The Prophecy

After a drink and a brief friendly chat with Gilda, I left her room and headed back to mine. But I had barely gone a couple of yards when one of the nurses intercepted me and asked me to come to the break room for a talk. «I wonder what she wants from me?», — I thought as I followed the mare. — «Is she really about to scold me for not staying in my room and wandering around the hospital instead? Weird» The white unicorn, dressed in a white medical coat with a light blue mane, nodded invitingly toward the door, letting me go in first before entering herself. We found ourselves in a small room with couches, coffee makers, water coolers, and a small table covered with newspapers. — Now I can finally talk to you, — She began, sitting down in an armchair near me. — We're grateful to you for helping us handle that griffiness, but you do know what kind of injury she has, right? — I take it it's a traumatic brain injury? — I asked in return, sitting down on the floor across from the large armchair. — Exactly, — My companion nodded. — She's tough, but she may develop serious problems with how she perceives the world around her. She doesn't notice it now, but the prognosis from our neurologist, Oak Heart, isn't encouraging. I raised my «brows» in mild surprise. — You mean she could start having hallucinations? — I asked again, lowering my gaze. «I only just became friends with her, and I've already left her with a «gift» like that for the rest of her life. Damn!» At that moment, I felt a sharp stab of guilt in my chest and grimaced. — That's not out of the question, — The nurse sighed in reply. — And one more thing: could you please not stitch up a fresh wound again if something like this happens in the future? We had to cut the stitches back open, wait, excise the damaged tissue, and only then stitch it up again. It just creates more work for us. At that, I remembered the training program I'd gone through as a medical worker back on Earth and mentally smacked myself in the forehead. «You can't put permanent stitches on a fresh wound until you've removed the necrotic tissue! How could I forget that? In emergencies, only temporary sutures or Steri-Strips are acceptable. Minor wounds can usually be stitched up on the spot, but not one like Gilda's. Half her head was damaged, if I remember right. If I'd hit her any harder, it could've turned into an open skull wound. Fuck!» — Fine. I'll keep that in mind, — I said dryly after a short pause. — The important thing is that I at least did something, and Gilda's relatively okay. — You better should think first and act afterward next time, — The unicorn said with a frown, looking at me. — We already have enough patients as it is, and now we have to take in griffins too. You'd go crazy like that. The nurse said it with disgust, putting emphasis on the word «griffins». I snorted, understanding exactly what she was getting at. «She's starting to piss me off. I hate being criticized unfairly, and I especially hate racism. I can see how disgusted you are by griffins, you half-trained nurse». — Maybe that's enough criticism? — I growled, stepping toward the unicorn. I practically loomed over her, making her shrink into a trembling white ball on the spot. — That's not all you wanted to talk to me about, is it? The nurse swallowed convulsively and nodded several times. Her eyes were frozen with sheer terror at the sight of me, and she hurried to add: — Um... — The nurse gulped, looking at me fearfully. — Y-yes, yes, I did. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend anyone! I stepped back and sat down in my place again, giving her a chance to catch her breath. — So what is it, then? — I asked, looking at her questioningly. — Well… — She hesitated, still watching me with some apprehension. — Have you had medical experience before? — Let's just say I have. — That's obvious. Would you be able to stop by in a few days and help us with one of our patients? We're short on hoofs. Of course, after you're discharged from the hospital. — I'll stop by, — I replied with a relieved smile and a sigh. «Well, that ended on a good note, and that's what matters»

***

Two days later, I was discharged from the hospital. That very evening, I went back to the doctors to offer my help. As it turned out, they needed an assistant for surgery. All I had to do was hand over instruments, wipe off excess blood, and help the specialist surgeon with their work. It wasn't hard, even though the operation lasted a few hours. In the end, they thanked me, gave me a basket of candy as payment for the job, and let me go. Heading home from the hospital, my mind went back to what had happened almost a week ago. It was hard to believe I managed to withstand the Ursa Minor's blows, but the facts spoke for themselves. She tossed me around, slammed me, and beat me, and I still managed to do some damage to her. Yeah, it was laughable, and I never really stood a chance, but still. I also couldn't stop thinking about the ability I had suddenly discovered in a moment of crisis: the power to cast a psionic shield. If I hadn't reacted in time, the foal could have died. But I almost died myself in the process. I still shuddered at the thought of the pain I endured back then. I wanted to believe that someday I'd be able to cast it without experiencing that kind of agony again. Lost in thought, I didn't even notice I had reached my front door. Just as I was about to open it, I heard the pitter-patter of little feet behind me, followed by Spike's voice: — Stevrian, wait! I turned around and looked at the little reptile. I noticed him running toward me, panting and stumbling. — What happened, Spike? — I asked, a hint of concern in my voice. He was in such a hurry, it seemed like an emergency. But as it turned out, my worries were unfounded: Spike had just come out of curiosity, but he was afraid he'd miss me. — I just wanted to talk to you, — The little dragon began, trying to catch his breath as he stopped next to me. — What happened to you that night? I just chuckled and decided to answer his question with a question: — Do you remember when I told you to lead the townsfolk out of the city? — Yeah, I remember, — The purple dragon nodded. — What do you think could have happened for the Ursa to already be in town by the time you got back, with several buildings almost completely destroyed? — Oh! — Was all Spike could manage to squeeze out, lowering his head. But then he suddenly looked up at me with a worried expression. — Were you hurt that badly? — You could say that, considering I ended up in the hospital, — I said, rubbing my head with my leg and taking a deep breath. — Ah, come on, don't worry, — I added reassuringly. — It's nothing terrible, I'm already back on my feet. Luna helped me recover. — I was really worried, but I'm glad you're okay, — The little dragon sighed in relief, genuinely happy about my recovery. Mentally, I noted his concern in a positive light. But then I remembered how Spike had managed to evacuate the whole town in such a short time, and I decided to ask him about it: — By the way, how did you get all the ponies out of town? I was gone for maybe fifteen minutes, and look what you managed to pull off. Twilight's assistant thought for a moment, then raised a finger and declared: — I told them Princess Celestia herself was arriving on the outskirts of town for a visit. — And they believed you? — I asked, my eyes wide with surprise. — Yep! I definitely liked that. «Spike turned out to be pretty sharp and resourceful! Even I wouldn't have thought of that» — That's brilliant! — I said, genuinely amazed, and gently patted Spike on the head. — Good job! — Well yeah, I try! — The little dragon giggled, smiling a bit sheepishly. — You're a real hero too, you know. You saved the town and kept everyone from getting hurt! I just shrugged and looked around. It was a nice, sunny day; the birds were singing, the creek was babbling, and the wind was rustling the green leaves on the trees. There were no signs of new trouble or problems, so I was definitely in the mood for a simple, friendly chat. I opened the door and nodded, inviting Spike inside. He happily took the offer. Once inside, our conversation continued: — I don't know about being a hero. But you didn't let them get hurt, so there! I pointed a hoof at the little dragon and continued: — You're the one who led the townsfolk away. They didn't suspect a trick? — I prepared a scroll with text in advance. When we got there, after maybe five minutes, I breathed fire and tossed the scroll out of my bag. Nobody even noticed the deception. The little dragon smirked, puffing out his chest, clearly proud of his sharp wit and ability to improvise. — You did great, Spike. I knew I could count on you! — Oh, it was nothing! — The reptile waved it off with a giggle. — I just did what I had to do. «I've heard that somewhere before. You sound exactly like someone I know who downplays his achievements the exact same way» With a pang of nostalgia, I remembered a friend of mine from Earth who used to help me out a lot. To hide my emotions, I stepped into the kitchen for a bit and made sandwiches once again. I levitated half of them over to Spike, and for a while, we just snacked in silence. After some time, the purple dragon spoke up again, glancing at me curiously: — How's Gilda doing? — She seems alright, — I shrugged. — She's on the mend, even cursing a bit. I chuckled, remembering our conversation about how pampered the ponies of Equestria were. — She's a meanie, — The little dragon snorted resentfully. — She almost killed my sister, and I'll never forgive her for that! — You don't have to, — I shrugged again. — I think less of her after all this too, but at least she regrets the whole situation. — Regrets it?! — Spike suddenly flared up, clenching his fists. — She actually dares to regret it after what she pulled?! «Okay. Easy now, easy!» — Yeah, — I nodded, trying to figure out how to keep Spike from getting any angrier. — According to their code, she was supposed to challenge Fluttershy or her champion to a fight so she wouldn't tarnish her honor, but in the end... — Challenge to a fight?! — The little dragon interrupted me, practically fuming with anger. The young reptile's eyes flashed furiously. For a second, I thought he was about to set the house on fire. But for some reason, I found it funny rather than scary. Jokes aside, though, I decided to suppress my emotions and put on a serious face. — Well, I'm sorry. That's the griffins' code of honor. I replied to my companion, spreading my hooves wide. — What kind of nonsense is this?! — Spike's eyes widened at what he heard. — Now this stupid code is getting dragged into it too? The young reptile let out an angry growl and shook his head. — That doesn't excuse her at all! — It doesn't excuse her, you're right, — I nodded and sighed. — Well, alright. What's done is done. We stopped her, but that's just how griffins are. They're very devoted to their rules and religion. I know what I'm talking about. The purple reptile sighed heavily and finally calmed down a bit. Still, he kept ranting about Gilda and how mad he was at her for quite a while. Eventually, we switched to other topics, and I shared the contents of the basket with him, which brought Spike back to his senses and put him in a good mood. Along the way, I found out from him that the ponies in town respected Twilight a lot more now, and the mayor had given her an award for saving Ponyville from the bear. We said our goodbyes on that note, since the little dragon had to help his sister with some books. I closed the door behind him with a bit of regret. Those few hours talking with him had flown by unnoticed. «As always, the real heroes go unrecognized and unnoticed, while the one who didn't do anything gets the highest honors», I thought, finishing off my last sandwich. I wasn't bitter about it; I was just doing what I had to do to save the ponies. I still had to help rebuild the town, since Applejack had asked me to assist her with that yesterday. To do that, I needed to get a good night's sleep.

***

A few days later, the restoration work in Ponyville was finished. The morning after that, exhausted from all the heavy lifting, I decided to take a break at «Sugar Corner». I'd been there a few times already, and even though I didn't have much of a sweet tooth, I often preferred spending my time there. The atmosphere was usually cheerful and friendly — something I often lacked in my own life. Still, in reality, the pony world turned out to be nowhere near as rosy and friendly as it was painted in the animated series, but «Sugar Corner» felt like a slice of the atmosphere you'd actually expect to see in this world. «I've been here for four months now... The Month of the Sun, the Month of the Last Grain, the Month of Trade, and now the second week of the Month of Rains is coming to an end. Next is the Month of Wind, the local equivalent of October. The weather is already starting to turn sour in places, and so is my mood. But there are some interesting details. For instance, unlike in canon, pegasi hardly monitor the weather and don't interfere with the natural change of seasons. That's pretty interesting» I kept noticing more and more differences from the canon. I didn't see anything wrong with that, but it didn't inspire good thoughts either. At the same time, I was slowly walking down the streets of Ponyville, looking up at the sky and listening to the hum and clatter of passersby. — Good morning, Mr. Stevrian! — Mr. and Mrs. Cake, who were heading toward «Sugar Corner», suddenly greeted me in unison. They were two earth ponies, yellow and blue, with cupcake and cake slice cutie marks. Outwardly, they didn't look any different from how they appeared in canon, so they were highly recognizable. — Good morning to you too, — I greeted them back. — Heading to work? — Yes, we are, — The yellow stallion replied with a smile. — We got an order yesterday for several hundred kilos of baked goods, and we need to get it all done by the day after tomorrow, so it's better to start right now. Mr. Cake gently nudged his wife in the side and asked: — Am I right, dear? — Of course, darling, — The blue mare smiled broadly and rubbed her neck slightly against the stallion's. — Why so ma... — I started to ask, but I wasn't allowed to finish. Suddenly, I heard a loud male voice behind me and the clanking of armor. Turning half-way, I saw two guards from the day shift walking toward me: an earth pony and a pegasus in gilded armor. They were glaring at me sternly, clearly having some sort of issue. — Why are you walking around the city with weapons? — The earth pony guard addressed me. His voice was gruff, harsh, without a shadow of fear. He spoke in an Equestrian dialect I hadn't heard in a long time. I didn't appreciate such close attention to my person, but I didn't show my indignation. «Didn't think I'd have problems because of this. After the Ursa incident, I carry weapons on me all the time. Besides, I have a permit!» Trying to recall the pony guards I knew, I found that these two were unfamiliar to me. «I don't recognize either of them. Rookies, maybe?» — I have a permit to carry weapons, — I opened the bag on my side with telekinesis, pulled out a small paper document with a seal, and handed it to the guards. — Here it is. Both of them examined the document for a while, grunting meaningfully. Then one of them, a young stallion judging by his voice, turned to the other. — I don't recognize this seal, — The young pegasus guard noted with a smirk. — Probably a fake. The guard-earth pony just silently pulled a thin booklet from a pouch on his chest and started checking it against what was written there. He studied it with his eyes for a while, occasionally shifting his attention between the seal and the book. Finally, the stallion shook his head, as if in regret, and replied: — This is Princess Luna's seal, and it's authentic. — Seriously? — The young stallion asked, surprised. — Looks like it, — The guard nodded to his partner and, with those words, handed the documents back to me. I frowned in displeasure, deciding to teach the guards a little lesson for being so picky: — Have you heard about the Ursa attacking Ponyville not too long ago? — I asked, and answered it myself without giving the guards a chance to speak. — That's why I carry weapons, just in case. — We heard, — The pegasus replied grimly. — The whole thing was weirdᵉ. — That's your job! Why should I have to worry about protecting Ponyville? What is the Guard saying about it? This response visibly outraged the guards. Their eyes widened in surprise and indignation. The pegasus stamped his hoof in irritation on the pavement and stepped closer to me: — And who are you to be asking for information about an ongoing investigation, huh? — The guard blurted out, outright pissed off. — Investigation? — I was surprised. — For your information, I know your commander and even lived among you guys for a while! I pointed a hoof at the guards as I said this. The earth pony put a leg on his comrade's shoulder and shook his head, stopping him. — I think Shining mentioned him, — He said, then turned to me. — I think all you need to know is that the reasons for the Ursa's appearance in the city are still being determined. — Right, — I sighed deeply, never having gotten a straight answer to my question. — Fine. Carry on. Have a good patrol. The guards walked away, and I continued on my way to «Sugar Corner». For a while, nothing interesting happened, right up until I smelled burning smoke as I passed by the «Carousel» Boutique. — What smells so awful? — Rarity ran out of her home-boutique, snorting and covering her nose with a hoof. — Smoke, — I stated the obvious, looking up at the sky. The sky was rapidly being covered in dark smoke. I wondered what the cause was, but the real reason was explained by Twilight Sparkle as she walked up: — There's a dragon sleeping near the town. I already got a letter from Princess Celestia. She wrote that we mares need to go deal with this problem. I burst out laughing, drawing attention to myself. «Seriously?! Sending six not-exactly-highly-trained ponies to deal with a dragon?» Of course, I had a guess as to who would actually make it happen, but the very fact that they were being sent alone against a dangerous beast brought out an involuntary laugh. — Isn't she asking a bit too much of you? — I asked, eliciting a judgmental glare from the lavender unicorn. — Celestia is the wisest pony in Equestria and in all of world history, — Twilight told me in a reprimanding tone. — Her wisdom is not to be questioned. She wouldn't send us on a trial we couldn't handle! I coughed and hastily turned away to hide my irritation at what I'd just heard. «Oh, here comes the blind fanaticism! You've got a long way to grow, Twilight, before you realize how idiotic you look right now. I've already seen this Celestia of yours. She is far from perfect. She can be cruel and wrathful. You paint her as way too good. That's a very bad thing». At that moment, the rest of the Mane Six caught up with us. Twilight repeated the task the princess had given them, waving the letter in front of the others. I pointedly turned away and got lost in my thoughts, noting that the events happening here were out of order compared to the canon. At first, it didn't seem like it, but the sequence was already getting messed up: first parasprites, then Gilda, then Trixie and the Ursa. And now a dragon. Everything was all over the place. «I wonder, should I expect Tirek to show up before Sombra and Discord?» — I thought, noting that I wouldn't want to run into any of them. Turning back around, I noticed that the ponies had already scattered in different directions, and Twilight informed that we needed to prepare for the trek. I was already prepared: weapons in the form of a sword and daggers, and a bag where I kept all the essentials. So all I had to do was wait for the mares. An hour and a half passed before the Mane Six gathered again in the main square with hiking backpacks. When everyone was assembled, I approached them and asked to come along as a guard, which they initially disagreed with. I had to spend a long time persuading Twilight and the others, backing up my decision with the fact that I had saved ordinary ponies more than once. Besides, against a dragon, they might need my help. Eventually, under the weight of the facts, the lavender unicorn agreed and decided to add me to the roster. — Alright. You're coming too. You'll cover us. Got it? — Let's just go, — I said, glancing back up at the sky, which was already completely choked with smoke. «And one dragon did all this? Amazing! I just hope he isn't the size of a mountain?». However, our departure was delayed again, this time because of the yellow pegasus. Fluttershy, just like in canon, absolutely refused to go up the mountain, terrified of big, dangerous dragons. The Mane Six barely managed to convince her to go with them. «Phew! I actually thought we'd have to drag her by force. After all, she's the one who's supposed to help against the dragon. Hopefully, there won't be any more problems with her» We headed out of town toward the nearest mountains, where the smoke was coming from, and soon began our ascent. — It's high up here, — Applejack said when we reached the base of the mountain. — It's fine, we can do this! — You bet! — Rainbow Dash cheered up and was the first to fly up. The blue pegasus decided to scout ahead to see if there was anything dangerous up there. We stayed at the bottom and waited. Meanwhile, Twilight Sparkle was trying to figure out the map of the area. — There's supposed to be a trail there, but it's not! — Twilight looked around and shook her head in bewilderment. I chuckled and stepped closer to her, looking over her shoulder. — The map is, how should I put it, upside down, — I said, realizing Celestia's student was holding it the wrong way. — Is it? — Twilight looked at me, then back at the map. A couple of moments later, the mare let out a surprised gasp and flipped the map over. — Oh, you're right! Boy, am I silly. — Happens to the best of us, — I lightly patted her shoulder and walked on. Twilight smiled sheepishly and followed. The six of us continued our trek, while Rainbow Dash scouted the area and periodically reported on the situation. At first, nothing special happened. The climb up the mountain turned out to be much harder than shown in the canon. In reality, there were far too many steep slopes, forks in the road, and unstable ledges that required careful footing. Where the Mane Six could pass without issue, I struggled: under my weight, loose rocks crumbled, and the sound of cracking stone echoed. To safely cross the hazardous spots, we had to go one at a time and move slowly, sometimes even finding detours. At one point, I thought I caught a glimpse of a lurking mountain goat out of the corner of my eye, but it turned out to be just a large white bird that looked like an owl. It watched our movements closely and took off as soon as we passed by. In other words, even despite the smog steadily enveloping us, life was teeming up here. During our hike, I was unpleasantly surprised by Fluttershy's behavior. When we reached a small chasm that needed to be jumped or flown over, everyone, including myself, easily cleared the obstacle. Only the yellow pegasus was terrified, shivering and muttering something under her breath. — You have wings! Just fly over, that's it! — I yelled to Fluttershy, pointing at her wings. She kept hesitating and shaking her head no, which sparked frustration in me and the rest of the Mane Six. That's when Pinkie Pie stepped in to offer support. She bounced back and forth between Fluttershy and the rest of the Mane Six over the large gap like a rubber ball, cheerfully humming a little song: — Look here! It's fun and easy! Hop, skip! Hop, skip! Hop, skip! The earth pony laughed, pushing off the ground in a way that seemed unnatural, which couldn't help but catch my attention. Even in the cartoon, she jumped weirdly, pushing off with all four legs, but here, upon landing, a faint glow seemed to emanate from her hooves. And I'd bet my tail that she wasn't even touching the ground, but rather bouncing forward with a quiet pop. «Okay, there's something seriously strange going on here. She is clearly using magic, and definitely not the passive kind like other earth ponies. Now I have an even bigger urge to find out what the deal is» Encouraged by Pinkie Pie's song, the yellow pegasus finally went for the jump, but miscalculated and almost fell. It was only through Twilight Sparkle's efforts that she was pulled out of trouble and moved to the other side. I made a facehoof, mentally cursing out the pegasus for refusing to use her wings, especially since I'd seen her fly before. «I guess it's useless to ask why she didn't just fly» After that, the seven of us pressed on. For a while, we walked carefully and in silence, since there was a dangerous spot ahead where an avalanche could trigger at any moment. Twilight had warned us about it beforehand, so all conversations instantly ceased. But the moment we took a dozen steps, a piercing scream erupted from Fluttershy behind my back, who let us down here too by yelling at the top of her lungs. Applejack immediately clamped a hoof over her mouth, but the rockslide that began was impossible to stop. A massive wave of deadly rocks started crashing down on us. While the others began to panic and run around dodging the avalanche, I kept my cool and tried to guide the Mane Six out of the path of the falling stones in time. — Follow me! — I yelled to them, leading the rest. «Just got to make it in time!» The rocks kept falling and falling. The smallest ones got into my eyes and nose, while the larger ones battered my back and shoulders, but I kept running without stopping. At one point, Twilight fell behind, tripping. To put it bluntly, she was a terrible athlete. I heard her scream and turned around, horrified to see a massive boulder hurtling down right on top of the unicorn. Being twice her size, it would have easily crushed her, leaving nothing but a wet stain. «I won't let that happen!» — I decided, sprinting right toward the avalanche. I ran as fast as I could and, at the very last moment, managed to shove Twilight out of the way, using my momentum and own body weight. I couldn't stop in time, and the shockwave from the boulder crashing down right next to me sent me falling on my side and flying a couple of meters, skidding forward along the ground. But fortunately, the rockfall had almost stopped, though everything around was now covered in dust and shattered rock. Coughing and rubbing my eyes, I got to my feet and looked around. Luckily, Twilight was safe and sound. She was sitting a few dozen meters away, rubbing her head with a hoof. Her friends were also fine and helped us get up. I was swaying when I stood. I also felt significant pain in my chest and neck. — That was close! — Applejack said, breathing heavily, as I leaned on her to stand. — Good thing everyone's alive, — I replied, looking around again. The view in front of me wasn't great: the trail we'd been on was completely buried under gravel and boulders. The good news was that the path forward was clear. Besides the smoke, thick clouds of dust now filled the air for dozens of meters around us, which we were now forced to breathe. — If someone had just kept quiet, this wouldn't have happened, — Rainbow Dash said indignantly, glaring angrily at Fluttershy. She shrank into herself and sadly hung her head. — I'm sorry, — The yellow pegasus squeaked timidly and quietly. While the others were dusting themselves off and getting ready to continue, Applejack approached me again, noticing how I was wincing in pain: — Stevrian, are you alright? — Been worse, — I smiled through the pain. — You saw it yourself. — Yeah, we saw, — Applejack stepped closer and looked me in the eye, as if recalling something. — You're clearly hinting at what happened in Ponyville during the Ursa attack. Right? «Oh, for fuck's sake, here we go», — I cursed internally, rolling my eyes and sighing heavily. I didn't like it when the Element of Honesty looked at me like that. I already knew she was testing me, and it made me feel like I was under interrogation. — Yeah! — Rainbow Dash stepped up right behind the earth pony, backing up her friend. — You were on your last legs when they fished you out of the river. We really want to hear what happened there! — And then he got really sick right in front of our eyes! — Rarity chimed in. — I've seen a lot, but nothing like that. «They're really dogging me. Fine, I'll tell them», — I frowned in annoyance and raised a leg, cutting the others off. — You wanna hear the truth? — I asked, gloomily looking over the Mane Six, who had formed a semicircle around me. — Yes! — They answered in unison. «Well, no backing out now» — Yeah, I was in town when the Ursa attacked, — I snorted and continued. — Two idiots lured it into the city, and what a coincidence — I had grabbed my weapons... — Weapons?! — Fluttershy exclaimed in fright, not letting me finish. — Yes, two daggers, — I continued calmly, ignoring her terrified gasp. — But I overestimated myself and couldn't really hurt it. Sounds like I tired it out pretty well, though. The Mane Six exchanged glances. — But why did you get so sick? — The white mare asked after a short pause. — Did it hit you that hard? — No, — I shook my head. — It wasn't just the physical wounds. At one point, I threw a wardrobe at its head, and it swatted it right back at one of those idiot colts. I managed to throw up a barrier around them at the last second and took a massive psychic blow to the brain. I still shudder remembering it. The ponies exchanged glances again. Only Twilight, who had remained thoughtful this whole time, slowly walked up to me: — You'd never used a magical barrier before that? — She asked, tilting her head. — It's a really basic spell. — That's the thing. My powers awakened not that long ago, and before that, I'd only used the bare basics. — I tried it as a filly too, and at first, I wasn't very good at it, — The lavender unicorn shifted her weight from hoof to hoof. — When I tried to deflect objects flying at me with a barrier, it hurt too. I can understand. — Could you teach me how to do it so it doesn't hurt? — I decided to ask her. Twilight pursed her lips with a bit of doubt. — We'll see. — Alright, — I coughed from the smoke that was scratching my throat, pressing a leg to my chest. Because of my bruised ribs, every deep or sudden breath now echoed with a flare of pain, but I pushed through it. — We need to keep moving before Ponyville gets completely smoked out. — But what about the pain? — The yellow pegasus worried. — You could... — I'll be fine, — I cut her off, walking further down the path alongside the pile of rocks and dust left by the landslide. — Let's go. The rest of the way passed without incident, and we fairly quickly reached the cave where the pitch-black smoke was billowing out. Inside, in the darkness, slept a massive red beast, several times larger than myself. It was a huge crimson dragon, sprawled out on a pile of gold coins, blowing tons of black smoke out of his nostrils. You had to wonder how this meshed with reality. It felt like he was burning literal crude oil inside his body. At the same time, I started to feel a bit scared — I hadn't encountered such huge creatures before, other than the Ursa. «What happens when he wakes up? Unfortunately, we're gonna have to find out» After observing the dragon from a distance for about a minute, I mentally delivered a verdict: «A typical lazy ass. His muscles have probably atrophied from this kind of lifestyle. I wonder, does he even try to hunt on his own, or does he steal food along with the gold?» The dragon did indeed look rather fat by dragon standards, and clumsy at first glance. However, that didn't lessen his danger to all of us. The Mane Six, according to canon, stopped at the cave entrance and tried to come up with a way to make the dragon move somewhere else. Unable to decide on much, they picked Twilight to be the negotiator. I decided to just stand by the cave entrance looking serious and wait, keeping my weapon at the ready. Twilight carefully approached the dragon's snout — one nostril of which was bigger than she was — and unsuccessfully tried to talk to him. He just snorted and blew smoke on her, barely even moving. «Looks like she won't be able to rouse him with normal conversation». Next, Pinkie Pie and Rarity took turns trying to wake him, but achieved nothing. I was already starting to look at Fluttershy, waiting for her to step up, when Rainbow Dash flew into the cave at full speed, intending to kick the dragon in the head. I tried to stop her, but it was too late. The exact thing neither I nor any of the Mane Six expected happened: with surprising agility, the dragon caught the blue pegasus in both paws and started squeezing. Rainbow let out a terrified, pained scream, struggling to escape to no avail. I reacted instantly: I pulled my sword from its scabbard — which was large by normal pony standards — and charged at the dragon. With a running start, I drove my weapon right under his scales. The blade sank about halfway into his thigh, and even though it felt like the blade was just a dagger to a creature of this size — much like with the Ursa — the dragon roared in pain. Enraged, the dragon tossed Rainbow Dash aside and turned his attention to me. «Now what?» — I wondered, realizing that my chances against a dragon were slim. — «Well, at least he's flesh and blood, so I can do something against him. The only problem is...» Unlike the bear, he had a major trump card regarding his power. And I felt it in the form of building heat in his open maw. «Fire!» — I realized immediately and dove to the side. And just in time. A torrent of scorching flame rushed past a meter away from me, burning my body unpleasantly. The sensation was like standing next to a bonfire that someone just threw gasoline on. I felt the full heat of the dragon's breath despite my cover. But distracted by the fire, I noticed the tail swinging toward me too late, and it instantly pinned me against the wall. Pinned me so hard that I heard bones crunch and felt a sharp, piercing pain in my chest. I roared from the intense pain. It hurt terribly, but the pain couldn't compare to what I'd felt during the fight with the Ursa. Still, in that moment, I wanted to pay the dragon back in kind — with pain. Growling furiously, I pointed my sword at the dragon's face, intending to drive the blade into his eye. The lizard reacted immediately, putting a paw in the blade's path, and I heard another crunch, only this time from the dragon. A second later, he roared too, bleeding from his paw, while a severed finger dropped to the cave floor. Distracted, my scaly brethren instantly stopped crushing me with his tail and let me go for a moment. Taking advantage of the breather, I limped and staggered out of the cave, feeling a massive surge of adrenaline in my blood. The fear evaporated, replaced by the thrill of the fight. I even felt the pain in my chest dull slightly. The Mane Six were hiding in terror behind rocks at the cave entrance, but I didn't call out to them. This was my fight now, and my methods were going to be pretty brutal. A couple of moments later, the dragon burst out of the cave, letting out a deafening roar, and attacked me again. I held my sword out in front of me, ready to repel the assault, but suddenly a heavy rock, lifted and thrown by Twilight, smashed into the beast's head. It cracked against the dragon with a loud noise, causing him to lose his balance and fall on his side. «You idiot, why the fuck are you doing that again?!» — I mentally raged. — «She's just giving away her position and putting herself in danger! Who am I trying to protect from the dragon here?!» But the attack was useful to me, and while the massive predator was regaining his senses, I clenched my teeth against the pain, jumped onto the dragon's neck, and pressed the tip of my sword to his throat. — Lie still and don't move! Try anything, and my sword goes through your head! — I shouted at my opponent. Seeing a real threat to his life, the dragon didn't rush to get up, but shifted his gaze to me. — Why did you ponies come here? — He asked in a booming, bass voice laced with a growl. Twilight and her friends started coming out of their hiding spots, approaching the dragon, though they still kept a safe distance. — We would like you to leave here and let Ponyville live in peace, — Rarity blurted out, still trembling slightly before the massive beast. — You've filled the whole city with smoke! — Well, you shouldn't build your Tartarus-forsaken towns where they don't belong! — The red dragon retorted, snorting, involuntarily clenching his mangled paw into a fist in a futile attempt to stop the bleeding. Blood poured heavily from the stump where his finger used to be. I was pretty sure a dragon this size wouldn't bleed to death, but I was in no rush to help him. Twilight grew bolder, stepped forward, and cleared her throat loudly: — Where they don't belong? I think you need to sleep somewhere else! — I sleep wherever I want! You didn't just disturb me, you crippled me! The lizard growled and shook his bloody paw in front of me. — Which one of us is the evil monster here?! I frowned and pressed the blade against the dragon's scales on his throat, a warning of what would happen if he tried to grab me. — I merely did what I had to, — I said slowly and calmly, parrying his claim. — You shouldn't have tried to kill Rainbow Dash. You got off easy, dragon. — You seem to be the only real threat in this little gang, — The dragon pointed a claw at me and clicked his teeth in annoyance. — You aren't like them, so tell me: do I deserve to be brutally beaten and driven away like this? My sword wavered, but I didn't lower it. «He definitely doesn't deserve this», — I seriously considered. — «However, if it hadn't been for the attempted murder of Rainbow Dash, then...» The blade sank a centimeter into his throat, letting out a thin trickle of blood. The dragon flinched. — You don't, — I nodded, but immediately added, — But that doesn't excuse attempted murder. — She hit me first. I was defending myself! — The massive red dragon snorted, breathing heavily. «Looks like he's seriously worried I might execute him right here and now. Interesting situation» But I didn't make any unnecessary moves yet and waited. — Yeah right, defending yourself! — The blue pegasus chimed in, putting her five bit in. — You hurt my friends too. I couldn't just do nothing! I listened to all this, then shook my head, cutting off the dialogue. — You could have, — I told Rainbow Dash. — You all should have gone in as a group, not one by one. At that moment, the dragon beneath me unexpectedly moved. Taking advantage of the fact that I was distracted by the conversation, he suddenly shoved me off his neck with his good paw. My sword went flying. — I'm sick of you ants! — The red dragon roared and got back to his feet. «This is bad! We won't be able to corner him like that a second time!» I grew nervous, pulling out my daggers, since looking for my sword would take too long. — Stop! — I stepped into the dragon's path, holding my weapons out. — Unless you want me to gouge your eyes out, don't try to come any closer! The dragon merely smirked and opened his jaws again, preparing to unleash his fire. — I don't even need to... — Stop! — A loud but angry voice rang out from behind Fluttershy, who had finally had enough. — Stop! The dragon halted immediately, without exhaling the flame, and his eyes widened in surprise. — Dragon! How dare you! Just because you're big and strong doesn't mean you can bully my friends! Fluttershy continued her tirade, flying right up to the crimson giant and meeting his gaze. — But they attacked me first... — The dragon started to say, but the yellow pegasus immediately cut him off: — You may have massive size, tough scales, and big teeth, but you cannot! I repeat — CANNOT bully my friends. Do you understand?! — Um... Yes... — Was all the reptile could say, totally bewildered. — And now I suggest you pack up your things and fly away from here. Your smoke is very, very bothersome to our residents, dragon. Fluttershy said this much more calmly, looping around the dragon and landing on the ground. I noticed that, oddly enough, her method worked: under her assertive actions, the dragon slinked close to the ground and lowered his eyes, unable to say another word. «Fluttershy convinced him, and with absolutely no aggression! So this is what the Stare of Fluttershy can do. Incredible!» After a brief discussion between the shy pegasus and the dragon, it was decided that he would fly away in exchange for us helping to move his «bed» wherever he wanted. — Well, looks like we've got more work to do, — I sighed with a touch of sadness, suddenly realizing that my rib didn't hurt anymore. «Is the pain really gone?» — I marveled, feeling myself with my hooves. The pain had indeed almost completely vanished, which astounded me. This surprised me perhaps even more than Fluttershy's ability to tame a dragon. «But where did this come from? I clearly remember him crushing my ribs with his tail, and now look — good as new. Looks like my body still has some secrets hidden from me. Wow...» — Are you okay, Stevrian? — Applejack called out to me, noticing the oddity in my behavior. — We need your help! I immediately mentally slapped my forehead and smiled at her: — I'm fine, — I replied a little hesitantly and headed into the cave. Now we had to haul all that gold to a new cave where the dragon had agreed to settle down. At least his smoke wouldn't bother anyone there. We worked until evening, and when the sun was already setting over the horizon, we finally finished and headed back to town. But right outside Ponyville, Fluttershy looked at me with disgust, frowned, and started laying into me: — What were you thinking, Stevrian?! You drew a dragon's blood! You crippled him! «What is this drunken nonsense?» — I recalled a quote from a classic Soviet film. — «I'm going to file a complaint!» I hadn't expected to be treated like this, especially by a pony who seemed so shy and timid at first glance. — Sugarcubes, maybe don't... — The farm pony tried to intervene, but was cut off. — I've been watching you for a long time and have seen you from the outside! All you know how to do is swing your weapon around and hit everyone around you without thinking! Fluttershy stepped closer, still yelling and glaring into my eyes. — You're a monster! «Now that's a fucking bold-ass statement! Fluttershy was a bit unhinged in canon sometimes, but this... Fucking pacifist!» I growled nervously but didn't reply. Then I noticed the way she was looking at me. «That look... You can't mistake it for anything else. Looks like she wants to use the exact same trick on me that she used on the dragon!» — Hold on, Fluttershy, — Rarity intervened, walking up to the pegasus. — You're not acting like yourself! — Exactly! — Rainbow Dash shouted, coming to my defense. — He saved me from dying, and you're blaming him for that? Hearing the arguments in my favor, the yellow pegasus softened a bit, then sighed heavily, looking away from me. — I didn't... — You're the kindest out of all of us, — The farm pony said. — You give everyone a chance to reform. You guide on toward the path of goodness and peace. He's not a monster, and he helps us. Fluttershy didn't say anything; she just lowered her head. — He saved me from Gilda, — Twilight added. — I would have died if it weren't for him. I believe he's good. — But I... — Unable to find any more words, Fluttershy turned away, and I noticed a tear roll down her cheek. I could only sigh, knowing what she was feeling in that moment. The conflict was finally resolved by Pinkie Pie, who gave a weird jump and appeared next to her friends with a soft pop: — How can you blame someone for that? Maybe we should throw a make-up party when we get back to Ponyville? Fluttershy smiled faintly, wiped her tear, and turned back to me, saying concisely: — Sorry... — It's fine, — I stated, my smirk twisting slightly as I wondered if Fluttershy had actually used the Stare on me. «Did she really use her ability? I am kind of a dragon myself, after all. Weird that it didn't work on me, but that's for the best» And truly, I hadn't felt any mental effects in that moment.

***

The party was grand. We had fun, chatted, and ate sweets. We celebrated the victory over the dragon with the whole town, and the fun continued until the second half of the night, until the residents finally started to disperse. I immediately decided to head home, but when I reached the door and opened it slightly, I stood dumbfounded in surprise. In front of me stood three silhouettes — one tall and two smaller ones. And in them, I immediately recognized Princess Luna and two lunar guards. — I greet you, Princess, — I said calmly, closing the door behind me and casting a fleeting glance at the guards of the night mare. — I see perfectly in the dark. But what are the guards for? — To the fact that no one must know about our meeting, — Approaching me, the princess got straight to the point, taking some documents out of her bag attached to her side. — Here is information that will be vital for you. Read it carefully, learn everything by heart, and get into the role, as much as it is at all possible. She handed me a folder with documents, and I quickly opened it, starting to read. The more I read, the more panic grew in me, but I tried to hold back and not show signs of anxiety. Only when I finished reading did I allow myself to sigh heavily a few times. What I saw there frightened and surprised me so much that I didn't even know what to answer, I just asked in a trembling voice: — When did Celestia find out about this? — Literally just now, — Luna answered. — But I made it earlier, which is why I am here. — So... I need to prepare for the worst? — Quite likely, — The alicorn nodded, sighing heavily. — But everything depends on the degree of your readiness. That is exactly why I gave you books about griffins. — So that's it, — I guessed and shifted from foot to foot. — Cleverly thought up. I didn't even understand at first. Well done! The guards, meanwhile, exchanged glances and looked at me with an uncomprehending gaze. However, they were in no hurry to ask questions, relying on the wisdom of the princess. Luna, however, laughed a little at the phrase, and then decided to add a couple more points: — My sister will possibly arrange not a simple tea party, but, probably, a veiled interrogation. Be ready for this. — Is there anything else I should know? — I asked in an already more serious voice. — Yes, — The princess smiled slightly. — She may well use light traps. However, considering the nature of your... abilities, I do not think that this will be useful to you. «Light traps? Whatever that means, it sounds very dangerous» I tried to remember where and when I had heard about them. However, right now all my attention was focused on something else, and thinking normally about some traps was not easy. — In general, nothing good, — I stated, sighing heavily. — I will start preparing right now! — Better get some sleep, or your head won't work, — Saying this, the princess smiled and slightly pushed me in the shoulder, allowing herself a little liberty. — Chin up! Everything will be fine! I smiled slightly at the princess, and the guards, who all this time stood and watched us, exchanged surprised glances. But then they returned a strict expression to their muzzles, and one of them decided to remind of his presence by coughing: — Your Highness! Sorry to distract, but it's time for us to go. — Yes, you are right, Stone, — She looked at him, and then shifted her gaze to me. — It's time for us. I escorted Luna and her guards to the front door, and then, as soon as the noise behind the house died down, turned on the light and sat in the middle of the room, holding the documents in front of me in telekinesis. — Fucking great...