Striving for Perfection

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."