Striving for Perfection

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.