How did it all start?

It seems that I decided to take a bath.

Well, you can imagine how it is. When you return home after a working day spent on the hooves (alas, the work of a artist-designer is an office job only in theory... and in practice, a day spent with a sketchbook can be as exhausting as running around the nature), one of the greatest pleasures is to draw water, stand into the bathroom and feel how warm streams run through the fur. And then, with a groan of bliss, dive into the water and feel how the cramped muscles of the shoulders and neck are relaxing...

You feel safe. You relax. You don't think about anything...

You certainly don’t think that a screaming, bare-skinned, unfamiliar creature will suddenly emerge from under the water right in your bathtub!

I screamed. Jumped up. Tried to kick the stranger where I could. And at the same time jump out of the bathroom.

Very in vain.

Because the water tap had a different opinion.

Stars flashed before my eyes. My legs buckled. I tried to suck in air and inhaled water. Began to twitch and wheeze in horror...

And only after a few seconds (minutes? hours?), spitting and coughing on the bathroom floor (sorry, for the sake of Celestia, Miss Golden Lessor!), it seems like half the bath, I realized that I was lying with my chest on the side and somebody looking at me from above...

Somebody.

Minotaur?

They looks like (two-legged, two-armed, upright), but no. Smooth, pale, hairless (except for some semblance of a mane on top of the head) skin. The head is devoid of horns and generally bullish features, and is more reminiscent of a monkey.

I myself didn’t notice how I hid in a corner, looking at the stranger with wide eyes. Remembering Discord, Celestia and Faust the Prime Creator all at once.

Who is this?

Burglar? Snuck into the apartment while I was splashing around? Has it really become so bad in Manehattan that thieves are sneaking into homes without being embarrassed by the owner?

The creature looked around in shock. They looked... confused for the burglar. Or is they wondering how to steel?

Run! Raise alarm with neighbors!

I rushed to the door, expecting that they would grab me by the mane. Using telekinesis, I tore the key off the shelf and inserted it into the keyhole with the teeth.

Damn it!

Why did the ancient lock stuck at this very moment?

I leaned on the key. Something clicked inside. The key seemed to give way, and then it swung suspiciously freely in the hole. The lock did not respond to attempts to open.

There was a creak.

I turned around in horror.

The non-minotaur stood in the corridor.

I run away from the door, dropping the key.

I rushed past the uninvited guest, expecting that a hoofless paw was about to grab my mane.

I moved past the toilet and kitchen into the bedroom and hid in a corner. Looking around madly and trying to figure out how to hit the villain if he gets closer to me.

Mop! I swear the Celestia, if he comes into the room, I'll knock him over the head!

Really, do I have the strength to levitate a mop at such a distance from myself? I’m still an artist, not a magician, the limit of my skills is telekinesis of small objects at a distance of a step or two...

Oh, mom! Looks like now I'll have a chance to check it out!

The stranger took a step into the room...

Oh. I remembered where I heard about such creatures!

Oh. Oh. Oh. It would better be a minotaur! Much better!

I concentrated. Focused on the mop. Channeled the energy. Swung menacingly...

Or rather, depicted something like a poke in the direction of the monster. Who wrapped one of my towels around his hips for some reason.

The monster's jaw dropped.

Looking at the mop with eyes the size of the Mare Statue, he reached out his paw and touched the mop with his finger in disbelief.

At this moment my little strength came to an end, and I lost the mop from the field's grasp. Almost knocking off the monster's leg.

Yes. I have remembered. Appeal from the Princess of Friendship, which was reprinted by our newspaper. And a photography of the same, or very similar, creature, attached to it.

Human.

A half-forgotten myth from ancient history. In the last three years, suddenly acquired flesh and blood. When a horde of these monsters overwhelmed distant Ponyville.

When humans invaded Equestria.

Humans are ferocious and cruel.

Humans come from a world where bloody wars are raging.

Humans have destroyed all other sentient species in their world, and now they are forever at war with themselves.

Humans devour meat like griffins or diamond dogs.

Humans eat pony meat.

Humans are not averse to abusing the filly before gobbling it up...

A-A-A!!!

“Don’t come near me,” I muttered. “In the name of Celestia... get away! Away!”

The monster that devours fillies and stallions before rape them (or vice versa?) took two unsteady steps across the room. He staggered and fell like a bag into my chair.

My favorite chair, by the way.

He doesn't look very aggressive...

And what is he handing me?

Keys? Keys to the lock?

I stared at it in disbelief.

Concentrated. The distance was a long, but the fear gave me strength.

Using telekinesis, I grabbed the key from the monster’s paw, pulled it closer and took it with my teeth.

“Don’t touch me,” I breathed out, slurring my tongue. “Please don't touch”

Stand up. A step along the wall, another... The human didn’t even move, only following my movements with his eyes.

Corridor. Door.

And the key slips back in with a soft click instead of turning in the hole.

Oh. Oh. Oh.

“Why now?”

I'm locked in an apartment with an alien monster.

Squeal? In the hope that the neighbors will hear through the thin walls?

So.

What did it say in the memo that Princess Twilight sent to the editor?

“Having noticed a human, try to hide from sight without attracting their attention, and warn the nearest employee of the Friendship and Unity Committee of Kingdom as soon as possible. Not all humans are dangerous, but some of them, when scared or aggressive, can harm themselves or ponies. If a human notices you and you cannot avoid contact with them, remain calm. Speak to the human in a calm tone, without approaching and avoiding long-term eye contact. Show moderate friendliness and remember that through the ideals of Friendship and Harmony...”

Sounds like yelling at the top of my lungs isn't a good idea. If this creature gets scared...

Okay, let's try to follow the suggested tips.

To begin with, it doesn't hurt to turn on the light.

And dry myself! There is still dripping from my fur onto the floor, and the landlady will charging me a tidy sum for repairing the parquet flooring!

I carefully looked into the bedroom.

The human did not start destroying the situation, throwing himself at the walls, or doing any other human things. He was still sitting in the chair and looking into nowhere with a fixed gaze.

Looked sideways at me.

I carefully flicked the switch. I had trouble charging the crystal lamp, so I preferred the newfangled electric lighting. I fished a spare towel out of the closet.

The human staggered to his feet. I pulled back, but he was not walking in my direction. He went to the window and stared at the evening Ferrier Hill.

So. It seemed that this sight was very different from the usual battlefields of his home world. He shuddered, stepped back, drew the curtain and along the wall, just like I had five minutes ago, reached the chair.

He muttered something.

“What?” I moved my ear. “Sorry, I don’t understand you. You don't speak Equestrian, right? You probably don’t even understand where you are?” I tried to speak in a calm tone. The main thing is not to show a person your fear, otherwise this sight will make him furious...

We can only hope that he will not notice my treacherously shaking fetlocks.

The answer was a loud rumbling.

Oh!

“You... you’re not going to eat me, are you?” I said in a trembling voice. “I... can feed you! I have food!”

The human said something. I backed away without taking my eyes off him. Nodded, hoping to at least make it clear that I was not the only dinner in the apartment.

Rushed to the kitchen and frantically began find anything in the refrigerator.

Of course, there couldn't have been any fish or meat there. There are no griffins among my friends. Who knows how a predatory sapiens will react if I offer him a heyburger? Will he bite me by the throat?

"Think!" I told myself. It seems that that memo said that people can eat vegetables and fruits.

I just had a bowl of salad prepared for dinner - it had been standing since yesterday, but it seemed like it hadn’t had time to dry up. I grabbed it from the shelf with telekinesis and rushed into the bedroom.

The human accepted the treat. He peered suspiciously. He handed it back to me and said something. Then he pantonymized it as if he was chewing.

Is this how he wants to treat me?

Or is he hinting that he prefers ponies for dinner?!!

And, probably, in their world you cannot try any food without making sure that there is no poison in it.

I obediently put a spoonful of salad in my mouth. And then I remembered that I had eaten for the last time in the morning, when I ate a bun with coffee on the way to the office. It's a pity to remain hungry, but it's clearly better than being eaten!

Meanwhile, the human emptied the plate with enviable speed. He scraped the last pieces of cucumber from the edges of the dish, put it on the table and made a kind of bow.

Hm. He doesn't seem very dangerous.

Maybe I can even become friends with him.

I smiled timidly. I immediately regretted it - what if in a culture of predators a grin means aggression? But it seems that the human interpreted my smile correctly - and even made an attempt to respond in kind.

“Yev’eni,” he said, pointing at himself with one of his non-hooves. “Yev’eni Komaro”.

“Stargaze Winter,” I answered.

Author's Note

Yes, there was Royal Agency of Friendship and Assimilation (Biology and Linguistic Kernel) originally ;)