be a real defeat.

Celestia tilted her head to the side and asked with only increased curiosity: "On the contrary, it is more interesting for me to hear about the ruler who did not do all this. Don't you want to share your knowledge?"

Continuing to walk, I barely restrained the urge to make an offering to Celestia and simply replied: "Listen, I'm too lazy. I'm not interested in discussing a moderate politician. Paranoid totalitarians? Yes, it's interesting. Crazy anarchists who run around the steppes and fight with everything they find against everyone who doesn't like them? Yes, this is also interesting. So, I don't know. Wait for another human to appear in Equestria so that he starts telling you about boring modern politicians. I am sure his opinion will be very objective."

Taking a deep breath, Celestia nodded slightly and continued walking. Along the way, I could notice that the rare ponies who were now on the street were bowing at the sight of Celestia. My God, what nonsense. One bow. Two bow. Three, four. At some point, the bows caused me so much irritation that I looked Celestia straight in the eyes and said, "How do you like the idea of canceling the bows?"

"Hmm?" Celestia mumbled questioningly, turning her head in my direction. I gritted my teeth trying not to show anger and started looking for a normal example. A normal definition of a textbook is always not enough for an idiot. They need an example.

When I saw another pony bow at the sight of Celestia, I pointed at the pony with my finger and said: "Look at her or him, I don't care. It's practically kissing the ground right now. This not only dirties everything that can be soiled, but also interrupts the activity. For example, a maid, instead of going to clean up, bows to you and dirties her clothes. It's not practical! "

Celestia looked at me blankly for a few seconds before answering: " Daniel, my subjects bow to me during the entire period of my reign, which is counted for thousands of years. It's just a tradition and its very ancient, you know? It cannot be undone by simply waving a hoof. "

Again, this nonsense about millennial rule. It's probably just that every time the dynasty to which Celestia belongs, children are born with an appearance that perfectly copies the parent. Thus, you just need to call the child the same name as the parent. You change parents with children indefinitely and maintain the image of one ruler who rules forever. If anything, you can just change the appearance with magic. Well, probably.

Shaking my head, I raised my left hand and said: "Maybe waving a hoof won't change anything. But waving a hand will change a lot of things. At least the butterfly effect. As a maximum, a signature under a document that decides the fate of the country. Hmm, the death penalty for bowing sounds great. "

Celestia stared at me and muttered softly: " You can't be serious. "

I grinned and replied, returning my hand in my pocket: " Yes, I'm not serious right now. The death penalty simply removes one person without any benefit. But sending them to forced labor? Sounds great. In general, my position remains the same. Bowing at the sight of the ruler should be prohibited."

Celestia sighed in disappointment and did not continue the dialogue. Grunting, my gaze focused on the road ahead. Slightly adjusting my glasses, I saw that we were heading straight to the building that I had noticed earlier. Am I going to find out the secret of the pony version of Count Dracula? Oh, wait. What secrets does Count Dracula have in general?

Where did he get the money for a castle in the mountains? How does he get blood in a place so far from populated areas? The fact that Dracula does not exist, but there is a person in whose image he was invented?

Grinning, I cleared my throat slightly to get Celestia's attention and asked: "As I understand it, that gloomy building is your school?"

Celestia nodded, and the next moment I asked another question: "What the hell are the black windows here?"

When she heard my question, she giggled slightly and answered: "This is necessary so that students do not feel uncomfortable in the hot season. And you don't have to worry about the kids, the inside of the glass is not so dark that they can look outside."

Did anyone ever care about comfort in schools? Wait, pay attention to the name. There is one detail there. You just need to remember the name. There was something about unicorns.

Scrolling through the name of the school in my head, I looked at Celestia with a grin and asked: "As I understand it, you are very concerned about the comfort of unicorns, right?"

The next moment she laughed and said: "Did you draw this conclusion from the title? Well, unfortunately you were so wrong. All interested ponies can enroll in this school. Chancellor Ney insisted on this name because most of the ponies in Canterlot are unicorns. "

Tilting my head to the side I asked: " What kind of chancellor is this? Do you already have dual power in your country, so there is also a chancellor from above? "

Celestia didn't ask anything and just answered: " He directs the council, which ensures that education in schools meets high standards. Every pony deserves a good education."

Damn, it looks like a free education card won't work here. Well, medicine is also an option. And a six-hour working day, too.

Sighing, I reluctantly nodded and did not say anything further. Celestia just focused on the road and kept walking. Along the way, I tried unsuccessfully to ignore the ponies who bowed at the sight of Celestia. Fortunately for me, there were very few ponies on the street and the rest of the way to the entrance to the school remained relatively calm.

In the end, the two of us found ourselves in a warm schoolroom and after a little shaking off the snow, we continued to walk forward. On the way to the FSF, I could feel a lot of little ponies who were sitting in the classrooms on either side of me and my ears could catch the teachers saying something to the students. I wonder if I should be feeling some kind of nostalgia or something like that right now?

Cold school walls containing failures. Beyond them, a dirty alley where the best student of the school stands with his fist raised. Today, someone dared to look in his direction incorrectly. But without despair, he stands in the alley and waits for his abuser. So that he would know the real horror.

After my gaze wandered over the same type of office doors, I sighed and said the first thing that popped into my head: "I never thought that I would go back to school again. Although if I come back, it's better for my eyes to never see geometry again."

Celestia chuckled slightly and asked: "What's so bad about geometry?"

She doesn't care about you, crybaby. She just keeps the dialogue going so you don't start crying for attention.

Exhaling, I continued to inspect the school and answered: "Geometry is the only school subject in which I had to write off to get good grades. I don't like the concept of using ready-made answers instead of solving problems."

Celestia turned her gaze in my direction and said as if she was giving important advice: "You know, you don't always have to be the best. It is not necessary to have the best grades in school, and even more so it is not necessary to be the best. You can just live for your own pleasure. There's nothing shameful about it."

"To live for your own pleasure." What idiocy. You need to live in order to develop and achieve your goals. Only drug addicts, alcoholics and plastic figurines exist for their pleasure. Oh, I accidentally repeated one word three times in a row.

"Great advice. But you know what? A thirteen-year-old boy, between striving for better grades and a broken nose, preferred the former." I said calmly and looking straight at Celestia. If I had more strength, I would completely defeat her position aimed at eternal degrading. But never mind, you can do this later.

Celestia's eyes widened and she asked worriedly: "Your parents . . . have you been treated badly?"

Have you heard about the theory of relativity?

I rolled my eyes and said, "No, it was a great attitude. My father, instead of lounging on the couch after work, always checked my grades and how I completed my homework. Not a day as long as I live, he did not leave time for himself to rest. If I did something wrong, he raised his mighty fist despite his fatigue. So my dad is a great parent. I don't know what to complain about. "

Celestia was even more surprised and muttered something softly before asking: " You do understand that hitting children is, well, bad? "Squaring my shoulders wide, I pointed at myself and asked: " In front of you is a child whose father beat him almost every day. Sometimes with a fist, but usually with a belt. Look at what this child has grown into and just dare to say that the result is not impressive. "

Celestia looked me up and down before slowly shaking her head and answering with sadness in her voice: " Daniel, the result is not impressive, it scares and depressing, don't you notice it yourself? "

"Scares." Great, that's what we're trying to do. Tell her about something worse. Maybe about how the first killing of an animal felt? You know perfectly well how good the feeling of power felt. This was the starting point of the race to Perfection.

Taking a deep breath, I looked away from Celestia and said: "It's just the costs that I've been struggling with lately. Otherwise, everything is fine. Tough upbringing made me better in everything than my peers. Absolutely in every category with no exceptions... Probably."

It seemed like forever that Celestia was silent before whispering softly: "You want me... hug you?"

What, what? I staggered back a step and pointing at her with my finger exclaimed: "What? No! How could you even think of doing such a vile action!? I can barely stand the fact of being on the same planet with you and you're suggesting that I take a couple of steps closer? Well, in that case it will happen. But only in your dreams!"

Celestia stared at me with her eyes wide as if that would somehow change my mind. She even stopped walking forward. After walking a few steps forward, I looked puzzled at Celestia and tilted my head to the side and asked her, "What are you doing? Do you have some kind of facial spasm or something? If so, just go to the doctor. I hope you're not stupid enough not to go to the doctor."

With a disappointed sigh, Celestia regained her normal expression and resumed moving forward, whispering: "In the future, it's better not shouting in the hallways when school is going on."

I smiled and was about to answer, but anticipating what I would say, Celestia supplemented herself: "And it's not advisable to shout during recess either."

Rolling my eyes, I waited a few seconds until Celestia caught up with me and slightly overtook me. Chuckling, I continued to follow her and began to look for some landmarks in order to get to the FSF on my own in the future. Although, it should have been taken care of earlier, but better late than never, right?

Yes. And you know what's better than late? In advance. That is why you need to kill everyone in advance before they begin to interfere with the achievement of Perfection.

Slightly shaking my head, I continued to search and eventually noticed one thing. It was a board on which hung a lot of black-and-white photographs in gold frames and names. Eh, once my photo was hanging on a similar board. It was excellent and fair. Although, no, it wasn't fair. There should have been only my picture on the board. But this cannot be changed.

Sighing, I focused on the road ahead. After a while, Celestia turned left and after walking a couple dozen more steps, she reached a familiar corridor. The one where I almost lost consciousness from teleportation. Ahead of me I could feel a room where there were many thestrals and three unicorns. Great, here's the destination.

When we got to the door, I stretched out my right hand to the handle and waved goodbye with my left, saying: "Thank you for the service rendered. And now you can go and continue to simulate the activity. I've already memorized the way out."

After a second of hesitation, Celestia nodded and whispered before turning around, "If you change your mind, then my offer is always valid. "

Don't even hope. No one needs your offer. Just like you.

Sighing, I opened the door and took a step inside. They're, first of all, unicorns standing at the blackboard caught my eye. Flim and Flam used one white chalk each while Starlight used several at once. The whole board was divided into two parts. It seems that even under the supervision of the soldiers, they could not find a common language and decided to work separately. Well, that's something. Then my gaze shifted to the Thestrals. All of them sat on chairs and judging by their closed eyes were asleep except for one. My gaze focused on Flying, who, judging by the tense face, was trying to figure out exactly what unicorns were developing. Even despite the desire to join other thestrals in a dream.

Grinning, I slowly walked up to Flying and sat down on an empty chair next to him and asked: "Are you well guarded?"

He glanced in my direction for a moment before answering: "Calm down, they haven't quarreled since we came and separated them a couple of times. So I gave the guys a break. "

Chuckling, I focused on the board where the unicorns worked. The left part belonged entirely to Starlight, and only one project was drawn on it. But what! There was something vaguely similar to a car painted there. To be precise, it is in fact a rectangle on high wheels between which there were strange small lines and a large line sticking straight out of the body. It looks like a very peculiar machine with a gun. Probably the stick from below has something to do with nutrition. The rest of Starlight's half was occupied with various calculations and other questions. Paying attention to the fascist himself, I noticed that her mane was disheveled and she moved very sluggishly.

Shifting my gaze to Flying, I asked: "Have they been awake since I left?"

Chuckling, he nodded and replied, "She? Yes. And the brothers changed among themselves every few hours. Although very rarely they worked together. Just like you see now."

I wish I could say I'm sorry for the poor unicorn, but there's a catch. Fascists cannot be treated better than shit.

Nodding to myself, I focused on the second half of the board. There, instead of one project like Starlight, there were three at once. The first project is similar to an armor that protects absolutely the entire body of a pony and consists of small elements. Like, plate armor. In principle, this is not bad. Judging by what I saw now, the armor of the soldiers consists of a helmet and a body. It would be nice to share it. The second project is, to my surprise and happiness, literally artillery. Cannon, gunpowder and a core. Why isn't this medieval artillery? Smiling, I focused on the third project. There were drawn several rectangles connected by wires and exactly one stick pointing perfectly upwards. Radio?

Sighing, I slapped my knees and getting up said loudly: "Okay, great scientists, it's time to explain to you for what you've been inventing here. Although it upsets me a little that you decided to work absolutely in parallel. But we'll get over it. Starlight, start."

Hearing my loud voice, all three unicorns jumped as if they hadn't noticed my presence until now. Fortunately, after a few moments, Starlight nodded slightly and turned to me and pointed to her project with her hoof before starting to say: "As you indicated in the notebook, the army has three problems. The fatigue of soldiers due to moving to their destination, low power and the inability of soldiers to communicate with each other. Here is my solution. . ."

I raised my hand and quickly interrupted her: " Okay, I can roughly see what you're doing. This rectangle on wheels will deliver soldiers from the battlefield and support them with that cannon over there, right? If I'm critically wrong, correct me. "Starlight nodded slowly as if she didn't understand some of the words I used. Nodding in response, I calmly asked the most important question: " How can the machine solve the problem with communication between soldiers?"

"Um." muttered Starlight as if she didn't know how to answer the question. Then her face brightened and quickly grabbing the chalk with her magic, she began to draw something to her project.

After a few moments, Starlight turned to me with a big smile and said, "Do you see this line with crystals sticking out from above? A specially designated person inside will push levers to make one of the crystals light up to give a signal to others! "

" The purchase of so many crystals. . ." Flim began clearing his throat and casting a glance in the direction of his brother.

" It will be extremely expensive. Flam finished, also clearing his throat. It's like they're mocking her.

Expensive? To hell with it! We're building a damn medieval tank. Have you already come up with a name that strikes fear into the hearts of enemies? How about "Perfection"?

Slowly shaking my head, I turned to the two brothers and said, "Now it's time for you to explain your projects. One person per project. My head hurts when you continue each other's speech."

After exchanging glances between them, the two brothers nodded to each other and Flam cleared his throat and began to say: "Whatever you say, Mr. Ctumer. The first project is an improved armor. Unlike the project of the esteemed Miss Glimmer, these armors will be much cheaper and easier to manufacture. How was this fantastic result achieved? I am very glad that you asked! The whole armor consists of small plates that are made of light alloys that my brother and I have already used in our designs. So we vouch for the quality. The plates themselves are fastened together with straps that can be adjusted so that they fit any pony."

Wait, that reminds me of something. . . Mercenary armor? Hmm, we have seen that they are quite effective. Until the straps are cut.

Nodding, I leaned on the wall and asked: "But if the plates are fastened together with belts, then they can simply be cut. One well-aimed cut and the whole ingenious design will fall apart. How can you justify such a serious flaw? "

Flam chuckled and said with a confident smile: " Don't worry about it, Mr. Ctumer, we've thought it all out. While on the pony, the armor elements will cover all the cracks. If you are worried even under such conditions, then we can think about making the belts stronger. "

Nodding slowly I sighed and said pointing my finger at Flim: " Go on. Tell me about the next project. "

For a moment, Flim looked caught off guard, but quickly cleared his throat and said: " As you can see from the drawing, this device has a wick at the back that, when set on fire, will transfer fire to gunpowder, which will eventually create an explosion pushing the metal ball forward. There's nothing more to say. Everything is simple and relatively cheap. "

"And how long will the gunpowder be loaded inside? How long will it burn? How heavy will the core be?" Starlight asked with every next word exerting a lot of pressure. Hmm, it seems the hatred between them makes them extremely meticulous about each other's mistakes. Not bad, not bad.

Wait, crybaby. Why does a fascist ask this question? Isn't the cannon on her tank exactly the same?

Before Flim answered anything, I turned to Starlight and cocked my head to the side and asked: "Isn't the cannon on your device exactly the same?"

For a moment, Starlight looked confused by the unknown word, but quickly gathered herself and replied: "No, no. My idea is to combine a metal ball and a crystal filled with magic that will explode when touched. Both items will be placed in one case convenient for carrying. The case will be placed inside the trunk and at the back, where the crystal is located, the case will be beaten with a metal stick. There is an explosion, the ball flies forward. And the recharge will be extremely fast compared to the plans of these, ahem, my colleagues. "

Flim looked at Starlight and asked with a grin: " Crystals, crystals, crystals. That's what all mechanical magic is based on. Face it, the magic was already the last century and crystals are too expensive compared to normal mechanisms!"

I wrapped two fingers around the bridge of my nose and said firmly: "Shut up, all of you. I need to think about it. Two brothers, get ready to explain for your latest project."

Okay, we have a choice between a magic cannon and a normal one, right? Well, the idea of a Starlight with the combination of something explosive with the projectile itself is somewhat similar to a modern bullet. However, because of this, together with the main project, it will be necessary to produce shells and do it constantly. But making outdated artillery with a load of gunpowder will be so backward. Too pathetic for an army led by Perfection.

Nodding to myself, I decided to give myself some more time to think and pointing to the two brothers said: "You can start. Just like last time, only one will speak."

After exchanging glances with each other, the two brothers nodded and Flim began to speak again: "In short, this is the radio. But realizing that it will be used by soldiers to communicate with each other, we decided to make it more compact to the detriment of the range. According to our calculations, this radio can transmit a signal up to a distance of about two miles. Maybe a little bit more."

Radio + body on wheels + cannon = cool tank.

With a disappointed sigh, I walked away from the wall and said: "All your ideas have some critical flaws. So we will proceed as follows. You will all work on improving the Starlight project. The main requirements are increased mobility, the ability to travel in rough terrain and cheaper. As soon as you are ready, let me know and we will go to the factory to produce the project. Questions?"

Noticing the obvious displeasure on my face, the three unicorns quickly nodded and began to work. Starlight focused on her project as if she had already forgotten about the lack of sleep. Flim and Flam, with reluctance and seemed sad, slowly began to erase their achievements. Nodding, I turned to Flying who was watching everything carefully and asked: "Can you keep watching them? Or should someone replace you?"

He waved his hoof dismissively and said, "Nah, I'll stay. If I want to sleep, I'll just wake up the other guys. In the meantime, I'm just going to watch what these weirdos are going to do."

Naming scientists developing weapons is a sign of low intelligence.

For a second I looked at the three unicorns that crowded next to each other in front of the board. They didn't talk to each other in any way, but even so there was some tension. Sighing, I went out of the room and waved my hand and said: "Okay, my business here is over. I'll come here tomorrow or in a couple of days. Don't get bored here, Flying."

In response, he just grunted and I calmly left the room. Closing the door behind me, I sighed and began to scroll in my head what to do. In a good way, you need to kick all those soldiers who are sleeping. But for some reason I want to forgive them. I probably need them in battle as rested as possible. Yes, probably so. So now it's time to make a to-do list.

Task number 1: take soldiers who are free from work and go with them to the mountains to find money. Of course, pick them up later. Task number 2: require Luna to train (preferably successfully). Task number 3: Enjoy increased your strength and amount of money.

Smiling, I put my hands in my pockets and quickly started walking out of school. There were only simple tasks ahead of me and zero fear. The only thing I need to be afraid of is a call and children who will start running out of the offices.

Suddenly, my ears were filled with a loud school bell. Sighing irritably, I leaned against the wall and closed my eyes. As soon as I feel that there is no pony nearby, I will go to the exit. Although it would be fun to enter a random office and start lecturing children.

Lectures on how to kill better and become Perfect. Oh, they're the same words!

"It doesn't matter." I muttered softly, continuing when the ponies leave and make way for me ahead. Fortunately, no creature has entered the part of the school where I am now. Sighing, I continued to wait and scroll through my plan in my head knowing one simple thing.

Everything will go according to plan.