The Unwanted One

The white substance, which I crumpled thoughtfully in my hooves, was springing up in an interesting way, gradually forming into… something. I don’t know. I didn’t have a lot of ideas — I just decided not to get in someone’s way as an unsettled shadow, but to get away as far as I can and maybe experiment… Why not try sculpting from the cloud I’m sitting on? However, this somewhat meditative process did not interfere with my thoughts and memories at all. A little more than a week has passed since the fashion show, and so many things have changed… Yes… The show, as they say, “skyrocketed”. Poor Rar has been living almost on energy drinks since its end: now she has orders for a couple of months ahead… But if I do not drag her away from the sewing machine and do not transport my friend, which says something in an absolute indignation, to the kitchen for food, she probably would have been dead already. But in general, everyone participated as much as they could. Spike and Sweetie took care of the market and shopping, Fluttershy and I cooked, Applejack and Pinkie brought the already cooked food from home… The other ponies helped with the small stuff, too. Generally, everyone, who had at least a little bit of indifference, was trying to help with anything they could to the literally over-sewing Ice Cream. My result from the show was that I had a collection of my own fashionable dresses, including eight pieces, and my purse began to gradually fill up at the expense of the percentage from sales. Well, I’ve paid off my debt for the house I blew up in one day… I’ve also gained some fans. Well — fans?.. They basically stopped to go round me by arcs and greeted me in the streets; there were far more studying and interested glances, and far fewer nervous, tense, and frightened ones. The shopkeepers in the stores and the market stopped trembling and scattering as well… No wonder, I guess: all the local Ponyville papers still had my patronizingly smiling face on the front page. There have already been requests for exclusive interviews from various — so far, mostly local — publications: apparently, many liked the idea of that guy from the capital with a funny accent. I was in no hurry to agree. First of all, where were you before, living with me in the same urban-type settlement with not that big size at all? This guy from the capital came here just because of gossips and rumors! He’ll have all the cards for now, and you can pass by afterwards, when the right mood comes… Second of all, I was a bit busy, so even with Discovery, who came to see me three days later with an anticipatory fire in his tenacious yellow-green eyes and with a ready contract from his publication, we basically only “agreed to make arrangements” and limited ourselves to a framework agreement “sometime in the next couple of months”. Besides helping Rar, I was busy making jewelry and sculptures to make Flutty happy. How cute she is, after all! And how she will blush, squeak and fight back when I would make a full-fledged version, not this clumsy props! I have been shining with my horn and gritting with my neck — even had to dive into the lunar memories a few times! But damn it, it was worth it! Flutty, when she’s shy and panicking at the same time — man, it’s unbelievable by its cuteness sight! And I look forward to seeing it again once I’m more familiar with the magic! The thought of a gift for Fluttershy has been a bit on the back burner lately, but I haven’t forgotten about it. As soon as the fashion festival was over and I had some free time, I got to work. I walked to the foothills and got some sturdy stone, bought an old rusty coal iron for cheap from a junk man, grudgingly searched my memory for the topic about shield — alas, I never got the hang of it, had to go with a thick tempered glass as a shield — and rolled up my sleeves. I spent a week sculpting, until it came out so that it would not be embarrassing. I had to find some more rocks, from the metal things — iron had died, a pile of rusty horseshoes, some incomprehensible scrap metal… and on the fifth day, Eagle Eye noticed, that there was no wall in the prison. Idiot… I spent four days converting metal, but I had a lot of money in my wallet at the same time. Then I spent some time to figure out how to break the spell on the coins, and I ended up with a decent pile of usable gold. Melt and apply… Yeah… When a month — or already two? — ago, when I tried to do it for the first time, building a mini-Stonehenge on the shore of the lake — I almost got stuck on the most primitive things. But now I could feel that my magical health was gradually returning to normal. However, I personally had no great and well mastered experience with little things, so that “hairpin in the form of a leaf” came out as a big shiny thingy, weighing about three hundred or four hundred grams. Good hairpin! Reliable, big, beautiful! The main thing is not to drop it on the foot… In general, I paid the jeweler extra money and exchanged this “most curious installation” for a normal, professionally made hairpin, which had been made for a day. At the same time, I couldn’t resist creating a statue of Fluttershy. It was in the best to put on a shelf, a little crooked — my own personal experience, despite my best efforts, was not enough — but still quite recognizable and, most importantly, quite generously gilded. And with a bow, I handed it over to the pegasus, who then, squawking, shyly fought back until I left… I laughed, remembering the unforgettable expression on the face of the pony, to which I gave the gift. I did not want to, but she just did not leave a choice with her cuteness: I’m going to build a statue of her in the middle of the town! Just to look at the reaction! And in the midst of all this motion there was another significant event straight from the canon, which, thanks to my humble person, went smoothly and therefore — unnoticed: in the town, with her faithful van, arrived the Great and Powerful Tr-rixie! Found a window — since it was evening — and went everyone else to watch it. And damn it, the magician knows her business very well! I was familiar with most of the tricks from my previous life, but I wasn’t bored anyway. But still, she was accepted like… without a flame. It did not hold up against the just thundered and still hotly discussed and remembered fashion show in the public perception. The unicorn worked her program with concentration and professionalism, with an “A” as her mark. I liked her performance, didn’t expect that. She can — and what she can! I even put a few coins aside in my mind for this case. The traditional self-congratulations and humiliating “duels”, which the goat-like self-confident little pony liked to show off, evaporated from her head along with her self-confidence at the same moment, as soon as someone — either thin or round from the pair of foals circling next to me — asked after her assurances of victory if the Great and Powerful could defeat someone more substantial. With an alicorn, for instance… The trickster answered affirmatively, turning her head towards the voice… where she stumbled upon my figure. With my wings spread for the situation, lest me be mistaken for some unicorn. Man, in all my life I’ve probably never seen such an “Oh, fu.!” look on someone’s face as on the poor storyteller’s at that moment! It took a lot of effort not to burst into laughter, but I made it. I smiled from ear to ear. Trixie swallowed, muttering something like “Nah, alicorns? You found the worst to compare a mere pony with.” Wiped away the cold sweat — and hastened to wrap up her performance with fireworks. And that’s all folks. Bowing and getting the fairly earned coins, the magician disappeared from Ponyville in the morning without making fun of anyone or quarreling with Twilight and the town. She would not get the alicorn amulet as well now: why does she need it?.. And also… “Howdy, Night!!!” I was suddenly pulled out of my thoughts by an enthusiastic, familiar voice. What?.. I stared dumbly at the figure in my hooves, carved from a piece of cloud. At the cloud itself. I turned my gaze to the speaker — Pinkie waved back amiably. Wait… Only after a few seconds (Pinkie kept smiling and waving the whole time) my brain finally switched on, and I noticed a sheaf of white, blue, and blue balloons above the unexpected guest. My brain turned back off, I shook my mane, set the figure aside, rubbed my eyes, sighed. How much longer will I have to get used to the twists and turns of this world, huh?.. It seems normal, serious, but then you see something, that turns you off for a few seconds… But the fact that I, a two and a half meters tall from hooves to the end of the horn horse, that weighs not-so-light more than a forth of a tonne, lie on a cloud of water vapor hundreds meters above the ground is already normal, yes?.. “Hi, Pinks.” I replied, drawing the line for my thoughts by chuckling under my breath. “Phew, finally! I’m tired of waving already!” The pony dashed away the fake sweat from the forehead. “I’ve been-been thinking, and then I understood, that I don’t know! And these things cannot be unknown, right? So I rushed to find you, to find out! We’re friends! And to not know these things is even more forbidden than just forbidden!..” “Cool down, Pinkie.” I asked wistfully, momentarily lost in the crackle of the almost vibrating pastry chef. “What happened?..” “I’m asking you: when is your birthday!” She screamed. “What if it’s tomorrow, and I’m not ready?! What if it already passed, and I didn’t know and didn’t congratulate you?!..” My birthday, nice joke… I chuckled with sadness, turning away. The human one has been wiped out from my memory. Nightmare had not appeared at once, and the very first memories were very vague and incomplete, consisting mainly of emotions and images… And what birthday can a tool have? I remembered my very out of place analogy about myself and Luna. “I don’t have any birthday.” I waved away in answer gloomily. “But you can look for a nameplate somewhere on me with the date of manufacture, useful life and method of disposal of the product after the expiration of that.” My mood sank all at once, and I suddenly didn’t want to talk. The Element of Laughter, God damn it… Whenever we meet, it suddenly becomes absolutely not funny… “You don’t read the Luna’s letters, do you?” Absolutely surprising question sounded quietly. “Why should I?” I mechanically rubbed the cloudy figure under my feet back into the cloud, watching with melancholy as it disappeared, blending in with the general mass. “So, I’m piling it up, without even a reason. Burning it is just… Awkward, I guess.” I chuckled at the absurdity of what I just said. Stupid? Stupid. But… What a bullshit… “If Princess didn’t care about you, would she write them without even getting a response?” as if rhetorically, Pinkie asked in a very serious tone. “So — no need to make up any tools! You’re a normal, beautiful, wonderful pony, who should definitely have a birthday!” She drew the conclusion by cheering back up sharply. “I don’t remember, really…” I mumbled, struggling with the silly thoughts, that Pinkie might be right about Luna… “Well, then I can come up with it myself, okay? Okay? Silence means consent! Yeah! Thanks!” The pony, which was hanging on the balloons, clip-clopped its front hooves before I could get a word in edgewise. “What about the day you came back from the Moon? No, that wasn’t you there… Then the day we met face to face in the Castle of the Two Sisters? Oh, it’s probably not a pleasure to remember for you, isn’t?.. Then maybe the next day you woke up in Canterlot, when you was a Princess Celestia’s guest?..” “Hold your horses!” I sighed, tugging the pastry chef by the tail with my magic. Her unrestrained enthusiasm makes me nervous sometimes… “Let me think.” “Oki-doki-loki! I’ll let you!” Pinks smiled, dashing her smile away by a gesture as if she was zipping her mouth. The balloons gleamed with agreement in the Sun on their rubber sides. Pinkie… I shook my head. But not about her now. About the birthday… I had no memory of dates from the past to which I could attach it. Now… what could be more logical, really, than inscribing my birthday on the date I came into the world? Empress of the Eternal Night, born on the longest day of the year… I chuckled. And not much happy had happened to me that day, not to begin with the fact that I was killed. And on the other hand… It is not pleasant for a child to be born: it was warm, dark and nourishing, but now it is cold, bright and they slap your ass. Doesn’t make for the happiest memory, heh… “What’s the shortest day in the year do you have?” Pinks shook her mane wordlessly. Well, I thought so. We have the longest one because it’s a tradition and a holiday, and the rest are as Tia likes. If she oversleeps, it will be the shortest, if she doesn’t, it won’t… Okay… What about the date? Twentieth? Twenty first? Twenty second? Or when the?.. Ah, I don’t give a heck, actually. I don’t see any other date that fits. “You got me. Sign it on on the solstice day.” I waved my front foot with a chuckle. “Nice! Thanks! I have to tell everyone right away!” Pinkie pulled one balloon from her “bouquet” and handed it to me, then waved her hoof and raced off to the ground, leaving me to sit in prostration with the balloon, floating by my side, taken purely by a reflex. “Smile!” It turned that inscription to me in a gust of wind. I smiled against my will. A purple one… Strange, she did not have these in her kit. And how did she even hang in place without rising further?.. “Pinkie…” I mumbled and, shaking head, rose to the feet, clinging the string of the balloon to the bags and stepped off the cloud.

***

“… It can’t be!” “I’m sorry, but even if I knew something, it’s far from certain that… I could tell you something!” I walked back and forth, whipping my side with the tail. Twilight watched at me with gloomy alertness. She doesn’t know, yeah, of course… She keeps on watching, even unobtrusively starting to be successful in it, stamping reports to the highest ranks, getting new tasks, and she doesn’t know a thing, not even a little bit! Yeah. And your gaze on me is getting heavier and more suspicious every day on its own, too. It reacts to the weather. There’s something very wrong with all this… Tia hasn’t replied to any of my letters. Wish she’d let me know what is wrong with at least one line! And then there was the occasional worry in Cadence’s letters when it came to her… Damn it! Celestia keeps dead silence, her student looks at me like a wolf, Cadence chooses her words carefully, when she talks about her aunt, and I just sit here, having no control over anything. And can’t understand anything. I can’t anything! Abyss! “Are there still no letters for me either?” “What if?..” “No.” You can literally read in Twilight’s eyes: “Get the hell out already!” “Fine.” I, stopping my rush half-step, sighed. “That’s something at least…” Twi looked at me with a frown. “I will not interfere with my work. Say hi from me to Princess.” The door slammed shut, almost pinching my tail as I crossed the threshold of the library. The wind was a dense pillow in my face, and it blew my mane away, killing Sweetie’s efforts to make her look decent this morning. Yeah, it’s uncomfortable today… On Earth I’d say: “There will be a thunderstorm”. Maybe it will be?.. Damn, I didn’t check the weather report in the paper this morning. Where do I go now? Rar, when she woke up, suddenly started cleaning the house, flatly refusing my help and almost directly sent me out for a walk, so that return to “Carousel” probably makes no sense, I guess. Should I stop by Pinkie’s? Bite some cakes, talk a little… I’d have been mad at her yesterday if she hadn’t managed to fill my head with all sorts of… nonsense about Luna. Just came out of nowhere, damn it: “Don’t think of yourself as a tool!” I’ll figure out who’s who myself! I understand — she wants to help, but if not her words about… “Hey, Nightmare.” The mare’s voice, with its distinctive huskiness, made me turn around in surprise. I stared silently at the person who has interrupted my thoughts, trying to understand what she suddenly wanted from me. “Hey, yeah.” She grinned nervously and rubbed the back of her head, rumpling her disheveled mane even more. “I just… Wanted to talk.” And here’s the question — why, ay?.. “Well, talk.” I moved my wing indefinably. I feel it in my guts — she’s preparing some dirty things! Why would she… “I… Whew, rotten h-hay… I… Well… I wanted to apologize!” What?.. You? Before me? I rubbed my forehead in light prostration. Blinked. The sad image of Rainbow Dash, trying to look anywhere but at me, didn’t go anywhere. “Don’t pretend you didn’t hear me, trying to force me to say it again!” She ruffled her feathers in response to the lingering silence. “Well, at least you look like yourself now,” I grinned back, getting back into the reality. “And why am I so honored today?” “Shut up, would ya?” She asked glumly, giving me another chuckle. “I’m already sick of it! Yeah, I kind of screwed up and everything… I couldn’t help it — and it was, you know, stupid and… and wrong and… A-argh! Horses’ apples, why is it that hard?!..” Dash kicked her hoof irritably. “The heck are you smiling at?! It’s you who made me angry, you know?!..” I clenched my teeth and suppressed a laugh, bursting out of my throat and hid a chuckle by tilting my head. Damn, these awesome “apologizes” — just bring it to the House of Weights and Measures!.. “What are you laughing at, black scarecrow?” Dash became angry — she heard the sobs of my carefully hidden laughter, glaring angrily with her ruby eyes. “Happy, yeah?! Got what you need?! Choke with these apologizes!” “Do you know what your problem is, painted girl?” Ending laughter, I asked with a thoughtful and phlegmatic bit of laziness. “You think I’m hostile towards you. But in reality I don’t even care what do you think of me. If you want to fight — well, off you go, you will be the one to blame when a problem occurs. If you want to apologize and start everything over — you can try, I’m not against it. In a particularly sentimental state of mind today, I’m quite prepared to forgive you even an attempted murder.” “Murder?!.. Ehm, you are… What?.. What are you talking about?..” Rainbow staggered back, raising her eyes to me, her eyes rounded in shock. “I?!.. No, I admit — I’ve crossed the line with the bolt, but I would never!… No-no-no, what are!.. I wouldn’t!..” “You took out me, an alicorn. For a few seconds, but still.” I reminded, looking at the shocked pegasus harshly. “What if you did it with a unicorn, for example?..” “But you’re not a unicorn!” She tried to clear herself. “And you didn’t give Gilda a relaxing massage either, if I remember correctly! She said you would have beaten her… To death, if Flutty hadn’t…” “Yeah, it was an overkill.” I cringed. “But we’ve made peace.” “Hah, I’ve had an overkill, too!” Suddenly, Dash gave a short chuckle nervously. “So… Are we going to bury the hatchet or what?..” “As I already said — I’m not against it.” I brushed my mane, which was blown away by a gust of wind onto my eyes, and, making an inviting gesture, walked leisurely down the road, just to not stand in one place. Rainbow joined up, hesitating. “But after “You’re fooling everybody, I’m going to expose you!” it seems strange for some reason.” “Don’t think I’ll take my words back!” She looked at me provocatively. “I just, ehm… I was persuaded to give you a chance and to make sure that you’re not such a bogey for real, but I’ll keep an eye on you, got it?” “And you apologized to give me a chance.” “Yes!.. I mean… Hey!” Dash got up indignantly. “It is not related at all! I just… Just thought I did some bad things and… Argh, why should I have to justify myself to you?!” “Well, if you don’t want to — don’t do.” I shrugged with my wings. “Are you good with Scoot?” The pegasus drooped instantly and became somewhat dull. “No, heck no, we’re not good!” She swung in a long stride and kicked a fluffy dandelion, growing by the roadside with feelings, leaving a lone stalk, sticking out in a scattering cloud of fluff. “I was looked at by half the town after that day as… a worse villain than you, just for your information! Even Twi, though she can’t stand you, screwed my ears about how wrong it was and that I should apologize! And here you are with your accusations about loyalty!.. Hay, why?!.. Horse apples… Scoot’s like my sister! She didn’t really have anybody but me and a couple of ponies, which cared about her — do we really have to mention that drunken snot her father turned into after her mother died? And now she’s told me straight out, that she doesn’t want to see me until I make peace with you…” I see it now… “Damn it! I don’t know how to apologize, I really don’t!” The pegasus' voice took on some desperate, pitiful tones. “Listen, I’m really sorry about the crap I’ve made! I hit you with all my force just to… Just to get the anger out, I guess… Just like that, in the middle of the street, as… as… Ah, screw it! I’m an idiot, I really am! Sorry!..” “You know… I’m no better at apologizing than you are, but Celestia has forgiven me far more serious and complicated things…” A gloomy weather with a strong gusty wind, that shook my mane, the measured clatter of hooves on a deserted road somewhere on the outskirts of town, with a poor daredevil, who had found troubles… For some reason it all drew me to revelations. “So… Why don’t I give you a chance?” I paused, turned to the pegasus, and held out my hoof. “Really?” Dash looked at me suspiciously, swinging her wing to shield herself from the force of the wind. “Cannot be more real.” I replied with a chuckle. “Finally! Thanks!” She enthusiastically clank it with hers. “Hey, just don’t think I’m not seriously or whatever!.. Just… Well, I really have made some stupidities, I’m sorry and stuff…” The mare waved her wings nervously. “I believe you for some reason.” I moved down the road again, moving my wing indefinably. “Just don’t think of doing it again. And if you try to use that apology of yours to stab me in the back…” “You know, I thought about what you said about loyalty!” Rainbow threw an indignant look at me. “That’s why I came. So in the back — definitely not. But do not think that the warning would give you time to prepare!”

…

I was returning home in the evening, limping on my unfortunate during a landing leg, which was already almost fine. “Home,” heh… To “Carousel”. The mood after meeting Dash was to do something a little crazy. I stood there, squinting, facing the blows of the wind and, as always in this weather, regretting, that I didn’t have a fancy raincoat to flutter behind me, making me look epic and heroic. I spread my wings — I have a hell of a look even without it!.. The wind willingly walked over them, gently ruffling my oddly shaped feathers, as if inviting me to get off the ground and try to fight it up there in the air. And I didn’t want to refuse it. The flight was exhausting, every second I had to fight to continue it, but this fight with the nature was incredibly satisfying. The flight played with new colors, my own small successes in it inflamed the heat somewhere inside, making my lips spread in a smile by themselves. A few times I almost fell, flying really low, but, most importantly, I made it! Only the landing itself was a bit tough, though, because I hadn’t grouped my legs properly when I tried to regain my balance after an unsuccessful turn, and all the impact has struck one leg. And then I was lying on the grass, spreading my humming wings on its cool blanket and smiling like a child, looking up into a cloudless sky, and I think I’ve been in such a state for hours… Yes… I haven’t been this happy from flying for a long time, like something struck me today for this. And I had no usual thoughts today either: all those mental thoughts of “ye-ep, correct the roll”, “make a turn, gently”, “group up, brake off!” disappeared today into this endless sky, leaving me alone with the the skies and with flying. I just flew and enjoyed it. For the first time, I think… The pleasant memories captured me so much, that I didn’t even immediately notice, that it was suspiciously dark and quite around me as I opened the door as usual and stepped over the threshold of the boutique. I even froze for a moment, coming back to reality and slowly trying to understand why there was only darkness around, like in a basement at night, even for my all-weather all-seeing eyes, with which I had no difficulty even in the woods in the middle of the night… It took about a second for my brain to finally analyze the situation. I’ll be shot at right now! Will be by confetti cannon fire and loud yelling from all sides, suddenly turning on the lights! Damn it, retreat!!! “Surpri-i-ise!” The chorus of voices around me grew louder and louder, almost chanting in time with the smoothly glowing lights, and I barely had time to formulate a panicked thought. “Welcome to Ponyville, Nightmare Moon!” Pinkie appeared in front of me, her straight pink mane waving spectacularly. Her voice was supported by a few more cheers, and some people clapped, quickly creating a round of applause. Under the ceiling, above the multicolored crowd of ponies, a banner with oversized letters could be read: “Welcome to Ponyville, Nightmare Moon!” and here and there were clusters of balloons, going up to the ceiling, of “my” colors: black, turquoise, and silver, shades of purple and blue. Right across the sales floor were tables, bursting with treats, on which the elongated, angular reflections of light from the disco ball under the ceiling wandered thoughtfully. Someone put on a record — and the music complemented the composition… Damn, that’s… Holy cow… I was not allowed to stand still and watch: a frozen brief moment shattered like glass, and everything spun somewhat like at once. I barely had time to respond to greetings. There was a cheerful, festive noise and commotion all around me. “Hello again, Nightmare!” The cause of all this chaos suddenly materialized in front of me, waving her mane spectacularly again. “Of course, it’s a little late for a welcome party, but I promised you one, and here it is! It’s great, isn’t it?” “ Yeah…” I nodded in prostration and stared at the bouquet held by magic, while at the same time I used my right hoof to adjust the replica of my own helmet made of some rather heavy plastic on my head, which, by the way, some guests here were also wearing. When and where did it all come from so swiftly? “I had to change the beginning — you know, cannon, confetti, BOOM, SURPRISE-E-E!!! — and stuff like that, just to make you like it.” Pinkamina panted, as if she hadn’t noticed me, pulling my ears back from her demonstration as a reflex. “Okay, let’s go! It’s time for you to find new friends, to rest and have fun, because I think we’re about to run out of cake!” Earthpony, wrapping her tail around my right leg, dragged one slightly dazed alicorn into the crowd.

…

“O-oh… A-a…” I, falling out from the kaleidoscope of faces and conversations, collapsed on the corner couch and, after swallowing a glass of cold lemonade I’ve grabbed from the table in three sips, I was finally able to catch my breath and gather my thoughts. The party was not thinking of ending: the ponies were chatting in pairs and piles, joking, laughing, participating in all kinds of contests, dancing, eating, drinking… I think, that after this evening, there would be no person, who at the sight of me would quickly run over to the other side of the street for sure. Everyone came to me — some shyly, some confidently and with interest. They had time to greet me, to get acquainted, to tap our hooves in a friendly way, to express their admiration for the fashion show, and to even give me small gifts… I was even able to have a word with the already known ponies. Lotus and Aloe came, everyone from the Apples family — and it was the right moment: Big Mac made a duet with Rarity, singing along to the gramophone to the approving applause of the crowd in two voices. I saw Balk somewhere else, met Lyra and Bon Bon… Even some of the medics stopped by! Broken Arm politely inquired about the side and was glad, that everything was all right, and his colleague… And his colleague blushed with one “Hello, my deary” and the memories, that immediately sprang up! Oh damn… I sighed and tried to mechanically drink more lemonade from the long-empty glass, with a chuckle put it away. No, that doctor, Vital Constance, was definitely trolling me on purpose! It was her necessary at the end of our brief and generally neutral conversation to screw up that, like, “The last time I did not have time to say — you were in a hurry, but you should not worry, if you have not had arousal so far. After such a stress the body needs to recover — this is normal, and the estral cycle will gradually come back to normal and the proper sexual desire will be restored to its normal level! However, I see you are in a hurry to have time to pay attention to the other guests… " Damned crock! No wonder I’m such in a hurry after such conversations! How, how?.. However, I think I know who she got it from, if she really managed to work at the castle a few years ago: white, winged, horned, can still smile very innocently… “Greetings!” “Howdy…” “Hi, Nightmare! Can we join you?” Three voices said hi to me, screaming over the music. “Of course girls.” I moved, making room on the couch, while mentally thanking the fillies for helping me get rid of… uncomfortable thoughts. She was leaning on my side like an owner, Scoot — nearby, and Apple bloom, looking on with cautious interest, a little farther away. They’re all together, the doomsday crew… “This is Apple Bloom, Applejack’s junior sister!” Sweetie Belle with a bow in her mane presented the yellow earthpony. “We want to establish a club! To find our cutie marks! But Scootaloo doesn’t want to!” The unicorn whined. “I do want! Just don’t have enough time!” She was indignant. “I’m drilling!” “It has end, doesn’t it?” I tried to stroke the pegasus with a wing. She dodged it, showing me her tongue. “Or it’s Bulk, who keeps you that way?” “Nah… Bulk is getting on my nerves, too, that I have to control it and stuff… But I’ll learn faster if I drill more!” “More like you’ll drop dead.” I shook my head. “Don’t try to eat the cake with one bite. Bulk, on top of that, is a professional, and he knows what he advises.” “Ehm, thanks…” A low voice rumbled overhead, as if to suppress the sounds of the party and the music, as if they were unimportant. “Not a professional if to be honest… Just know some from my personal experience…” “Hi.” I smiled and saluted the white hulk, that loomed over the couch with my hoof. “How is it going? Will you pull that off?” “I will.” He smiled uncertainly. “I had almost the same thing in my childhood. And also, ehm… I wanted to thank you.” THE pegasus looked away shyly. “Thank you for offering to do this. I… I felt in my place. It was my destiny to pull iron, as my mark says, and I did, but I lacked something… And now I understand, that not only I should pull it myself, but also train others to do so! If only they would obey me…” Scootaloo hid her gaze with embarrassment. “Okay, I think I won’t bother you from now on… Scoot, don’t you think just sitting here with hunger as your friend! You should gain weight!” Saying valuable instructions, Bulk hastened to bustle off. He’s doing a great job, it’ll be cool if he can make it, and Scootie would be able to fly… “She will if she obeys him…” I mumbled thoughtfully, looking askew at the filly. “I will!” She blew up in indignant. “Means you’re not gonna refuse to enter our club?” Bloomie sounded for the first time. “A-a, you won’t be able to do even a thing without me!” The pegasus sniffed. “Hey!” “Scootaloo, you’ll like it yourself!” “Okay, okay, I agree!” She burst into laughter. The others picked up on that, making me smile involuntarily. “By the way, Scoot.” I addressed to the kid, when the laughter died away. Before I forget again… “How are Spoon and Tiara doing? Do they bother you?” “Na-ah, they don’t even think of it!” She answered a bit gloatingly, grinning. “Silver was firmly offended by this coward! And vice versa! They don’t even talk! But honestly — Spoon doesn’t hurry to be our friend as well…” “Why would she?” “Well… Nightmare said so, I think…” Scowling, the pegasus tried to remember. “Nightmare thought.” I chuckled.” That Silver Spoon is the wingman in their duet, and without Tiara’s attention she would feel lonely. And there’s a chance of her, trying to make new friends…” “Us?!..” She looked up at me in amazement, making me smile for a second. “But they can’t stand us! And Tiara, and Spoon!” “You. Why not? I was under the impression, that Silver was dependent on Tiara’s opinion, and that if she stopped listening to her, she might do it sooner or later. But I don’t know them very well, I could be wrong.” “I can’t get the idea of why should we be friends with her?” The earthpony had a doubt. “Because you’d have one more friend and Tiara would be alone, thus will not play on others’ nerves ever!” Scoot explained, raising her hoof to the ceiling. “Diamond would be lonely all by herself…” Sweetie Belle didn’t support the general enthusiasm. “Do you feel sorry for her?..” “Of course I do! It’s very-very bad to be alone!” The unicorn threw a pitying look at me. “If she apologizes, we definitively have to forgive her and make her our friend!” Don’t look at me like that. Don’t. But maybe it’s true… “Sayin’ such bluffing, Sweetie!..” “It’s bad to be alone…” I barely heard her through the noise of the party. Apple Bloom, sitting nearby, snorted incredulously in response. Scootaloo drooped clearly, remembering something. No wonder — about Dash… “Sweetie, go for a walk for now, would you.” I nudged her with my nose. Not particularly tactful, of course… “I want to whisper something in Scootaloo’s ear.” “What?” She became interested. “Off you go!” I nudged her again, chuckling. “She will say it to you if she wants to.” “Let’s go, Apple Bloom…” The unicorn jumped off the sofa reluctantly, sighing wistfully. Her friend followed her, hesitating for a bit. “H-hey!!!” The orange pony fluttered her wings indignantly as I waited for us to be conditionally alone in our faraway corner of the hall and scooped her up close to me with my telekinesis. “Tell me — how are you doing?” I hugged her and stroked the desperately resisting filly on the head with my wing, ruffling her naughty dark-pink mane even more. Damn it, she’s so cute, so cute Scootie! It’s hard to resist!.. Now she will sulk. “I won’t!” She sulked and turned away, pretending to look independent. “I’m not a kid for all this tenderness… E-eww!” “I can’t stand myself.” I hung my ears sadly and made a regretful face. “The darkness is strong in me! I do all sorts of terrible and evil deeds…” Scootaloo laughed, trying to disguise it as a cough. She turned to look at my face, and laughed again, smiling involuntarily. “Sorry. I just wanted to cheer you up a bit.” I replied with a smile, blushing a bit. “A-a…” Pegasus waved away helplessly as far as the distance between us allowed. “And why should you? I think I’m fine…” “Thank you for stopping by the show, and for your kind words, too.” I let her go from my embrace. Scoot pulled back a little, but was in no hurry to escape. “Honestly, my legs were a little shaky then.” I grinned. “It’s nothing! I’m so…” She started to blush. I smiled: it’s so cute, damn it! “Are you going well with Bulk?” “Y-EAH-S!” Scootaloo suddenly barked, making me recoil reflexively in surprise. “Yeah, I see…” I mumbled, hastily straightening ears to the accompaniment of the interlocutor’s laughter. What a… Brat! “He’s a good one.” She claimed, ending with her laughter. “But sometimes he’s so serious! Always calculates something: some calories, the number of sets and reps… It’s boring! But, you know, it looks… reliable.” The pegasus gestured indefinitely in the air. “And also it works! We just started, but I can already stay in the air two and a half seconds longer! I never would have guessed that all that kind of exercise really helps! Bulk, however, says, that it’s still a long way before I can fly and that it takes a long time to get ready… Why is everything good always long and complicated and everything good tastes bad?!” Scoot marked the fact of the universal injustice by a sorrowful scream of her soul. “Do you regret that you’ve accepted that?” “I did at first. But when I started staying in the air a little longer… And eating so much every day… I mean, it’s not that I was starving before, I just needed more for muscle mass to grow, so… Well…” She started to speak fast, clearly saying something unwanted. “Yeah, I believe you.” I grinned unhappily as I lightly poked her in the protruding ribs with my hoof. “Would you tell about it?” “N-no… I don’t know…” I hardly heard the pegasus, who became confused because of the question. “What there’s to tell?” She cringed, getting a grip after a few moments. “My mom died so young that I don’t remember her much, as well as I don’t remember my dad sober. He used to be a photographer, sort of, before she died… Look, all this rotten hay can go to the timberwolfes.” She shook her mane decisively. “Is it a party or not?” “I’m sorry, friend, it’s true.” I unfolded my wing again, but when I ran into a warning gloomy look, I hastily put it back in place, laughing quietly: “Okay-okay, I won’t do that again!” We watched the fun in silence for a while. To one side, the people were playing blind man’s buff. The blindfolded mare, extending her left front leg zombie-style and spreading her wings to control her flanks, was inexorably approaching the corner, where one of the participants has carelessly run into. The stallion pressed hopelessly into the wall, the mare slowly advancing, the audience laughing and giving advice, Pinkie spinning around and commenting. Some people were chatting quietly near the table with snacks and drinks, a group of guests were enchanted listening to something vividly and emotionally telling Rarity, Lyra, who also found her audience, was carefully dancing to the music, standing on her hind legs only, some blue pegasus was concentrating on driving darts to the dart board, skillfully throwing them with the tip of her wing. Idyll! Or not really… I glanced at the last one, recognizing her as Rainbow Dash. She was throwing the darts alone and with a kind of fierceness, I’d say. “Are you good now?” “We? A-a, Rainbow.” Scoot followed my gaze. “I don’t know. No?.. She came up earlier today, telling me, that she apologized to you, sort of…” She tilted her head sideways with doubt. “She did. It was… Epic.” I confirmed and chuckled. “It seemed to me, that she has learned a certain lesson from all that had happened, so, let it be — I extended her the hoof of peace and friendship.” “After everything she has done?” Turning around, Scootaloo looked at me with distrust. “You know…” I moved my wing indefinably, thoughtfully examining the pattern on the flooring. “If she’d attacked at any other time, I probably would have snapped and beaten her harder than Gilda, but… I didn’t care at the time. I was just moping around for a while.” I explained with a small smile, in response to the obvious grown perplexity on my companion’s face. “And there were no serious consequences, either. Should I have gone for revenge? Well, I tried that once — have it become better for anyone? Besides, she got a beating from all her friends at once, including you. Maybe Tia’s had a bad influence on me, that I don’t want to growl at anyone lately…” I rubbed my chin with my hoof in an exaggeratedly thoughtful way and, not being able to hold it, laughed softly. “Well, I don’t know…” Scoot said skeptically. Sat in silence for a while. Dash has finished her entire stock of darts and, walking over, began to pull them back out in sharp, twitching motions. The painted one sharply dismissed everyone, who has come up recently, who noticed her agitated state, continuing to “have fun” alone. “Go talk to her, would you?” I looked down at the pink hair next to me. “I have a feeling, that she’s going to cry now.” “We’ve talked already! That I’m like a sister to her… Yeah, one day it’s “Go away with your apples to your beloved Nightmare!”, then the next day it’s “You’re like my sister”.” The pegasus sniffed as a reply. “She always seemed so cool, I always wanted to be her friend, but she says “Go away”. I didn’t understand right away, but…” Scootaloo waved away hopelessly. “You’ve been friends for a long time. Hasn’t anything good accumulated during that time, that’s worth more than a mistake or two?” I don’t know about Dash — I’m not particularly interested. But Scoot obviously cares, even though she’s trying to distance herself somehow. Why? Our rainbow-colored pony isn’t that bad. Stupid, pea-brained — but still. Maybe she would overcome herself… “Maybe…” The kid said with a shaky voice. The last dart passed by and, with a low clang, flew off the wall back beneath the blue mare’s feet. Dash, kicking it violently towards the target, turned around, and, with a dejected look on her face, headed away. “I’ll… go, I guess. Thank you.” Scootaloo, who has been watching her tirelessly, jumped off the couch after a moment, clopping her hooves on the floor. “You’re welcome.” “Come on.” I instructed her with a faint smile on the edges of my lips. They will make up. “They will. And everything would be fine.” I involuntarily shuddered at a voice that sounded unexpectedly nearby. The upholstery of the couch stretched to take the weight of Pinkamina, who was settling down beside me. “You may not believe this, but you’re a nice pony, Nightmare. You may not like Rainbow, but you’ve done a lot for her today.” “Not for her.” “But with the understanding, that she, and not Scooty, needs support the most right now.” Scootie, who has caught up with Dash and was talking to her, was clearly regretting it, trying desperately to escape the rainbow-haired pegasus' embrace. I grinned, and then shook my head, dismissing the sudden thought that this was something like me and Luna. Damn it, thinking about her at the party, yeah… “Nightmare, do you remember?!” I was helped to get out of my unpleasant thoughts by rubbing my wing and making frightening eyes when I turned around. “I remember what?” “That this is your party!” Pinkie effectively flipped her mane from her right side to her left. “Welcoming party, Nightmare!” “I’m having a wonderful time, talking to my friends in the far quiet corner!” I playfully put both front hooves in front of me in a protective gesture. “Believe me, the only thing I need to be happy is lemonade!” “Y-ou a-re wro-ng!” The foot of my companion bumped into my chest. “Because we have a drawing contest coming up, and it’s definitely going to be better-better than lemonade! Let’s go!” “I’m kind of… You know what I can draw without even realizing it!” Wait, does she?.. A-a, doesn’t matter… “Drawing contest” sounds cool without a doubt… As long as you’re in control when you pick up a pencil! “Everything will be alright!” The earthpony cut me dismissively. “Let’s go!” “Hear the word — do the word…” I sighed hopelessly as I felt someone’s forehead pressing firmly against my back, just below my shoulder blades. Damn it, I’ve done everything I could…

…

“Wo-o-ow!” “Lifelike!” “Oh, Celestia!..” “Wow! Can you draw me like that?..” I was high on congratulations and continued to look at my work out of the corner of my eye. Pinkie, probably, has chosen the only real win-win, safe tactic: asking me to paint a portrait of Rarity. The spectacular unicorn stood on the catwalk in a gorgeous outfit, shining in her first meaningful victory on her path to greatness and glory. She was greeted by the crowd, an alicorn figure looming nearby and a leading lady twirling, but all of them, given general outlines and shadows, were only an addition to her and her triumph. “None of this would have happened without you.” The milliner herself was finally able to appreciate the picture as well. “You would have found someone, even though later.” I brushed it off. “There are many models, but you are the only one.” “And yet, you’re not right to portray it this way, my dear. I’m not the only one who made this… fashion festival possible.” “But it was the most important for you, Ice Cream.” I winked at her. Well, I see, that you liked it in your eyes — why deny it? “Ice Cream?..” Rarity asked with a loss amidst the smiles of the crowd. Ehm, damn it… I think I’ve said something unwanted… We’re a little bit not alone here, so… “I like it!” Pinkamina appeared nearby and looked at the unicorn with a critical eye. “Marshmallow is not your cup of tea, and it sounded like… Like it’s a well-worn thing, I don’t know why. And you’re so white and cold on the surface for those, who don’t know you… It suits you!” Earthpony gave her verdict, and winked too. “You’re embarrassing me!” Rarity complained, making her brows like a house. “And my name isn’t that hard and awful!..” “A name, that’s perfect for you,” I nodded, interrupting the milliner before she could get herself worked up about her name. “But, don’t you think it’s nice to embarrass you once in a while?” “Nightmare!..” The banter was interrupted by Spike, who pushed his way into the crowd, to the delight of the crowd. “Rarity! There… Guests!” “Guests are everywhere here, kid.” I grinned wryly at the distraught little dragon. “Who is that guest, that came to my house, that you had to tell me that, dear Spikey? Thank you!” The unicorn responded a little bit mannerly to please her “knight,” and she headed for the door. through the dispersing and gradually re-dispersing guests. I didn’t hesitate long to follow, and so did several other ponies, interested in a guest, who suddenly didn’t just show up at a party, where everyone was welcome, but instead stood orphaned under the door. I would have thought it was Flutty, but the yellow pegasus was already here: I caught her with my eye in the company of the medics, discussing something with them excitedly… “Hell… Your Excellency?.. Come in, please!..” She stumbled mid-word, barely beginning her greeting, then backed away from the door to let Princess Cadence in, then fell to her knees to bow. The others, realizing who has entered, did not hesitate to follow her example. “Hi, Cadence.” I saluted with my wing, chuckling with an edge of my lips. “What chance brings you here?” Interesting… Why would she come here?.. Nah, doesn’t matter, will find out later… “Get up, you shouldn’t…” She hesitated a little at the expression of loyalty to the monarch. “Greetings, everypony. Greetings, Nightmare. It seems I’m late, am I not?” “You missed a lot, but you’re not late. Just hanging out, drinking, having fun…” “…”Nightmare Moon”… Sorry, I didn’t want to ruin your party.” Alicorn glanced at me guiltily, glancing up at the balloons and the banner under the ceiling. “There’s nothing to ruin — just join in! Vinyl will tune up her equipment, and we’ll have some more fun.” I held out my hoof for a friendly “clop”, describing the prospects. “I’m sorry, but I’m afraid I’m here on very important business… Hello. Hello, all ponies. I don’t need it, thanks… Hello!..” Cadence replied to my gesture and moved on into the hall with me, forcibly distracted by the ponies, who kept noticing her presence. “Princess Cadence! Howdy!” Pinkie appeared nearby and, instantly making a statutory bow, immediately ran to be next to the alicorn. “Welcome to the Nightmare Moon welcoming Party, where you can relax, have fun, and make new friends! Treat this house as your own!” Another replica of my helmet was immediately placed on the head of the noble, who was taken aback by the pressure, and a glass of lemonade was glued to the front right hoof in an elusive movement. “Enjoy the evening!” “…Thank you.” She replied a little hesitantly, adjusting her helmet and slowly taking a small sip from the glass. “Yeah, that’s the way I looked and adjusted my helmet when I got here.” I chuckled at the look on her face. Cadence smiled back a little confused. “Your Excellency! Forgive me for not welcoming you properly to my humble dwelling!” Rarity, a little out of breath, was making herself known again, glittering in richer jewels and new makeup. When did she do that?.. “Rarity, you shouldn’t have…” “But Your Excellency!..” “Oops, I almost forgot it!” Suddenly, Pinkie slid in between them, sending both of them tumbling backward as a reflex, which gave me a little chuckle. “Princess Cadence, we’ve just ended our drawing contest! Let’s have you as the judge!” “But I’m in a hurry…” “Pinkie!!!” “Pri-i-nce-ess! You still need to rest and have fun!..” “Fine…” She muttered, her eyes lingering on me for some reason. Don’t think so easily, Cadence. If you come to a Pinkie party, you can’t get away from it that easily. I gave another chuckle to the alicorn, who sighed as she followed our party-pony to the pictures we’ve drawn.

…

Music thundered. The low bass, echoing in the whole body like impact waves, rattled the windows, and in the darkness the spotlight and the glare of the disco ball, that swirled under the ceiling in time with the ongoing action, which, though, was going to its end: people were gradually saying goodbye and going home, leaving only the most resistant to the present moment. Cadence and I got out of the dancing — who could dance at least something — crowd, dragged the couch I’d liked from the corner closer to the appetizer table by a pair of horns, and fell onto it in unison, spreading like puddles of fatigue and buzz on the nice soft upholstery. “That’s not a good seat! The wrong table!” I looked at the rows of empty glasses, clinking in time with the music. I noticed a bottle, that has not yet been poured into glasses, pulled it to me, and, getting rid of the cork by an impulse of magic, with pleasure sipped from the bottleneck. Ni-i-ce-e… My legs were aching, especially the back left one, which has already gotten a beating today, and my heart was pumping blood through my arteries with a slight throbbing and heat all over my body. I over-danced, phew… No, I could do some pirouettes on the dance floor in a four-legged body with a tail and wings, though I didn’t know how to do that. And heck with it! Who does give a heck at a disco? That’s what a disco is for — to party to the best of your comprehension — just so long as it’s fun! And I also liked hooves in this case: nothing sticks out, so it’s unreal to step on someone’s foot even in such a dense party! “Can I have it too?..” Cadence marked the bottle in my hoof with her eyes limply, recovering breath after the party as well. “Take it.” I handed it to Princess, earning a reproachful look. Alicorn looked around the table, trying to find a clean glass, hesitantly looked at the bottle, sighed, sipped from the bottleneck. “Thanks.” We had to speak in high tones: the glasses on the table were still clinking with the murmur of the bass. “The last time I was at an event like this was ten years ago.” She grinned, handing the bottle back to me and slightly adjusting her helmet and mane. “Yeah.” I nodded out of the line and was about to gather my legs on the couch. “Move it!” “Where?” “Well, hug if you can’t move! This furniture is not for alicorns!” “Ph-h!” Cadence rolled her eyes, but still made some sort of counter-movement. We were somehow able to fit on the couch, half-laying to our own sides. Salute to the ponies’ anatomy, which was more flexible than that of an Earth horse! We lay in silence for a while, letting ourselves rest, and exchanging the bottle, until it ran out. “You know what I don’t understand?” I thoughtfully looked at the empty container and put it under the table. “M?” “Why don’t I have any problems with my height, except sometimes with furniture? Ceilings, door jambs — all that stuff?” “Don’t you know?” Cadence rose up a bit in surprise. “It’s a tradition, dating back to the law, almost to the beginning of the Sisters' rule. I thought you’d seen it before?” “I don’t remember, as well as many other things.” I shook my head. “Fine. Hmm, I guess I oversimplified… As my aunt told me, in the beginning it was a kind of good manners rule among the nobility: that Princess Celestia herself could enter their house without bowing her head or feeling uncomfortable. Then the High Council of the Estates passed a law, requiring all nobles to build their houses this way — or rebuild the ones they had already built. This is how we got a kind of property qualification at the same time: those who could not afford to rebuild, were deprived of their titles. And then the landowners began to force their subordinate ponies to do the same so they could boast that “In my lands, Her Highness can go wherever she pleases!” Auntie tried to fight it, but she didn’t succeed, and eventually just shrugged it off. Well, now it’s just become an accepted standard. And it’s comfortable for pegasi, too — they can’t stand cramped spaces and low ceilings.” “Interesting!” I nodded with my head. The local nobles had their share of foolishness… But, hell, I should thank them for this one, because I haven’t picked up a single lintel with my horn at all! The music, meanwhile, has died down, and I slid off the couch, squeezing Cadence again. I have to see the guests off, thank them all… It was great. I’m not a lover of it, but… But it was good.

…

“So what chance brings you here? Did Pinkie send you an invitation, too?” We strolled leisurely under the roadside lights and the huge Equestrian Moon, cooling off after the party and breathing in the fresh air. And what could we do if we were just kicked out of “Carousel” for the time of cleanup?.. We only had time to put the couch back in its place before we were told: “The first one’s honor was met, and the second one is a Princess, why the hay you should “help” us?!” We had to go, even though I don’t like walking under the stars… However, considering that Cadence obviously wanted to talk about something, a walk alone was in order. “No. I wouldn’t have come then. Too much things to do. I could spare a couple of hours to come see you — yeah… Ah…” She sighed, waving hopelessly into the space. “However, I do not regret, don’t think I do! It was great! At least I recovered a bit.” She smiled. “The crown is heavy, the throne is uncomfortable…” I mumbled thoughtfully. “Yes…” We walked in silence for a while. I stared at the clouds of insects, swirling under the lamps, and Cadence bit her lip thoughtfully. “What’s going on with Tia? She hasn’t answered to any of my letters. Still hasn’t.” “This is why I’m here.” The interlocutor sighed again. “She seems to be having nightmares, something troubles her… Luna thinks you’re the only person who can help Celestia.” “How?” I chuckled skeptically. “If that’s the case, she wouldn’t want to see me, judging by my experience.” “You’re a dream walker, Nightmare. We think you were the one who got that part of the gift after the… separation.” “I won’t deny the possibility.” I said after a moment. I’ve nicely beaten that “producer” — and there were no nightmares since then. Food for thoughts… “But I have no idea how it all works, and there’s no one to teach me. And I don’t think this is a matter of seconds.” “This is why… It’s the hardest part…” Cadence sighed as if before jumping into water. “Luna invites you to Canterlot to teach and…” “No.” “But Night…” “I don’t want to know anything about Luna!” Stopping and bumping my hoof into the chest of my companion, I explained as clearly as possible. Let her go to the abyss with her invitations! The damned beast! It’s hard to leave me alone, isn’t it?!.. Just to fucking leave me alone and not bother to remind me of your existence?!.. I shot the alicorn a long glance and turned away and continued down the road, driving my hooves into the sidewalk with force. I wanted to curse and spit with annoyance. It’s just been such a lovely day, fu!.. Cadence, fucking bitch!.. “Sorry. I understand it’s not the best moment now.” She muttered hesitantly as she caught up with me. “But we haven’t found any other way… Celestia really needs help!” I picked up my pace in silence, causing Cadence to almost gallop. “Nightmare, I know you rejected her friendship, but don’t you!..” “What are you suggesting?!” I came to an abrupt halt with the aid of my wings and jerked around, taking a blow to my chest with the body and head of Princess, who hasn’t slowed down in time. Didn’t slobber my fur: you can live. “Def… Oh!.. D-defend Princess Celestia from her nightmare, so she will stop gradually… going mad!” She hurriedly stepped back, averting her eyes to the side with embarrassment. “And your beloved Luna can not do it!?” “No, she can’t. She has tried, but now, after the loss of her talent, she is not even able to defend herself!” I wanted to argue, that maybe it was the blue herself, who was drowning her sister in nightmares, but, remembering what Rarity had said and how I had already taken wishful thinking for granted once, I shuddered. “And how am I supposed to do that?” I asked instead gloomily. “Do you offer learn from Luna?” “Well… Yes. This art is almost forgotten, there are no books about it, and we… We couldn’t find any other ways. I know, that you’re…” “You know fucking nothing.” I interrupted the alicorn, turned around and started to wander down the road once again. Damn, why is this going like this?.. Why do I have to get in the muck ‘till my ears to help Tia? But I… No. Is Tia my friend?… I don’t know. I hope she is. But who do I think she is? A friend? Maybe… “Maybe”… She forgave me her short stay in the Sun — not essential, that is not completely my action — helped me settle in, took care of me… Supported me, when I was confused about myself and the world around me. And, I’m sure, really tried to forgive me for trying to kill her sister and only relative in general! The nightmare hasn’t allowed to… So, who do I think Tia is? A friend?.. Slowing, I sighed. Yes. A friend. And friends… How did I think when I first met Pinkie?.. “A friend in need is a friend indeed”, yeah? So, what, I’m just gonna give up just because of Luna? But… Abandoning a friend just for your own comfort? But what if Luna… If this is Luna — then of course! Who would defend Tia then? That in itself is nonsense, of course, at the level of the concept, but still? And what about yourself, huh? Maybe if someone hadn’t tried to stab her sister, she wouldn’t be having nightmares right now, huh?.. Who’s trying to kill Tia with nightmares after that, idiot?.. I paused, my lips pressed together tensely. Damn it. Damn it! “When is the departure?”