‘I was slowly regaining consciousness with the whistle of exploding spells, and I opened my eyes, but they were blurry. I'd like to move my hooves, but it feels like they're tied to me. Well... I didn't really want to... Getting into a fight with three alicorns was a bad idea. Or rather, they forced me to...’

A shadow loomed over Twilight, but before she could get a good look at it, it was gone.

‘I think I saw someone... Judging by the fact that the ponies here eat changelings, maybe reverse projection applies, that they eat ponies? And it follows that I'm currently wrapped in lettuce leaves, judging by the smell of herbs. I'm definitely being pickled and apparently eaten...’

There's the shadow again, only now there's more than one. True, someone or something familiar appeared to her in one of them.

‘Uh-oh... The cook is here... Ha-ha...’

"What a cold hoof..." Twilight muttered quietly, not realising she had said it out loud. And the hoof was abruptly yanked away, clearly not expecting her to speak. Through the outline of barely discernible light and colour, something white, alternating with black, could be seen.

"Can you hear me?"

‘It speaks Equestrian. 'So I've been caught or found by the townspeople. Will they kill me? She asked me something. Hear... Yes, I can hear...’

"Yes..." replied Twilight weakly.

An alarmed murmur was heard off to the side of her. There were undoubtedly several creatures in the area. Twilight wanted to turn her head towards them, but she gave up at once, for her skull ached like hell, and her neck didn't listen either.

"Do you know what happened?"

‘The same muffled sound as from the pipe, you can't hear it well, but she said, ‘What happened?’ Man, I wish I knew, and why exactly, it's because I remember, I think.’

"I'm not sure... I was fighting... And then it was like a blur..."

Again the suspicious murmuring to the side.

‘I wanted to make another attempt to lift my head, but I realised I shouldn't right now. It's warm, it's so nice, I'm too lazy to move... Whatever... As long as it's warm and doesn't hurt... What's the point of guessing, I'll ask you straight out.’

"Are you going to eat me?"

The murmuring stopped immediately, apparently the question had stumped them.

"What?"

‘Confusion, purest confusion, a good sign,’ Twilight thought and repeated the question again:

"Mh... are you going to eat me?" she tried to squeeze out more clearly.

"No! You're in the local infirmary now. That's all you need to worry about. You're seriously injured! Please don't try to escape or be aggressive, we just want to help you!" the doctor told her clearly and loudly. Apparently she thought Twilight couldn't hear her very well.

"Please, not so loud, my head is splitting..."

Only now did Twilight realise that the effects of the fight were slowly coming to her and lay an elephantine weight on her body.

‘My head is cracking. It's also burning on my chest... My wings are so numb... Mhhhhh...’

"Give me some water, please..." Twilight pleaded before them. Indeed, her body was running a fever, such injuries were no joke to her.

"Of course! Here you go!"

Moisture, such refreshing and delicious water poured right inside Twilight. After swallowing the entire contents of the mug, she wanted to turn around, but she was pinned down immediately.

"Lie down, we'll bring you something to eat soon. Only rest and wonder will do you any good right now!"

"Yes, you need rest... Don't worry, we'll do our best to get you back on your hooves," the extraneous voice seemed to come from someone older.

Twilight, on the other hand, lay back down calmly and humbly. She felt cared for and safe, and her mind decided on its own that she should shut down. Sleep came over her again.

* * *

"Could she be trusted?"

Outside the chamber, two very important figures were talking, about thirty paces away. The voice of one was rough and commanding.

"I believe so. If she's a traitor and tried to attack the princesses, she'll be a pretty good ally for us. Besides, she's not exactly an ordinary pony. I read her diary, and it's the only reasonable explanation for why she's an alicorn. Her wings and horn are real, but her wings are badly damaged. Already today she regained consciousness, asked for water and fell asleep."

"So it's true... Hmm..." and again a pensive look and heavy thoughts about the distribution of supplies and medicines. "We'll cure her. And if her diary is true, then she is our only salvation and way to live together in this world" the leader finished and drew a line to her order.

"Yes, but it will take a long time to recover, and we don't know for sure if we should trust her seriously."

"It's not a big deal. As long as it takes, it takes. She single-handedly weakened all three alicorns. And that's something that hasn't been done in a thousand years. Otherwise, if she turns out to be an enemy, we'll dispose of her by dropping her off at the nearest village, where she'll be handed over to the princesses. For now, we'll keep a low profile. Make sure everyone moves in groups. To keep the Niling from getting on their table! We must pull together!"

"Of course we will, Queen."

That was the end of the conversation, and everyone who could, began to help the doctors with Twilight.

* * *

‘Again the light glints in front of my face. How badly my hooves are stiff. I'm being watched like an invalid. Apparently, while I slept, they treated my wounds and took me to some body of water, hopefully not to drown me. Two zebras were diligently washing me, submerging me in the water so that only my head was above the surface. It stung... The water was warm, almost hot. I would have washed myself, of course, but I have no complaints now... I can still barely move my hooves smoothly.’

"Where am I?"

‘I finally manage to squeeze out the right question. Because I wanted to have some information at my disposal to feed my brain's efficiency.’

"Don't worry," the quiet and soothing voice made it clear that it wasn't worth the stress. "You're in a village of unanimous zebras and changlings, our queen will take care of you."

'Replied one of the zebras, whose voice was different from all of theirs, she was clearly older. Now, though, I could see a little better to notice the black and white stripes on their bodies, but at the moment I started looking at the sky instead. It was so blue and a bunch of clouds dotted here and there.’

"Do you ponies eat?"

‘Again the same question popped into my head. This time I want clear answers and I want to take it from there.’

"No, really? We're herbivorous and peaceful people. No one eats zebras, but they treat us like third-class ponies. We and the changlings have co-existed for generations,’ her tone sounded distant, and she seemed to have forgotten that she was taking care of her patient."

She tried again to move any of her limbs.

"Ohhhh... It hurts... I've been hurt pretty badly... I wish I could use magic, but I'm not strong enough..."

"We'll wait on that. Magic is poison to you now. You'll only hurt yourself. We'll clean you up and sew up some wounds on your body."

Just a warning. Well, Twilight isn't a doctor, so she trusted a professional.

"A couple of wounds? Stitch them up? Oh-oh... That's what's so aching and stinging..." Twilight shivered slightly, feeling the burning sensation on her chest. Oh yes, Luna had left her such a gift.

"Yes. It's not a pleasant process, of course. But you'll have to be patient, and besides, you're pretty scorched. I honestly don't know how you're still holding on" the zebra said softly. "It is not for nothing that they say that until you pay attention to the wound, it will not hurt."

"Alicorns... They're very good at taking pain..." The mage couldn't find any other explanation, and she didn't really want to go off on an abstruse rant.

"That, too. We didn't know there were more alicorns."

"I'm from another world."

It might have sounded like the ravings of a madman, but she was already in such a state that she could forgive it, and others would find it funny. Positivity is the key to health.

"We're guessing."

Twilight was a little surprised. This was not the reaction she expected to get. Laughter, judgement, misunderstanding, sympathy.

‘Are they just going to believe me like that? Or are they purposely giving in to everything I say?’

"Ohhhh..." Twilight exhaled.

"And one more thing, your things are in the ward, and we've been strictly forbidden to touch them. Except for your diary," one of the zebras muttered the phrase guiltily.

‘Wow... That's an extremely unpleasant statement, that someone was going through my personal belongings...’

"But you did read the diary after all?"

"Not us... the queen and the head of our zebra tribe. And the queen has a word with you, Twilight. But right now, you need to relax and receive our care in healing. Can you hear me? Twa..."

"The heavy head and stuffy nose again, the taste of metal in her mouth."

Twilight shivered again, the hot baths were clearly not doing her any good right now and the zebras were engrossed in conversation because the session was supposed to last ten minutes, not twice as long.

* * *

‘Headache, waking up proved less friendly and caring this time. The fuzzy silhouette of a zebra hoofing at my chest appeared before me. Something on my chest tingled, and there was a nasty sensation of an object being pulled through my skin, and then another prick and the same pull as she tugged lightly on the thread.’

"Ouch..."

‘Zebra was quite surprised that I was awake, what about it... It hurts after all.

"Don't move, it's not good for you right now. I'm the field surgeon here and I'm treating your wounds. You should be patient, these injuries are serious."

‘The voice is like a sack of coal. A stallion this time, but I didn't move but nodded silently, signalling that I understood him, and he continued. I missed my judgement intently for a couple of stitches, truth be told the next few were nasty, aching and at one point painful. There seemed to be occasional blood coming from the stitched wounds, but that was just the residue of what appeared to be antiseptic.’

The heavy hooves of someone else's hooves pressed into Twilight's shoulders and pressed her into the cot.

"Be patient!"

The doctor's commanding tone was barely audible to Twilight, and she obeyed. Alicorn clenched her jaws with all her might so hard that she heard her teeth grinding and forgot how to breathe for a while. Tears trickled treacherously from her clenched eyes. The pain she felt in her wings travelled down her neck.

"Vj..." Twilight exhaled, remembering how to breathe, and sniffled. It hurt, but she had to bear it.

"It's okay, you're holding up decently. Now, please."

'A piece of cloth was held up to my nose and I blew my nose. He was like a diligent adult pony comforting a small foal, he also wiped away my tears with the cloth.’

"How bad was it?" Twilight immediately asked him about her current condition, still trying to catch her breath.

"Three broken ribs in total, seven closed fractures of the phalanges on all wings. Second-degree burns on your abdomen, shoulder, and your legs, and third-degree burns to your chest and solar plexus. And a shallow laceration thirty centimetres from the shoulder all the way down the sternum, diaphragm and internal organs intact. You'll live if you listen to us. No magic for exactly one week! Eat plenty of food and get plenty of sleep. Sleep is the most important medicine for you right now. Do you understand me?"

"Yes... Thank you..." Twilight frowned a little, for her magic was probably being used to maintain her body, so she couldn't accumulate or restore it. Probably for the same reason she hadn't been found and killed yet. That makes sense.

"Well done, you've done well, now get some rest."

Twilight didn't need much coaxing and as soon as her chest was covered with the cloth, a warmth of peace crept over her body. Once again, with the sound of muffled pain and a tired mind, she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

‘This time the awakening was apparently in the middle of the night, my limbs still resting in some kind of stinking cocoon that smelled strongly of grass. My hooves were much more docile this time, and the fabric of my cocoon was more pliable than I'd thought. Lifting my head and resting on my hooves, I tore the cocoon further. My legs were fine, but I could feel the bandages on my front two legs only now. Yeah, mental note: never get caught in a beam of fully charged Harmony Elements. Or maybe not harmony...’

Twilight slowly stood on all four hooves, those trembling treacherously. A step, another step. Her eyes, after a long rest, were not focusing well in the darkness and only faintly distinguished the outlines of the room and the silhouettes of objects. The building was wooden, hexagonal in shape, completely different from the houses in the small town. Instead of doors, there are wooden beads hanging from the door.

They make almost no sound when Twilight crosses over them. Fresh air rushes over her muzzle, the freshness and chill covers her body, giving off a faint frost. It seems someone noticed the standing figure outside the house and quickly headed towards it.

‘Don't even let me recover for a while. I'll definitely stay here for a day to recover and enjoy the beauty of this world.’

"You can't be here."

A zebra, whom Twilight recognised by the elusive features of his appearance, ran up to her and lowered her gaze guiltily.

"I'm sorry for running out of bed, Doctor" the alicorn's voice was much firmer and stronger than before.

And the zebra surgeon's expression changed drastically to another. A concerned and surprised look.

"Oops! My mistake... I thought you were an intruder. But that doesn't change the fact that you broke bed rest."

"I just wanted to catch my breath... My body is aching from lying down all the time. And thanks again for taking care of me. Can I speak to the chief or the governor?"

"Maybe in the morning? I'll be sure to arrange it... The doctor was still trying to be a doctor."

"Sorry, Doctor, business first. Comfort later," Twilight interrupted him and insisted more firmly. "It's for your own safety..." she added for good measure.

And the doctor gave in, nodding conciliatorily.

"I'll be right there."

The doctor immediately ran downstairs, and Twilight stayed where she was, enjoying the silence. Soon three figures were already walking up to her. One unnaturally tall and two zebras of equal height.

"Queen, this is Twilight, Twilight...."

"Chrysalis and Zecora?" Twilight interrupted him.

A nasty habit she had, though. But now she looked at the former incredulously, the latter she was glad of in her heart, but the tall changeling was not so friendly to her.

"Yes, have we met before?" Zecora said. And strangely, without a poem.

"No. But in my world, it's very different."

Chrysalis also fixed her with an incredulous look.

"I was told you tried to threaten the doctor. That we might be in danger" the queen's voice was as serious and majestic as usual.

"Oh... It's not a threat, it's a friendly warning. You saved me from starvation or hypothermia in the forest at night. Now it's my turn to bail you out. Let me put it simply: as soon as my magic level fills up to at least twice the normal pony level, I will be found again."

"Oh... That's a serious problem. But why did you fight the princesses?"

"They thought I was the queen of this place, and they didn't even try to listen to me. When they saw that my level of magic exceeded theirs, they all rushed at me in unison and attacked almost immediately. I had to defend myself, and when Cadence put up a barrier, they tried to destroy me. But it didn't work... And they ended up using their Elements to kill me."

"No way. No one survives the Elements!" the queen spoke a little louder.

"Perhaps a normal creature wouldn't survive. But firstly, I am an alicorn. Secondly, I too am a carrier of the Element of Harmony. And thirdly, I have to find it every time I go to the next world. Here's the problem: they eat you changelings, but I'm supposed to know how that happened?"

"It... It all came from Luna, who was the first to taste changeling meat when they tried to attack her. But as time went on, she became unhinged and the others followed suit."

"So that's it..." Twilight thought and sighed. "They don't stock any other provisions. I see here you have fruits and vegetables and herbs. They don't have that. I managed to meet a vegetarian in town before the mess started. She gave me a brownie. It was unsweetened and tasted nasty, like branches and sand. Chrysalis, I know and understand where you're going with this. But I want to know, what do you want to get out of this?" Twilight was perceptive, she was waiting for answers.

"I want my people not to be feared, and their eating to be severely punished. And if the princesses don't back down, help overthrow them."

"I hear you, Queen, I will help you. But first, I need to recover and I need your help. I can't stop them alone if I'm wounded. I also need your hive materials to block the magic. You need to make me an artefact to hide my sorcery. For your own protection. After that, I'll try to convince the villagers that sugar and fruit are better than meat."

"And what if they don't listen to you?"

"They will. They have no choice. And if things don't go according to plan, we'll publicly execute their princesses. And put the others in charge" Twilight felt her head spinning and sat down on her croup.

"Twilight! I told you not to get out of bed!" The doctor stood beside Twilight, holding her so she wouldn't fall over.

"I'm fine, I just need to wait until I can use my magic. I think I'll need another three days to recover. But I'd like to have the artefact ready in the morning."

"You heard her. Send two changelings to the hive for material, I need the artefact done as soon as possible. Make a report and prepare, provisions and just in case, weapons! Chrysalis, Zecora and Twilight will be in charge, so let everyone know."

"How many days has it been since you found me?" Twilight couldn't really hear what they were saying, because she was barely conscious.

"Four, if you count this night as a new day" the doctor said as he felt her body grow heavier. He held her tighter, realising where this was going to lead.

"Great..." Twilight let out the last of it and just fell asleep on the doctor's shoulder.

* * *

"Fourth day and she's already on her hooves. That's amazing" Zecora said.

"I hope everything goes smoothly, and we can finally live as we used to, in harmony instead of under the oppression of power and madness."

‘Near lunchtime, I was brought a necklace with black stones secured by tight rods. Now that's a lot of beads. It looks like four kilos, at least. My neck would fall off wearing it for three days,’ Twilight hung it around her neck, but it weighed much less. It also blocks magic completely. She rummaged in her bag and put on an azure medallion with a purple star. And miraculously, it works. "I can use magic and be invisible by magical sensors. I'll be carrying about a kilo in total, it'll make my neck hurt a lot."

"Great. It's all working."

"Lunch, Twilight. You need a good meal!" the doctor brought a tray of assorted food into the room. There were fruit salads doused in sugar syrups. Honestly, my stomach rumbled greedily and demandingly. Such a delicious smell, and also a lot of juice whose aroma filled the whole room, and my mouth demandingly flooded with saliva that struggled not to burst out. - ‘Bon appetit!

‘Soon both zebras left the room, leaving me alone with my lunch. I scooped up the first salad with my spoon and brought it to my mouth. Delicious! Oh Faust! It's so delicious! It's the most delicious thing I've ever eaten in my life! Pineapple juice...’ "Twilight felt tears of pleasure flowing down her cheeks, and she forced herself to stop herself from moaning at the pleasure bombs in her head. After the meal, she sat down to her diary again."

***

‘Day 54. I'm sorry I couldn't post before this. I had to work up quite a sweat with three alicorns. The local versions of Celestia, Luna, and Cadence. I'm not mad at you, and I'm not going to think anything bad of you. But understand me, if I can't resolve this peacefully, I'll have to execute them. A sacrifice for peace, so you understand. I sincerely hope your opinion of me doesn't change for the worse after this.

Three days passed. I had to adjust the assembled army. And from the hive material, they made boleadoras. Three ropes, three stones, and the magician was defeated. A night of preparation, and we set off towards the nearest village. I'll act as bait. Chrysalis had taken the form of one of the zebras, and now it seemed that there were only zebras in the army. I was given a cloak over my body in a black and white palette. I myself had more or less managed to repair myself. The fractures on my body I regenerated, as did my wings. It was amazing, Rainbow had told me that pegasi could heal such fractures for months without a hundred per cent chance. But they don't have alicorn magic. But the phantom pain is still occurring and will probably stay with me for a long time. The princesses didn't get off that easy after me, though, so we're about evenly matched. In the supply carts were stashed guns covered with thick cloth. On top of that lay the supplies. When we got close to the village, I stepped forward with Zecora and Chrysalis. I, wrapped in bandages and a cloak, looked almost indistinguishable from the zebras here.’

"Ponies of this town. We come to you in peace and harmony! Please allow us to offer you provisions as a token of goodwill!" Chrysalis said loudly and clearly. Soon a couple of ponies came out to us, while the rest of us were sitting in our homes not knowing what was going on.

"Hello, I'm the mayor of this town... You do realise that with so many zebras..." her accent was not the most friendly and it was clear that zebras were not considered ponies here, "your arrival could be seen as an act of aggression? It doesn't matter what your purpose in coming here is!"

"We understand. So we'd like to discuss all aspects of this diplomatically. Firstly, we are against you eating other sentient species."

"So still an act of aggression. Attention! The zebras are attacking us!" the mayor chanted at once, without even bothering to listen to them.

"Okay, plan B" Twilight pulled off her necklace and caught the mayor and her subordinate with her telekinesis. She stepped closer and pulled off her cloak. "Remember me? Remember, of course you do! When everyone was chanting and cheering for your ruler" ‘Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill!’ - Twilight barely restrained herself from doing something irreparable and let them go, then shouted loudly: "Scratch! It's Twilight! Come here!"

Silence fell in the town, and about thirty seconds later, a limping pony appeared from around the corner.

"Twilight! You're alive!" Unlike Scratch's smile, there was no joy on Twilight's face as she stepped closer to her, holding both hostages with her telekinesis.

"What's wrong with you?" Twilight noticed that one of her legs was in a cast, her mane was scorched in places and there were a couple of bruises on her body. Her eyes immediately flashed with a bad light, and she glared at the two captured. "What have you done to her?" The voice became colder and rougher, not at all typical of a lavender pony.

"We didn't do anything! Honestly! It was the Guards! They were ordered to find everyone involved in helping you!"

"And you just handed her over like that?!"

Bang, and they were both on their backs.

"Twilight! Oh, please! I did it myself! If I hadn't, they would have maimed more people!" Scratch pleaded and touched her back. She just took three full breaths and exhaled.

"They're on their way... Chrysalis! Diplomacy is cancelled. Prepare yourselves! Don't hurt anyone unless they fight back, and free any changelings still alive. Scratch. I'll fix you, but you better hide tight now."

"They'll kill you, Twilight!"

"I'll be fine, they took me by surprise last time, I'm ready now, and afterwards I'll treat you to the most delicious food in the world" Twilight gently stroked her head and threw off her cloak, spreading her wings. The feathers literally glistened from the special wax, and the wings themselves were ready to fly as never before.

She saw three figures flying towards her. The army scattered into the city. Chrysalis and Twilight headed for the three alicorns.

"You survived after all! And I told you to make sure!" Luna began to judge her sister Celestia.

"Let's fix it, then!"

"For the last time I will try to make a deal with you: let the changelings go, or you will not escape your demise. Intelligent species should not eat other intelligent species! Otherwise, I'll talk differently."

"Or else what? If you survived, be proud of it! You won't get any favours this time! Sisters!"

"Strike!" and a wave of red-blue magic shielded them. Chrysalis absorbed it calmly.

"What? Changeling!"

"Yes, Celestia, this is Queen Chrysalis herself. I have come to end your tyranny once and for all!"

"Let's see who's going to finish off who else!" Cadence didn't put up the dome this time, there was no point. She was now fully expending her energy to protect her sisters, and they were no longer shy to use their Elements of Harmony right away.

Here, the Elements probably favoured strength over the ponies' actual friendly qualities. Twilight was the first to be hit, encasing herself in her shield again, but this time Luna didn't pull away. She couldn't, her hoof bogged down in Twilight's shield, and Chrysalis took advantage of this by lashing that one with a beam of green magic. However, the damage didn't follow due to the shield of the folded roof of the house. The beam bifurcated and flew off to the side. Luna's second hoof pierced Twilight's shield and she teleported away, Celestia's attack immediately appearing to replace the shield.

‘Luna is still flying just as fast. Here, Celestia's movements seem to be stilted. Her speed was slower. But because of Cadence, there's no way I'll get near her. Chrysalis, right!’

"Chrysalis! Cadence is on you, I'll take these ones."

"Got it!"

The Queen immediately went on the offensive against the sisters' defender, and Twilight had no choice but to attack Luna and Celestia. A shot of magic - but the sun princess managed to parry it, Luna backed up Celestia. The Elements were hard to pull off. The humming again, but this time Twilight didn't allow the shot to be fired. She deflected it to the side, feeling a bad pressure in her head. Blood trickled lightly from her nose. Licking the bruises away with her tongue, she could taste her own blood again.

She teleported behind Celestia's back, but she'd anticipated the manoeuvre and defended herself with her barrier. Admittedly, it wasn't as solid a defence as Cadence's.

‘These are your weaknesses, princesses! You are strong in one thing! That's what will ruin you!’

Twilight's hoof strike was enough for the shield to crack, but she paid for it by getting hit in the chest by Luna. Pain shot through her entire body, the elastic bandages around her ribcage soaked with blood.

‘Badly behaved... The wounds opened up. I must have patched myself up badly, but they're breathing hard too. Is this a game of exhaustion?’

"Surrender and die!" Luna shouted loudly, trying to finish Twilight off with another hoof strike, but it didn't come.

The lunge landed on Twilight's front leg, blocking the blow. She felt the blood rush from the new wound. The blade lodged in Twilight's limb. She deliberately ducked under the attack and struck Luna squarely in the forehead. Bang - and she flies back a few metres. Celestia fires, but Twilight dampens the blow and overpowers Celestia's beam of magic, sending her into a temporary knockout. The elements hummed, releasing pulses. Twilight forcefully snatched them from the rulers and directed them towards herself.

Courage. Stubbornness. Speed. Strength.

With all her legs she headed for Cadence, for Chrysalis was not having much luck breaking through her.

"Chrysalis! Move aside!"

Twilight flew towards Cadence at breakneck speed. Summoning her shield in the shape of a four-pointed harpoon, she flew into the pink alicorn's shield. The shield began to hum from the collision. Cadence used her Elements to strengthen it, and Twilight used the power of the stolen elements all four at once. Cadence's shield exploded. She didn't have time to dodge the shards and was hit in the stomach by Twilight's barrier. She stopped, catching her in a field of telekinesis and ripped out her Elements. Those hummed and swirled around Twilight. Twilight began to overflow with endless amounts of magic and her eyes glowed white. The Force Elements recognised her as their new mistress and deemed her worthy.

‘Wow. Courage. Stubbornness. Speed. Strength. Defence. Fear.’

She reached down, holding all three alicorns within her magical field. Cadence was unconscious, unlike Luna and Celestia, but they were helpless now.

"Luna, Celestia, and Cadence!" Twilight began. "Your tyranny has come to an end! You have held your people in fear for a thousand years! You have sunk to the point where power and fear are all you need to rule. You three are also charged with the grave crime of cannibalism! You have eaten a sentient species! That is a grave sin! And so, with the help of these Elements... I hereby deprive you of the ability to use magic! FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIVES!"

Twilight was able to take the magic away from them forcibly by pointing a white light at them. A quiet hum came over them, and soon the brightness of their pupils went from glossy to matte.

"Ponies! of this village and all of Equestria! Your rulers have been overthrown. And at once the law goes into effect: eating any sentient species is strictly and strictly forbidden! Prosecuted by law! And punishable by death!"

The voice, as from Intercom, fell silent and the light from her eyes faded. All the alicorns lay on the grass and felt very weak. They were immediately taken into custody by the zebras. Twilight took the strain on her head hard, and blood rushed from her nose with renewed vigour. Her head whistled, and once again she was caught in a fall, only now by Chrysalis and Scratch.

"Twilight! Twilight!"

"It's okay, I just feel really bad."

"You're bleeding!" Scratch shook panic-stricken, trying to wipe the bloody marks off her muzzle.

"It's okay. It's all right... Keeping all six Elements in check is hard..." Twilight smiled, tilting her head back to stop the nosebleed, but instead started coughing up blood.

* * *

Three more days passed.

‘I healed up, and the ponies here let the changelings go free. All those who had been killed and were already on the stalls were put to the fire and buried with honours. The ponies liked the new provisions very much. They began to realise that they liked it much better than the fibrous meat of the changelings, but they had to work harder for quality products. And so began a trade relationship between zebras, changelings and ponies. Chrysalis, Zecora and a couple of other ponies chosen by vote were now in charge.’

"What's up, Scratch? Tasty?" Twilight grinned as she sat at the table and watched as she munched on the fruit salad, occasionally washing it down with apple juice.

"Wow! Are you sure it's not meat?" Scratch gorged herself with large spoonfuls, seemingly forgetting to even chew. Such foods were new to her, and she hadn't yet fully believed that food could be so blissful. Twilight herself didn't know how blissful.

"Exactly! That's it! Eat as much as you can, there's plenty of food in the forest. But first you have to work hard to get them, they grow in the forest on trees, bushes. I think the zebras will help you. And I hope that soon other ponies everywhere will realise what needs to be done and join the new culture, where everyone will live a much better life. And more importantly, in harmony."

"Twilight, thank you!" Twilight smiled as she chewed her salad and looked at the lavender pony. She couldn't have dreamed of what was happening right now. The smile was so genuine and happy. Gentle and kind.

"Eat, come on" Twilight laughed sweetly, patting the one on the head in a motherly way.

"Mh! Twilight, what are you going to do now?" Scratch mumbled through a tightly stuffed mouth.

"Well, I found my crown yesterday and I could have gone to another world by now, but..." Twilight didn't have time to continue before she was interrupted.

"Twilight, will you go?" Scratch lowered her ears and looked at her disappointedly. She clearly didn't want to say goodbye to her and let her go. No, not right now. She didn't want to lose her new mate.

"Forgive me, this is not my world. I'm an alien to you. And it will be hard for me to say goodbye to you too, but I have family and friends waiting for me at home" she looked at the picture from the last world and smiled quietly. At least this way, she could look at it and remember those she loved.

"Twilight, I'm your friend too, aren't I?" Her smile disappeared somewhere, and her eyes glistened quietly with moisture.

"Of course you are, Scratch! You're my friend! Just like everyone else who's helped me. You're all my friends" Twilight quietly hugged the ponygirl from behind and wrapped her wings around her. "It's just that I haven't seen my family in two months. And I miss them so much..."

Scratch felt something wet fall onto her fur. Sniffling, Twilight wanted to pull away, but Scratch put her own hooves on hers.

"They are waiting for you, Twilight. Know that we will be waiting for you, too. You will always be a welcome pony to us. Don't forget about us, too."

Twilight hugged her tighter.

"I know, Scratch, I know. I will definitely, when I get out, I'll do my best to meet you again, all of you! I will!" Twilight smiled, dropping more and more tears. Indeed, she had seen so many already, and would like to see them again someday.

"I hope so too. For now, you need rest and a hot bath! And some good food and healing!"

"You're right" Twilight laughed heartily, still pulling away and drinking her juice. Apple this time. "It tastes great."

* * *

Much had changed in the world since then. The selection on the market stalls had been replaced by a fruity variety, and chefs were learning to make delicious salads, desserts, and drinks to please every pony. Culture took off, introducing new routines. However, it couldn't be without a couple of incidents. A couple of uprisings that were put down immediately, almost without loss of life, there were a few cases of cannibalism, but public executions - and that was stopped at the root.

What about the rulers. They're imprisoned for a hundred years. True, they were allowed to go out on holidays and were always fed good food, but they were also given correctional labour for harvesting crops or something similar. Celestia was instantly imbued with these changes and would later berate herself for not trying it right away. Cadence and Luna soon followed Celestia's lead as well. Chrysalis promised Twilight that she would let them go in a year or so, looking at their behaviour.

Twilight, in the meantime, was just basking in a hot bath getting her back and wings massaged by experienced zebra masseurs, while sipping cold fruit juice.

Author's Note

Thank you :3