***
How long have I been sitting here without leaving? Damn, in this climate you can’t even tell it’s September already… Damn… With a sigh I looked over the panorama of palace towers, gardens, and overhanging above the precipice landing sites, the background of which was a distant, distant fields with a thin serpentine stream and downy forest of miniature trees. And if you looked closely, you could see a small train crawling toward the bridge over the river… Damn it… Tearing my gaze away from the scenery, I strolled across the balcony. Sitting around in the night wing of the palace was starting to get on my nerves. But where to go to? I didn’t want to get into the day wing, or the public and administrative parts, so as not to cause a stir or make Tia nervous again. The same could be said of the city. I had no time to go anywhere for long and far away, especially in the last week. Learning and improving magic relentlessly, trying to get into the fucking world of dreams, which I could not get my hands on, flying, reading, studying etiquette, history… And, of course, communicating with that damned Luna. Loaded me, damned blue one… Honestly, I tried to shake the “I need to think” phrase out of my head in the same moment the door closed, as well as the other thoughts about the latest conversation, which I then frantically drove away until the evening, instead hitting my head against studying and attempts to get the world of dreams, which always slip away from me. But as soon as I went to bed, my thoughts returned, and sleep, after the whole “fall asleep-wake up-repeat” mess, was completely out. And I could not knock myself out either — it required a certain concentration and attitude, of which there was no trace by this time: I was overworked to the extreme — so I went to bed… I swore like a schoolboy, shook my head furiously, turned on the light and paced the bedroom for probably four hours, all the while involuntarily turning the words of the damned blue horse in my head. I had come to nothing concrete, except stupid anger at Luna, at the situation, at Tia, at myself — at everything! — and at coming hysteria, I was finally exhausted and fell asleep, sleeping like a corpse until after noon. Oh, I wish I was just a dream about all this crap, but… Damn it… I don’t want to do anything today. I don’t want to do anything at all! I want to go home… With a wistful sigh, I looked over the disgustingly sunny and life-affirming landscape one last time, opened the double-leaf door and stepped off the balcony, hiding from the warm sunlight into the silence-filled, empty and indifferent chill of my temporary shelter. Silence… Wait… Are those voices? I stood still with my foot raised for a step and listened, twisting my ears. There’s talking in the living room, that’s right. Quietly, I could barely hear the voices themselves, but still… I turned to the door, leading out of the bedroom, crunching my neck, which became swollen from the time I’ve been thinking on the balcony without any moves. Who was the brave one out there, I wondered? And who suddenly wants something from me so much as to sit on my doorstep chatting with someone in my living room and not even try to come into my own room? So-o-o… “Greetings, Nightmare!” As I took a step out of the bedroom, trying to crunch my neck again, I froze in mid-motion — just my eyes darting frantically to the side where the voice was coming from. It’s… That… When?!.. Rarity glanced at Luna briefly, set the bowl down on the table, and jumped gracefully off the pouf to meet me. “Rar?..” A lump stuck in my throat. Left the store, the orders, her beloved sister for someone, who found a way into the castle… For… “And what… What are you?..” “An opportunity to stop by you appeared, darling.” She did a charming, warm, and so familiar smile. “And I just couldn’t refuse it!” For me? For me. “Rar…” A sob broke through my clenched teeth, my eyes stinging treacherously. I hurriedly grabbed the unicorn with my telekinesis and pulled her to me, wrapping my nose in her mane, smelling of violets and perfume. Just don’t disappear… “It’s not proper for a well-mannered lady to disappear from a place of such embrace!” She replied at my embrace with a good chuckle. “I missed you too. Happy to see you, Nighty.” I clenched my teeth desperately — and frantically clutched the pony to my chest — feeling the tears trace paths across the fur on my cheeks. I’m… I’m going to burst into tears, ay… She’s here. Not for something, but for me. So I won’t be lonely here. Missed… Me… B… Bastard… I’m about to… I……
“Oh, I ruined your hair.” I sniffed my nose and wiped the moisture from my eyelashes with my wrist with a guilty smile. “Sorry.” “It’s worth it for you to look like a monster sometimes, darling.” The unicorn smiled and repeated my gesture, and gave me the look of her sapphire eyes, framed by her long, fluffy lashes and glistening with tears. “Is everything that bad?” “Just like me after another training session with a swim in the lake.” “O-oh!.. Nighty, you’re kidding, aren’t you?..” Eyes of my friend were filled with panic, behind which carefully hid laughter. “It’s awful! I’m in the castle! What if I meet His Grace Prince Blueblood? Or… Or Her Highness Princess Celestia herself?!..” “I can smooth it out with my hoof, spitting on it to be sure.” I suggested. “It works for me.” “W… What?!.. Don’t you even think of that, Nightmare!.. It’s monstrous!.. Did you really?!.. Oh, Celestia!..” The securely held fashionista tried to recoil back. The panic in her eyes was now real. “I’m getting the hang of it now, so it’s pretty neat…” I couldn’t hold it, so I feigned perplexity on my face. “You’re kidding!..” The unhappy mare whined, making her brows like a house. “Nightmare!.. You can’t be as sloppy as Applejack! I… Well, I understand that she can be forgiven for a little sloppiness in some situations, but you live in a palace, not a farm!” I was poked accusingly in the chest with a masterfully trimmed and varnished hoof. “And you, as a decent lady, simply should not allow yourself to walk like that!” “It’s okay…” The unicorn’s pressure was a bit unnerving. “And anyway, we were talking about your hair, so…” “So!” The milliner stomped her hoof on the carpet and slipped out of my embrace with a stern look, foreshadowing the verdict: “Where’s the spa here?” Jokes have ended, I guess……
M-m… The touches to the right wing, whose feathers were sensitively and carefully put in order by professional movements of the spa pony, were, surprisingly, even pleasant, though usually other people’s hooves on their wings were somehow unnerving. Maybe because I was worked on by a pony with wings as well, who had a good idea what and how — I don’t know. I could hardly stop myself from twitching my leg at the unexpected tickle: the second one was working on my hind left hoof. “I’m sorry, mistress.” “It’s okay.” I suppressed the urge to wave it off: immobility was desirable for the procedure. The entire body, where the fur was present, was covered with a thick cream mask, giving a feeling of pleasant heat. Another dozen or dozen and a half minutes more — the girls will have ended their job with wings and hooves — and it can be erased, as they said. I sighed, relaxing on the couch. Ni-i-ice… What great masters Tia has found for herself, ay… Yes, the team that was working on me and Rar was a guest team, from the sun wing of the palace — Luna didn’t have her own specialists, except for the usual fetch-and-clean maids and kitchen staff. A couple of hairdressers and stylists were there to fix her mane and tail, but they were thestrals, so I preferred to manage my hair on my own, until the case became very messy… Yes, it makes me nervous, damn it, when the Luna’s mice wield barber scissors, sharp as a stiletto, in the uncomfortable proximity of my neck! I had to organize all this, of course, but under my friend’s heavy stare, I was able to find and call, and I didn’t get any questions in return. My own title and the status, that Luna has given me, were more than weighty arguments. The title, yeah… Damn it, who asked you, dumbass?.. The massage was given to us by a stallion, a bit of a narcissistic type with a funny two-color white-red mane, arranged in a fashionable hairdo, and with heterochromia — the left eye is blue, the right one is green. Rar was flirting with him with all her heart, and he was responding willingly, though not crossing the line, while I was watching and commenting, which the pony ignored where he could, obviously afraid of me… We had a good time, all in all. And then this miracle, having ended with Rarity, came up to me with apprehension and asked if Her Grace is ready?.. I was ready to kick that parrot right to the pool, when I saw eyes of my friend, which began to widen in silent shock… He rat me out in such a way — and rat me out to such a person! To Rarity, who had a great admiration for nobility, titles, and authority in some areas! Rarity was eloquently silent when I was getting massage. As a matter of fact, she is still a little… She was in such an awe, that she couldn’t even breathe steadily. “Lady Nightmare, we’ve done it. And you can erase the mask. Let me rub your eyelids…” A sponge went across my face and closed eyes. “Here, now you can open your eyes.” “Thanks.” I squinted briefly until my long-closed eyes got used to the light, and reluctantly scraped myself off the couch. Damn, I don’t want to get up, ay… Rarity started to stand up in the same way. “Should I help you to take a bath?” The eldest earthpony in the group asked, whom I mentally nicknamed “Zabava” because of her white and pink coloring, in honor of the ice cream — she was very much in color — when I approached my friend. “I don’t think so. We’ll manage ourselves.” I answered, briefly exchanging glances with Rar. “I see.” “Zabava” nodded, her face a little bit red, for some reason. “Then call us when you’re ready — we’ll brush your teeth, apply polish, and do your hair and makeup.” After bowing briefly to me, the spa pony crew left the room in what seemed to me to be a bit of a hurry, leaving me and Rarity alone. The best environment to talk. “Let’s go?” I nodded towards something like either a big hot tub or a small pool. “And, Rar… If you call me “Grace” or make a bow — I’ll be offended.” “As you wish, lady Nightmare.” She answered with a stone expression. “I hope you’re joking?” “Of course, darling.” The unicorn sighed, giving me a bit indignant gaze. “You could have told about it, Your Grace.” I rolled my eyes sorrowfully. Having washed off the vanilla-colored gel that has already begun to thicken, under an artificial waterfall — and shivering from the cold after getting rid of this mass that worked as a thermos — I hurriedly climbed into the warm water. Rar, alien to the sense of beauty, did not wait for the release of the warm waterfall and washed the mask in the old way — with a shower. Or she was just warming herself under it — I don’t know… Diving for a few seconds — to chase away the cold from my head — I tried to get to the edge in the usual “hands on the edge” position, but quickly gave up the idea and sat down like a pony, leaving only my head sticking out above the water — it was cold, damn it! I’m freezing after all this stuff… I fought and fought back, but I couldn’t stop Rarity, so after surrendering — do what you want — I relaxed and tried to enjoy myself. Well, at least my fur will be soft and silky now… I stroked my chest thoughtfully with my wrist. Well… Underwater is the usual. Although the ponies are really cool and plush to the touch. It’s even cool to pet myself, and when it comes to Rar, for example… I sighed, dipping my head under the water again. I snorted, wiping my mane off to the side. The last time I cried like that was probably when I was a kid, when I accidentally broke my favorite mug… Although, lately it’s not uncommon for me to do that at all. I could have been ashamed of myself, crying is not the right thing to do for an elder… But I was not ashamed of it at all. Even tough grown-ups, who face death every day, cry. Not from pain or fear, of course, but from joy and relief, from the understanding that they were not abandoned and they are needed and important to someone… And the further I got, the more I caught myself in the fact that I was scared of being alone. Not literally, that alone in a room, there, but in general. That everyone who is important to me would turn their back on me and leave. And the rebuttal to this, that it’s a no — I’m not forgotten, not abandoned — it was not even a stone from my soul — it was… I do not know even. And what will I do with my immortality when my friends start to leave?.. I’ll get over it somehow. I’ve lost before, all at once. When I left myself… I dove in again. No more thinking. I admired the mane, floating in the clear water, and ducked out. Rar was still splashing under the shower. What is she doing in there? She’s washing her hair — sure as hell. I should do that, too, by the way. I got to the edge and sat down in the familiar position, with my forelegs on it. Damn, it’s still cold! Okay, I’ll be patient — I’m tired of only one pose, I want to change it… I relaxed — as much as I could, because I wanted to shiver from the cold — and looked around at the local splendor, designed for self-care. There was everything here for spa treatments: a bathhouse, a steam bath, looks like a hammam, and a swimming pool with a beautiful artificial waterfall cascading down into it… They were not stingy with waterfalls — they were small decorative ones, and one flowed into the pool, and there, into the bathroom… I moved to the wall and stuck my head under the stream of warm water. M-m, nice-e… After a bit of lying around, I went back out again. There were also a couple of waterfalls just so I could get under them — one is warm and the second one is cold. The second one would be a fire after the steam bath… Of course, there was a shower. There were tiles on the floor, but serious ones, like a meter across, I guess. And the design is also cool — with an underwater theme: blue and light blue colors, the decor of shells, corals, and colored pebbles, “wavy” glass on the windows, creating the illusion of sunlight, penetrating through the water… Great. “N-nighty! Is water there w-warm?” Rarity, finally having done with the shower, peeked out from under it and asked in a slightly shaky voice “Yeah. Get in, enough of this shower!” I waved my front leg invitingly. The unicorn, head pressed into her shoulders, hurried across the tile and into the bowl beside me. She ducked and emerged, finding a step for a shorter than alicorn pony, and sat down, just as I had a little earlier, leaving only her head above the surface. She tried — unsuccessfully — to blow away the wet strands of mane sticking to her forehead, and twitched her ear in frustration. She smiled a little shyly when I lit the horn and moved it with magic. “Been washing head?” “Yes. And you should follow suit!” “Where’d I go?” “Who knows, Your Grace…” “Listen, don’t sulk, ay? I became aware of this like right now.” “Sorry, Nighty. It’s… Just surprising a bit. You and I communicate in such a way, that sometimes I don’t think of you as an alicorn and Nightmare Moon at all.” The unicorn sighed. “And don’t you dare to, Ice Cream.” I smiled at the friend’s a bit indignant gaze. “I think it should be even forbidden in every case And if I didn’t tell you before, it was only for fear of losing that very casualness. So, no “Graces”, okay? Please.” “Only when joking.” Rar smiled and, being silent for a while, suddenly giggled, covering her mouth with a hoof. “You’ve been looking at the aristocracy as if looking at some tastelessness, and now you have a title yourself!..” “Yeah, I liked this turn as well.” I hummed. “But by the modern laws, having wings and a horn simultaneously is punished by a title. I thought, that you may know about it — I won’t believe in you starting a business and not examining the laws.” “I did, of course, but not everything — only about my field of work.” The unicorn shook her head and seemed to try to pull her head back into her shoulders. “Get under the waterfall.” I nodded at the stream of water for the freezing friend. “It’s warm and cool.”…
“…I won’t put on!” “You have worn this, and you liked it a lot — what has changed, Nightmare?” “You needed help back in the day.” I grumbled under my breath, looking askew at the dress, accurately put on the bed. The third, from that show, was my… no, not my “favorite,” of course, but… Well, “most impressive,” that is. I reflexively remembered how the fabric was tight around my body, how my footsteps rumbled on the stage, how the crowd roared with delight, literally bathing me in admiration and glee… I hurriedly yanked my foot away, finding, that I was carefully, almost lovingly smoothing out the folds on the silky expensive fabric with my hoof. My cheeks were treacherously warm. “And now you have to have a good time, relax and get pleasured.” “And how it would help me?” I tried to nod towards the apple of our discord with a chuckle. It was… Not convincing. “I think, that someone, darling, is trying to deny the obvious.” Rarity chuckled, arching a brow. “I’m sorry, but even the most rustic redneck could see how much you enjoyed the stares and the attention, that were tied to you. And if we’re going to walk through the palace, your dress will be perfect for that; believe me, Nighty, no unassuming guard and no unsophisticated maid will be left untouched! And Prince himself will be all the more impressed and enchanted! His Grace must be an exquisite connoisseur and a great expert on beauty!” The unicorn put her wrist to her forehead demonstratively. “And I’m even willing to sacrifice some of his attention to you, so I don’t have to shine alone!..” I sighed. Clung to me like hell, damn! Rar, damn it, you have to know when enough is enough! I already went to the spa, in many ways — for you! It’s not that I didn’t like it myself at all, but… No, it was not for me anyway! And Ice Cream, in addition to the weekend outfit to the palace for herself, brought those dresses, that she sewed for the show on me as well — “my” somehow does not sound like an eligible word, damn it — all eight! And now she was trying hard to dress me up, damned one, pressing on the “sore” — on other people’s admiration, which I happened to help her myself about half an hour ago… I managed to blurt out — in response to an unobtrusive question about Blueblood — that I know him, and we even communicated a little… Prince came to Luna the other day, so he stopped by to pay his respects to the noble, damn me, lady as well. I nodded in response and hoped to part on that, but Prince, as it turned out, brought a gift “for acquaintance”: an ultra-modern technological innovation — a fountain pen! A solid one, of representation class, in a solid metal case, with gilding… The ink inside, however, has not been invented yet… Or it have never been in fountain pens?.. A-a, I don’t have a clue… But I asked about it, Prince became excited with the idea and somehow, word by word, we started to talk, chatting about all sorts of technology and science more than an hour, and parted satisfied with each other and with an invitation from this fan of progress and technology to give me a tour of the palace museum. Well, anyway — I said without a backward glance that I know Blusy, for which I was immediately attacked by the look of the cat from Shrek and tactful probing to introduce him. I tried to refuse unobtrusively at first, but, unable to find a strong enough argument, I quickly deflated and just suggested that we go to the museum together in the Prince’s company. This is where Rarity’s eyes began to burn… Going! Between ponies! Across the castle! To Prince! Like that?! “The first communication with His Grace was when we were sitting on the floor in the corridor, disheveled and dazed.” I muttered. “Nothing bad happened to his sense of beauty after that…” My voice gradually died down under the gaze of my friend, which made it crystal clear, that I had said something wrong. “Nightma-a-are!” Rar managed to stand on her haunches and grab her head with her front legs for a few moments. “It’s awful!!! You!.. You have hopelessly ruined your first impression of yourself! His Grace, as a true gentlecolt and simply a well-bred stallion, of course, said nothing to you, but!.. But!.. How could you-u?!” The unicorn moaned, putting a hoof on her face helplessly. “I… I’m…” I mumbled, struggling to straighten my ears, which have reflexively folded under my friend’s frantic pressure, trying to pull my thoughts together. “Calm down, Rarity…” The unicorn panted. “It’s still possible to fix everything!” I swallowed involuntarily, meeting the gaze of her dangerously narrowed pupils. “Put on! Immediately!” “Rar, what are you…” “Or I will go to Her Highness Princess Luna and fall at her feet and beg her tearfully to forbid the guards to let you out of your chambers without a dress!” Stepping to me dangerously, the mare stomped her hoof on the carpet, glaring at me with a kind of manic stare. Reflexively, I retreated a few steps and froze, thinking feverishly. The threat wasn’t that insignificant. Rarity’s ability to burst into tears and affect Luna was something I believed in. And if Luna tell the thestrals to do something, they will do it despite getting mowed down. And if I go off on Luna for it — it’d be a very hard time to make peace with Rarity, if she gets the wind of it… “I’m sorry if I overreacted, Nighty.” The unicorn hit the breaks a bit. “If you want — we can show ourselves to Her Highness Princess Luna. I’m sure she’d like your beauty… And would get jealous. Especially if she sees how others are looking at me!” “It was a forbidden method!” I became indignant at the friend’s smile, shaking my head. “Abyss with all of you. Gimme the dress…” “Your dress.” This… This snake emphasized it with her voice. “Mine is waiting in the baggage. And… I’m happy, that you agreed.” I burned her silently with my gaze, and reluctantly lit my horn. The satin fabric slid down my fur in a pleasantly cool wave, a slight tightness settling on my back, a light tickle rolled down my hind legs because of the hem… “Wa-ait… Here. “It’s ready!” Rarity proclaimed as she finished her ritual dance of smoothing out the folds and blowing away the dust around me. “The hair, unfortunately, does not match perfectly, but otherwise… I like it.” The milliner smiled. “And your hooves look even more wonderful with it.” I, curving my fore leg, stared at the beauty, that stylists put on me once more. I was not at all inspired by the idea of painting the hooves, but I wanted them to finish everything quickly, and I was too bored to argue, so I just asked them to do something discreet, if they were going to do it. As a result, my “fingernails” were now covered with a transparent varnish with small glitter, which shimmered on a black background like a miniature night sky in the light. And, honestly — I couldn’t say that I didn’t like the result, even though I was wary of the night sky and had some unpleasant associations with it. After turning my head and noting that there was no mirror in the living room, I moved towards the bedroom. I still wanted to see the result… Rar followed me. Yeah… The dress, made just for me, with the colors carefully matched to me, looked like I was going to put everyone in awe. And the hooves were really on point… Beautiful, damn! And if with the unfolded wings — head’s spinning!.. “You’re a wonderful pony, darling.” I turned around at the slightly mocking voice of my friend, who, after putting aside the paper airplane I have not had time to straighten and clean up, came towards me. “It amazes me how fiercely you are sometimes ready to fight what you like.” “Or maybe it’s just a healthy abstinence from temptation?” I mumbled. What do you understand!.. “Healthy abstinence from temptation”, Nighty — it’s when you don’t eat after six in the evening! As you may noticed, I’m very uncontrolled…” Rar stated with a sigh. “And being beautiful is not a temptation! It’s a duty! Well, if you’re not doing hard physical labor on a farm in the hot Sun… But even that’s no reason to walk around like that all the time! Besides, you like to shine and attract attention yourself.” Yes, but… Damn, Rar! Fucking hell with you! “And you… Nighty, there was so few of happy moments in your life.” Drooping, the unicorn touched the carpet uncertainly. “And you definitively deserve at least some happiness and joy. If being beautiful and shining are what make you happy, then do not refuse, please.” Damn you, ay!.. “Sorry if I’m poking my nose into not my affairs, Nightmare.” Rar smiled palely, lifting her head. “I just want you to be happy. And it looks like we have to go out soon if we don’t want to be late for the meeting, and I’m not dressed yet! Would you help me?” I nodded silently and followed my friend’s hurried pace. Damn you……
The fabric slid against my fur, making me wince for a moment. I arched my wings slightly, letting Rar gently pull the dress off me. The visit was… interesting. On our way out of the night wing, we were unobtrusively approached by an escort of a couple of thestrals. At first these blockheads tried to shoo Rar away from me, but a wing hug and an eloquent look convinced the idiots of their wrongness. I’ll tell Luna about their behavior, and I’ll make sure they get a kick under their asses! Damned morons… In any case, the walk through the palace was quite inspiring. Nobody dropped their jaws for the sake of decorum and did not applause, but those looks!.. A mixture of fear and admiration, when the next pony comes to a standstill, unable to decide whether to run or admire!.. I did not notice how my initially frowning face broke into a wide smile, and my posture and walk became like that time on the podium… The only thing that spoiled the mood a little was that I got out of my temporary lair “into the ponies”, into the main part of the palace. I didn’t want to remind Tia of my existence, damn it! And now there would probably be a lot of chatter about me that wouldn’t get past her… Alas, when I remembered that, it was too late to change anything, anyway. Prince met us at the museum’s entrance. He didn’t pay much attention to Rar, though, as he seemed to lose all his initial polite interest once he found out she wasn’t a noble. So he took no further attempts to talk or flirt with her, and took her compliments for granted. In the end, the very impressive exhibit in general and one of the newest models of the steam engine in particular received far more attention from the two of us than the obviously somewhat disappointed unicorn. I noticed this and tried to be a little supportive, casually mentioning that the dress, which had impressed Prince, was her work, but it didn’t seem to change anything in his eyes. In any case, Blueblood had a good tongue, a competent speech, and a burning passion for the subject at hand, so I enjoyed my visit to the museum as a whole. But the fact, that Rarity was clearly not particularly interested, and that Prince, for whom she had come, was looking at her like a piece of furniture, was a little uncomfortable and awkward. After the museum, I hesitated and accepted Blueblood’s offer to dine — and, honestly, it was hard to tell if that was a good thing or a bad thing… Apart from the fact that I had to use all my little knowledge of etiquette to avoid screwing up — I don’t know why, but in front of Rar, a screwup in such a case seemed like a disaster-Blueblood, who had made an exclusively positive impression before, showed himself like in the canon: the unicorn looked at the servants, the guards, and most importantly, Rarity, like mold, and behaved accordingly, as if in all seriousness he did not consider anyone who did not have at least a title to be his equal. The aristocratic snob to the core… After the unicorn’s attack on one of the servants, who allegedly did something wrong, I completely disliked his company. I’m not without sin myself, but… Shit… Prince, you can look at anyone like a pile of shit, but quietly and in thought! And not at Rar in any case, because this is where the chance of backfire is the most for you! At this point, my friend and I had to bow out as quickly as propriety would allow. We went back in unpleasant silence, occasionally diluted with one-word phrases. It had all started so well, ay… The mood was lightened by the need to meet with Luna, to coordinate the small dining room with her — Prince has tried, but he could not spoil our appetite, and we didn’t eat at all… It was worth it to look in the eyes of the blue one, watching me with admiration and a little envy. You could have become like this, Luna — with my help! And now you’re nobody, and they do not pay you a tenth of the attention that is directed to me, although it was you who craved it so much!.. I only realized I’d gotten carried away when Luna and Rarity began discussing the possibility of ordering. Damn horse! You don’t deserve it! In the end, I left Luna in a sagging mood and an increased desire to eat something, unlike Rar, who was clearly inspired by the idea of a new order, and at such a high level, too. She even tried to reassure me, that Her Highness has been modest, ordering about the same thing what I’m wearing, and not even now — only when they’d time to take the measurements, but it’s not much of a reassurance. Catching myself thinking that I definitely needed a new dress, one that Luna wouldn’t have, I shook my head in an effort to shake it off and preferred to curl my thoughts and recent memories back to reality. Oh, man, that’s exactly the kind of idea I needed, yeah… I glanced thoughtfully at Rar, who, during my stupor, had freed me from the captivity of beauty and was now placing the removed dress on the ponikin, pedantically smoothing out the slightest creases. There was a special run for them, by the way: the idea of simply putting the dresses somewhere or hanging them in a closet had driven the milliner into superstitious terror. So now she was carefully decorating the ponikin with the dress in my bedroom, and an army of seven other ponikins beauties occupied half the living room outside the door… Though I think I have a dressing room here — I don’t remember exactly… If I do — I’ll put them all there later. “Will you stay until tomorrow?” I finally decided to break the silence, though already guessing the answer. “Alas, Nighty.” The unicorn shook her head sadly and confirmed my unhappy expectations as she straightened another crease she could see and turned around. “I’d very like to, but there’s no way to stay until tomorrow. I’m leaving tonight. I’m so sorry. I’d really like to stay…” “It’s fine. You just… Well, just stop by if an occasion appears. Thanks for coming and…” I hesitated and stared at my own hooves, dimly sparkling with little stars. “Thanks in general. Honestly — you saved me. I don’t know how much longer I would have lasted like that…” “Would you tell me?” Rarity looked in my eyes, coming closer quietly. “If I can’t help, I can at least listen to you…” “There’s nothing to tell, really…” I waved away and cringed, sitting down on the floor. “Sometimes i just want to die from loneliness and boredom… I’m sitting here alone, there’s no one to talk to. To just chat, you know? Not about the study, or another study, or a third study and not about some problems, but just like that, about everything and nothing! Like with Blueblood. But I don’t want to talk with him anymore…” “Yes…” Rarity drooped. “I didn’t expect him to be so… arrogant and impudent! What a disgusting way he scolded that old butler! In front of everyone!.. Good ponies don’t do that!” “Agree. But the good ones… Well, you’re here now. If you leave, there won’t be any.” “You are flattering me, darling.” The unicorn became embarrassed. “And you’re blatantly neglecting the others!” “If only… You’ve seen the night guards and the thestrals. They act like there’s nothing but enemies and saboteurs around. Cool war dogs, yeah… I can’t chat with the teachers. You’ve seen Bluesy.” The mare couldn’t hold a chuckle, hearing such a term. “And you had the opportunity to check him. By the way, how are you after… This?” I looked at my friend with sympathy, making an indefinite gesture. She was literally dreaming of meeting him… “Absolutely and completely disappointed.” Rarity sighed. “I thought he was supposed to be a role model, and… I don’t know what I expected. Not that.” She frowned irritably, digging her hoof into the floor. “Well, don’t worry about it, darling. I just need to… think for a while. Not right now, of course. And by the way, you didn’t mention Her Highness Princess Luna on your list.” “Did I have to?” I sniffed. “As the saying goes, 'ponies are divided into good, bad, and Luna, ' so let her fall down the hill. And that’s pretty much it.” I said with a sigh. “I want to go home, and you don’t know how much.” “Nighty.” Rar looked at me with a reproach. “Sorry for this unpopular opinion for you, but Her Highness Princess Luna certainly did not make a negative impression on me. She was very nice, and, by the way, very enthusiastically supported my request to come and provided it as quickly and to the highest standard as possible!” “Now she’ll get out of her skin to… Anyway… How did you get here in the first place? And why?” I tried to change the subject, but judging by the sharp stare, my words were noticed and remembered. Damn it. “I missed you.” Unicorn lowered her gaze with a smile. “Pinkie and Sweetie did really want to see you as well. And Scootaloo as well. But… With so ill-timed schedule, Pinkie had gone to visit her family at the stone farm, and taking our sweetie pair into the castle — Apple Bloom would have asked to get along as well… No. I’m afraid the scale of the disaster of their stay in the palace might be overwhelming to Equestria.” Rar chuckled and shook her head. “I haven’t had the heart to do so. But, of course, all of them — as well as Fluttershy, Applejack, Bulk, Aloe, Lotus, and many others send you a huge friendly greeting and wish you all the best. And a big, big hug!” The unicorn giggled and gently wrapped her legs around my neck, resting her head on my shoulder. I wrapped my wings around her in return with pleasure, feeling the perfect and glorious softness of her and my own fur, and the warmth of my friend’s words. “Someone even had time to write to you to give it to me. Remind me if I forget to give you the letters, okay?” “Even so? I’ll surely do!” I smiled. “And by the way, Nightmare, greetings and apologizes were sent by the one you wouldn’t believe! Twilight!” “Twi?” “I wouldn’t believe it, really… “What happened to her?” “Some letter from Princess Cadence, as I understood it from her story. After that, Twilight took it upon herself to reread all of Her Highness Princess Celestia’s letters and compile statistics to analyze them — and found some oddities and discrepancies… I’m not sure exactly; Twilight didn’t really want to talk about it and tried to switch to me and Applejack rather than ruin our first slumber party together, but she did whisper to me to tell you her sincere regret for her inappropriate behavior in a letter or in a meeting.” I wonder if… if the nerd had known Tia intimately for a long time, would she have noticed, at Cadence’s suggestion and with some hints, the change in her beloved mentor’s behavior? In fact, I had, even though I’ve known Princess for a much shorter period of time. To be honest, Tia, from that conversation we had, was frankly frightening. She seems to be the same, she seems to be trying to keep up the mark, so to speak — and still every now and then something slips through, something not good and, most importantly — uncharacteristic… I heard one of the servants from across the palace gossip, that she held a military review recently. For the first time in this generation… And Luna and Cadence were complaining about Celestia’s increased paranoia. That’s because I thought of a Russian roulette analogy with a revolver that was constantly being reloaded — the future is not so bright. “…?” Rarity tried to wriggle out of my stiffened embrace. “Yeah…” I let the unicorn thoughtlessly and shivered, coming back to my senses. “What, sorry?..” “Is everything okay, Nighty?” She repeated her question with unrest in her eyes. I stared at the floor gloomily. A-a, abyss… Let this thing go in hell, ay… “Do you want an honest answer? Why the fuck should be everything good here?.. Things are bad to the point of astonishment…” I waved away wistfully. “Damn it. I have no bloody idea what I’m supposed to do — and that’s with every kicking minute working against us! Tia is holding on, but she won’t last long — this, let Luna pull me on her horn, is clear from half a glance!” Rarity gave me a look of fierce reproach and blushed. “I haven’t even been able to get into the dream world yet, and she might go ripper tomorrow! Or even already, right now! Well, Luna was able to get in, but claims she doesn’t have the strength for much. And you know what solution she’s proposing?” I poked my hoof towards my friend. “Give her the chance to get into my head! Nice one, yeah? And, like, show me everything and let me feel it, so that, then, I could do it myself!” I looked around for something to drink. “To my uninitiated eye, it doesn’t seem like such a disgusting idea… What do you dislike about it so much?” I whipped my tail irritably, finding that both the decanter on the bedside table and the glass, forgotten on the window sill, were sadly empty, I cringed irritably, twitched my ear, and turned my gaze to my stupid friend. “What do you think? I have no idea what she’ll do in my head! Luna’s a great storyteller: “I won’t do anything bad, I will do only good, I’m not Sombra!”. Damn her!.. I’ve lost myself before, and…” I waved hopelessly into space, and, looking around dejectedly, wandered to the bed, where I collapsed with my feet tucked under me and my face on the bedspread. I don’t know what to do… “Nighty…” Rar, with a sigh, walked over and, dropping to the floor, rested her head on the edge of the bed across from mine, eye to eye. We fell silent. I don’t know what my friend was thinking — I was just admiring her sapphire eyes, framed by the long, beautiful lashes, that were now so close. Her breath even slightly disturbed the short fur on the tip of my nose… “You have read Luna’s letters.” Rarity stated, lifting her head. I reflexively tried to feign a nod, but when it didn’t work — just blinked. “You spared her life then, and now you’ve been living side by side with her for about a month. Hasn’t your attitude towards her improved at all, and hasn’t the least bit of trust developed? You don’t have to answer me, Nightmare.” The unicorn shook her head as much as she could when I parted my lips. “Answer to yourself. Weigh it, think about it, and answer, answer honestly.” Rar, slowing, got up, looking at me from top down. “And then you would be able to make your own decision.” “You understand so much, yeah!..” I twitched with my wings indignantly, getting up. “How come?” “Because I talk to you a lot, and I’ve talked to Luna, and I’ve seen you talk to each other, albeit just a bit. And… I won’t tell you anything else, Nighty. I’m sorry. I’m afraid you won’t accept my arguments, so accept your own. Just… be honest with yourself. Okay?” The uncomfortable silence was broken by the ringing of the bell — they came. The servants, it seems: to report that our under-dinner and over-supper is ready… There was no appetite at all. “Be honest with yourself,” you say?.. Maybe I don’t want to?…