The Prophecy

It's been three days since the Moon visited me in a dream. I started full-fledged physical training under the supervision of a junior officer, who immediately began to test my strength in order to quickly find an approach to me. Push-ups were easy at first, considering my anatomy and my size. But when they put a heavy load on my back, which felt like it weighed at least three hundred kilograms, it became much more difficult. It wasn't easy, but perhaps the most difficult training for me was standing on my hind legs — the anatomy of horses is not designed for this, and I constantly lost my balance. On the other hand, such exercises helped to collect my thoughts and cheer up. Another good news that day was that I managed to move the wooden cube by telekinesis by more than two centimeters. I noticed that my telekinesis was visually different from what I had seen among unicorns. Usually, their telekinesis aura flashes on the horn itself and on the object they were going to take. For me, it was a little different: there was a barely noticeable train going to the object, like a rope or something very similar. This feature intrigued both me and Dark. He wanted to ask Celestia herself about this phenomenon when he met her, but I quickly dissuaded Star. My enemy doesn't need to know such details about me. Two whole days flew by in training. On the morning of the third, I was informed that I had received the long-awaited access to the library. Joyful, I immediately rushed there, dreaming of getting to knowledge as soon as possible. All the books were kept in the palace, and usually I was not allowed to go there. Although the barracks was connected to the palace by a corridor, but it was well guarded, and they would not let me go further than it. However, Celestia allowed me to visit her private library under Luna's persuasion, and therefore I had no difficulties with the guards today. When I got to the library, I unexpectedly found Princess Luna herself at the entrance, in person, whom I was incredibly glad to meet. She smiled at me and beckoned me over, looking around. — You're on timeᵉ, — The night pony greeted with a small nod. — Thank you for giving me access to the library earlierᵉ, — I bowed slightly in response, — How can I thank youᵉ? — It's not worth itᵉ, — Luna lifted a hoof up, — We're doing this for both of usᵉ. And then I remembered what the meaning of the library was for me now, if I simply can't even distinguish letters! — There's one problemᵉ, — I pursed my lips dryly, — I can't read Equestrianᵉ. — We study ourselvesᵉ, — The interlocutor sighed, lowering her head, — But it's easier for us because of the knowledge of the old Equestrianᵉ. — Some princess are luckyᵉ. — I sighed and pointed towards the entrance to the library, — Will you help me thenᵉ? — We would be honored to teach you our languageᵉ, — Luna smiled back and was the first to go inside. I immediately ducked through the door after her. The library was quiet and peaceful, even none of the visitors were sitting here, which was on our... hoof. One of the walls of the library consisted entirely of glass mosaics. It depicted many ponies of different types and colors. Above them all, on a hillock, stood, apparently, Celestia herself, but her mane was pink, not iridescent. All the ponies were looking at her, as if listening to her words. And in the most inconspicuous edge of the painting, a dark silhouette resembling a young blue mare peeked out. For some reason, she looked extremely similar to Princess Luna when she was young, although I couldn't know for sure. And already there was only one dark-colored pegasus near her. Looking closely at the companion of the night pony, I suddenly discovered in the far right corner of the image something dark, ominous, resembling a large stallion, the silhouette of which is blurred. It was as if he was hidden from the others, and this made his image even more gloomy. I even thought for a second that it was King Sombra, but he was missing the horn that was characteristic of him. «Who was that?» — I thought, looking closely at the image. I stared at the mosaic so intently that I didn't even notice how the Moon began to shake me by the shoulder with a hoof. — Stevrian, are you comingᵉ? — Yes, I'm on my wayᵉ! — I said in a raised tone, forgetting where I was. The Moon looked at me accusingly at first, and then pressed a hoof to my muzzle. — Hushᵉ, — She hissed in my ear, — You don't want Celestia or someone from the guard to come here, do youᵉ? Although the ruler of Equestria allowed me to visit the library, I still didn't want too much attention, and I nodded silently. Princess Luna, satisfied with the answer, began to study the shelves of literature. I couldn't read all the signs that were hung on the stands in front of the shelves, and so I trusted the Moon in this matter: let her choose the books that we need. Another thing is that I had a question: how can we get the books out of here unnoticed? I won't be able to come here and read alone, and my being near the Moon will raise questions. «What should we do then?» — I asked myself, chuckling. — Excuse me, but I have one questionᵉ, — I decided to start after some time walking between the shelves. — We're listeningᵉ, — The night princess turned her head to me, raising her ears. — How can we carry the books away unnoticedᵉ? She stopped and looked thoughtfully at the shelves, thinking about something. She hesitated for a while, but then materialized something that looked like a coin. With her, the Moon turned to me, holding her in a cloud of telekinesis in front of my eyes. — Take itᵉ. Attach this amulet to an object, and it will be copied into my kingdomᵉ. — Convenientᵉ. You did wellᵉ, — I praised her, appreciating Luna's foresight and taking the object offered to me with hoof kinesis. At first glance, the «coin» was the most ordinary, similar to the standard Equestrian beats from the animated series, although I had not seen it live yet. The full moon was depicted on the front side, and the month was depicted on the back. The material of the «coin» resembled silver in color and structure, but obviously, not everything was so simple with it. When I finished examining the coin, I raised my head and looked into Luna's eyes. — Where should I startᵉ? — From geography, of courseᵉ, — The interlocutor smiled slightly from the corners of her mouth, — We ourselves are interested in learning how the world has changed since we last saw the world mapᵉ. — Then let's take a lookᵉ, - I looked around the surrounding space, trying to orient myself, if not by the signs, then at least by the design of the book covers, — And where is the geography departmentᵉ? — We want to find out for ourselvesᵉ, — Luna sighed, lowering her head, then moved between the shelves, looking out, — It's okay, we'll find this creationᵉ. For a while we walked along the shelves, where there were hundreds of different books. I could imagine how much knowledge had accumulated here during the reign of this mare Celestia — I couldn't wait to read everything that was written here.… «Oh, if only I could make out the letters. I wouldn't leave here at all! But, for now, it remained to be content with only the help of the Moon. Thank you for not leaving me in trouble alone.» Finally, the night princess stopped next to the shelves marked in blue. — Here it is, this sectionᵉ, — Having said this, she beckoned me with a nod of her head, and she began to examine the covers of books, taking out one work after another with telekinesis. After a minute, she picked up a book with a picture of a map on the cover. As I understood it, this was the geography we needed. Luna twirled it in the air for a couple of seconds and then put it on the table in front of me. — Put a coin to the bookᵉ, — She told me. I did as she said. A slightly glowing silver aura enveloped the book for a few seconds, and then it abruptly disappeared, leaving the book where it was — on the shelf. — It works interestingᵉ, — I drawled, twirling the coin in front of me. I have not yet seen the full-fledged work of magic with the exception of telekinesis, and therefore what happened struck me a little, although the surprise quickly faded away. Well, I could only hope that I could eventually master such magic. — The contents of this book have been copied into my spaceᵉ. So that our sister would not suspect anything, we preferred to return the book to its rightful place after thatᵉ, — Luna explained to me and, making sure that I was ready to follow on, she began to study the book covers further, trying to choose the most useful among them. — What else is necessaryᵉ? — I asked the night mare, tilting my head to the side and following her. — The basics of modern language and writingᵉ, — The dark blue alicorn nodded affirmatively, — Let's get a couple more books and we can leave the abode of wisdomᵉ. We spent a total of about half an hour in the library and copied three more books during that time. I didn't know what kind of books they were, so I relied on the wisdom and determination of the Moon. Unfortunately, we couldn't spend much time in the library — the guards looked in on me several times, and the night princess skillfully hid between the shelves, remaining unnoticed. No one knew what would happen if we were discovered together, so as a precaution we didn't give ourselves away. And the royal guard was satisfied that I was «studying» literature, and returned safely to patrolling the palace. Finally, all the necessary preparations were made. Luna and I said goodbye, promising to meet in a dream that night, and then I was the first to leave the library. At the same time, with the permission of the night pony, I put the magic «coin» in my bag on my right shoulder, which I took just in case. As it turned out, it was not in vain. She has served me well. In the barracks, something new and unpleasant was already waiting for me, as it turned out in the end. I did not know that today was the so-called «Commander's Day» — the very day of the week when the guards fussily put the barracks in order, and the head of the guard arrives in the company to check. It is not difficult to guess who they were, both according to the canon and here. One of the guards, out of breath, immediately stopped me and led me outside with rude words: — Hurry outside and get in line on the parade ground! Our captain is already looking for you! I, waving my tail at the annoying guard, went out into the courtyard and found that all the guards had already formed up on the parade ground. I decided to hurry up and quietly stand at the end of the line, while trying not to betray my concern. It turned out badly, and I was noticeably nervous — because there was a large white unicorn with a blue mane in front of the formation — Shining Armor. A lean young stallion, dressed in the sparkling officer's armor that justified his name, paced along the line of soldiers, carefully examining everyone with his stern gaze. His aura radiated extreme seriousness, confidence and strong leadership qualities that immediately confirmed his status as an officer. I involuntarily stood at attention, as if not wanting to stand out much from the crowd and displease Shining Armor with my loose appearance and manners. However, where can I not stand out with my size and the presence of a tail that is clearly different from a horse's. As soon as I got in line, all eyes simultaneously stuck to me. I immediately felt uneasy: I really disliked the extra attention to myself, and now I seem to be becoming the center of attention. I involuntarily squeezed my eyes shut and lowered my gaze, sincerely wishing to sink through the ground right here and now, just to get rid of such annoying attention to my person. There was an awkward silence in the ranks, broken only by the occasional neigh of a horse. And then I heard the clatter of hooves on the parade ground and saw Shining Armor approaching me. I think I'm in trouble... — What is a civilian doing in the barracks? — The officer indignantly asked a question, addressing the soldiers. — Sir, this is... — someone from the first rank mumbled, but he was immediately rudely interrupted by Shining Armor: — I don't want to hear who it is! I'm asking you again: what is a civilian doing in the barracks? Why is he in the same line as my subordinates? Who let him in here? «Here it is — the army chain of command» — I thought gloomily, watching Shining Armor literally burn me with his gaze, — «I did not expect that the noble «paladin» and defender of Canterlot from the animated series would actually turn out to be a typical officer from our valiant Russian army. He yells at subordinates, distributes cradles whenever possible, demands an answer only to a clearly posed question... It seems to me that a step to the side or back in terms of executing orders — and he will put you a bunch of outfits out of turn. I wonder if the army is like this everywhere?» — It's an order from Celestia herself, sir! — Finally, the guardsman's timid voice rang out, — This is... she told him to take him to the barracks and temporarily put him on the guard's allowance. The captain of the guard turned his head to the man who answered and stared at him for a while, as if trying to catch him in a lie or find a trick in his words. Apparently, he was not informed about what was happening in his company, which looked strange from the outside. It seems like Shining Armor should be the first to find out that a new guy has settled in their barracks on the orders of this crazy white mare, but in fact everyone showed irresponsibility and hid this fact from their superiors. Finally, the blue and white unicorn came close to me, examining me carefully. He looked into my face, studied my eyes, then examined the cutie mark, tail, hooves. Then he snorted irritably and, clicking his hoof, sternly said: — Identify yourself! — Stevrian Anlas, — I said dryly, trying not to betray my excitement under dozens of glances. — Why did Princess Celestia let you come in here? — The captain interrupted my thoughts, taking a step away from me. He squinted in displeasure. — She put me up here herself, — I said without changing my intonation. — Why would she do that? — I saved her life a little over a week ago when Nightmare Moon stormed into the throne room. After receiving the answer, Shining Armor stared at me in silence for perhaps a minute, and then chuckled. His expression became a little more calm. — You must be a good fighter, since you were able to survive the attack of this monster, — He remarked, changing his intonation to a respectful one. And it would have been all right, but then some upstart suddenly wanted to insert his five bits into the interrogation and shout out a phrase right out of line, which gave away my disguise with my head and hooves: — Sir. He's not a pony! The white and blue unicorn froze in place. — Then who is it? — He asked sternly. — He's a dragon! Celestia changed his appearance... — The soldier still replied, although I did not see who it was. «Oh, I didn't like it. I feel that additional questions and problems will begin now. So, we need to prepare in advance and think about what to answer to the officer if he starts digging under me» Shining turned his head back to me and looked at the eyes and then the tail. — It's obvious. As if I hadn't realized something was wrong with him. But why did they turn it? — You have a strained relationship with dragons, right? — Deciding not to delay, I answered the question with a question, trying to put on a good-natured face. «Please, no additional questions!» — I thought resignedly, expecting my pleas to go unanswered. — That's right, — Shining replied, nodding, — Because of this, Stevrian, Celestia decided to disguise you as a pony, am I right? «Okay. He's not as stupid as he might seem, and even more so compared to the canon. Maybe you can still reveal Chrysalis at the right moment, shortly before the wedding with your spouse?» But thoughts are thoughts, but you have to answer. And quickly and clearly. — Right, — I nodded affirmatively. «It's good that at least they don't force you to say «Yes, sir» yet.» — She didn't do well, — The stallion shook his head, nodding at my huge dragon tail. And everything would have been fine, but suddenly someone's indignant voice rang out of the system, which surprised everyone, even me: — How can you say that about the great solar goddess? Sacrilege! I mentally rolled my eyes, already imagining what would happen to the upstart. I even felt sorry for the soldier. «He's probably going to get kicked in front of the whole formation. They will be forced to do stupid work or something worse as punishment. Or maybe punish everyone for this, as it happened in the Russian army?» Shining snorted angrily at first, then walked slowly up to the formation and nodded to order the arrogant soldier to take a few steps forward, putting him before the others. The guard lowered his head fearfully, fearing for fear, but obeyed the order. — Now — say it again! — Shining Armor told him. — But... Celestia... She’s the same... Always right... Perfect... — The soldiers got confused. The captain didn’t even listen to him and kicked him. — You want to get dressed? What’s with the bickering, private? — But, sir... — Do you want me to send you to clean the latrine with a fork in addition to the outfits? — Shining began to lose patience, although he did not show it outwardly, — And you will do this until the fork grows together with your mouth. Am I making myself clear? Shining looked over his subordinate like a rock, glaring at him. There was obviously nothing to do but accept. — Yes, sir! — The stallion swallowed and nodded his head nervously, after which the captain told him to get back into line. This scene made me think about some things. First of all, how convinced do you have to be of the sanctity of Celestia to go and start contradicting your commander like that? It seemed to me that this was unacceptable in the army. Secondly, I was struck by how brainwashed the Guardsmen and loyalists of Celestia are! It's already a shame for them. Is everything really so bad in Equestria that Celestia takes everyone by the nose like that? Just like Orthodoxy is trying to fool our people, even though it was in a previous life. And thirdly: Shining Armor criticizes her actions, although it does not do it so explicitly. And also shows his authority, not allowing arguments with himself. The army was an army, but the white stallion had already shown his character and intelligence, and this involuntarily aroused my respect for him. Although he behaves very much like an officer from a typical military unit of the Russian army, he still swears about the case. And he does not look like a tyrant, he intimidated an ordinary soldier, but did not even publicly punish him. In any case, I would like to hope so. Because I remember what my friends who returned from the army told me. How did they «fuck» everyone for a joint of one or did something worse… — I see you have problems with your subordinates, Captain? I asked when Shining turned his attention back to me. The white stallion nodded affirmatively, waving it off. — Yes, there are inadequate ones, but they are quickly eliminated. Fortunately, I manage to instill discipline and subordination in them. They respect me anyway, and that's the main thing. Shining stepped back and then began his direct duties, calling the deputy to himself commanding officers and giving them instructions. After a few minutes, the junior commanders divided the soldiers into departments, and after a short distribution of commands, they went to work together, and someone went to prepare for the guard and outfits. From the fragments of the conversation, I realized that Shining Armor planned to train the company outside the city today, which means that the barracks will be empty until nightfall. — My deputy will deal with them, but with you, — Armor pointed with his hoof at me when the parade ground began to empty, and there were, in fact, just the two of us, — I have to have a serious conversation. I shrugged and walked back to the barracks with him. We moved down the corridor in the direction opposite from the dining room. The guards we met immediately dispersed to the sides, making way for us, and many, in addition, gave military greetings when they saw the commander. While we were walking, I decided to take the opportunity to ask the captain a question: — Don't you care about my appearance? — No, — Shining replied calmly, — As an officer of the Guard, I have to be unbiased if it's not about discipline in the army. — Fair enough, — Was all I said. «Well, he finally passed the adequacy test, although I had a mixed first impression of him. It's good that at least someone here doesn't see me as a clear threat... or does it just seem that way to me?» We didn't walk for very long until we stopped in front of a door with an inscription that was illegible to me, which most likely meant «senior officer's office» or something like that. Any barracks had such a room, and this should not be an exception to the rule. Shining Armor opened the door, putting a hoof to its handle, and went inside first, inviting me with a gesture. I did not refuse the offer and followed him, crouching slightly, because the upper door jamb was too low for me. But when I reached to close the door behind me, I couldn't help but smile: on the handle was the most ordinary «connector» for a hoof, which were in the locker room of the communal shower. There are no locks or locking or unlocking mechanisms. «It's strange that I didn't notice it. These «connectors», apparently, should be used as a locking mechanism. But how do they work? Are they unlocked only by hoof kinesis?» — I thought, puzzled, just closing the door. The office of the captain of the Day Guard did not shine with luxury, but rather, on the contrary, was a model of asceticism. A T-shaped table in the middle, several paintings with Celestia on the wall, a large window with curtains on the opposite side from the door. Apart from the table, there were several chairs near the table and a small sofa to my right. The floor under the hooves looked like linoleum. Rather modest, perhaps, but neat, as I noted in my mind. Shining sat down at a table in the middle of the office, pulling a chair closer to the table, and motioned for me to sit on the couch. I looked at him incredulously, trying to estimate the size of the furniture, and finding him too small for me, I placed myself in front of the blue and white stallion right on the floor. — So, — The stallion paused, taking some documents out of the drawer with telekinesis, intending to work with waste paper along the way, — Where are you from, Stevrian? I mentally sighed and rolled my eyes. «Again, these questions about the origin and inquiries... How much can I do? I'll try to lie as sanely as possible. The most important thing is not to look away while I'm talking, otherwise I'll open myself up», — remembering some psychological moments, I decided and gave it right away, looking the other person straight in the eye. — I don't know exactly where I'm from, sir, but I grew up with a gryphon foster father in Novo Gryphonia. — In Novo Gryphonia? — Shining raised an «eyebrow» a little in surprise, without looking up from the documents. — Yes, sir! — I nodded affirmatively, answering in army style. — And the griffins were able to raise a dragon, — He thought and shook his head, obviously thinking about something, but after a while he continued, — Really the griffins, which are famous for their xenophobia towards other species, did not try to do bad to you? He put his hooves together, levitating the documents with his own telekinesis, reading them along the way. I remained motionless. — They were afraid of me, — I replied, not taking my eyes off Shining. He didn't say anything else and put the papers aside. — Did you grow up in the provinces? — He asked the next question. The timbre and tone of the Guard captain's voice remained neutral. At this point, I panicked a little, and I exerted all my willpower not to betray nervous tension. «It's like an interrogation... So, Stevrian, remember what cities they have there…» — I was rushing mentally from one thought to another, trying to remember both the series itself and various fan maps made by artists. One could only hope that they were true, and not an empty fiction. — No, in the capital. In the city of Wether, — I said after a moment's delay. «I hope Shining Armor won't take this as an attempt to lie and make up a story on the go.» But it seems that my fears were not justified. For the blue and white stallion reacted very calmly. — Wow, — he looked at me with even greater surprise, — Apparently he got a good education. — Yes, I got it, — I nodded affirmatively. — And what is it? — Shining Armor put both feet on the table and began to stare back at me intently, as if playing a staring game. He even put the papers aside. It looked like he was already watching my facial expressions. «Well, in the earthly reality, I received a secondary technical medical education. I can't say that it was cool, but it's better than staying without any education at all. The only thing is that you will have to significantly sharpen your skills and knowledge, given the anatomy of horses, griffins, dragons and other creatures…» So I decided to answer the question the way I was supposed to — truthfully. — Professional medical, — I said. — Medical workers are really very important, — He nodded, returning to the documents. The stallion put one of the papers on the table, took out a stamp from the table and then stamped it. It seems that the position of a guard officer here also meant bureaucratic fiddling with documents. After performing the same operations with several more papers, he returned them to their place and switched back to me, adding: — It's a pity that you haven't been appreciated lately. I blinked a little in amazement, no longer hiding my surprise. «What? Here too low salaries and disregard for the labors, efforts and health of doctors, who put themselves on the altar of someone else's health to the slaughter? What the hell is this, huh? As if he had never «left» Russia,» — I was really indignant, — «It turns out that those who are called to save other people's lives are not appreciated here? If in Russia doctors are paid mere pennies, which barely corresponded to the minimum wage, then is it the same here? Miracles! The worlds are different, but the problems are the same. What about the Celestia, which hangs in the office where Russian officers usually have a portrait of Putin… What about the church, which does everything to fool ordinary ponies… What about the money and security. The more you live and learn about this world, the more you realize how many similarities there are between Equestria and Russia.» — Is it that bad? — That's all I could say, shaking my head. — Unfortunately, yes, — Shining replied, sighing, which betrayed dissatisfaction with this state of affairs, — There are few good specialists, and the best only serve the princess… He snorted with displeasure, putting all the documents on the table and looked at me, waiting for a question from my side. He's finished messing with the bureaucracy. «Then let's try to find out more about the problems in Equestria. It's not a fact that I can help with them, but it will be necessary for the overall development». — I also noticed that many ponies simply worship Celestia as a living goddess, is that true? — I asked cautiously. — Yes, it's true, — Armor took a deep breath, — My soldiers and ordinary citizens would have more sense not to fall into fanaticism, and then there would be much less problems. I couldn't disagree more, so I nodded back, continuing to be interested. — I'm sorry, sir, but how do you feel about this? — I asked the question that had been on the tip of my tongue for about five minutes. There was a deathly silence in the office, interrupted only by the occasional clop of hooves outside the door. I swallowed involuntarily, feeling a little nervous, but Shining Armor shrugged his shoulders thoughtfully and said: — I don't think she's an infallible and all-powerful goddess, — He looked around, stopping at the framed portrait of Celestia on the wall, — I'm more of an agnostic in terms of religiosity, and I hate to see such fanaticism in my environment, to be as honest as possible. You saw my reaction to that today. — That makes sense, — I chuckled, looking away from the floor for a second. «What's right is right». However, Shining Armor decided to ask me the same thing: — And how do you feel about religion, Stevrian? I've heard that griffins are very religious. — I'm not religious, — I looked at the same picture with Celestia, mentally spitting on her, — I don't believe in anyone at all. «Even that white-assed thing that wanted to kill me», — I added mentally, trying to calm the rage that had already begun to boil in me. A few deep breaths helped me, but the dislike for Celestia was too deep in me for me to just take it out and extinguish it. Meanwhile, legitimate questions from the captain of the Guard continued. — And how did you live in such a religious society? — Shining tilted his head slightly to the side, looking at me. — I didn't show it, — I sighed again and looked away from the painting of the princess, — I tried to observe the rituals just for show, so that there would be no unnecessary questions for me. — So you're an atheist? — So it turns out, sir, — I shrugged. There was silence in the office again. Everything seemed to be going fine so far, and there were no unnecessary questions for me, which undoubtedly pleased me. But it was too early to relax the rolls. The blue and white unicorn sighed and folded its front legs on the table again, asking again: — Returning to the topic of your stay in the barracks, I want to ask: how long have you been here? — Almost a week and a half, sir, — I replied, not hiding the truth. — Then why didn't the rest of my guards say anything about it? — I don't know, sir, — I answered honestly. And indeed, this raised some questions even for me. But I didn't ask what prevented them from at least just sending a message to the commander all this time — it's not my problem. — I'll ask them. If there are no complaints about you, then we will get along. But if not, be prepared that I will not make an exception for you in terms of punishments. I am harsh, but fair. Is everything clear? — Armor looked at me with narrowed eyes. — Yes, sir. The captain nodded and relaxed, pointing with his hoof towards the door: — Then you're free. Go back to the sleeping arrangement. If I need you, I'll call you. I couldn't help but sigh with relief, because this interrogation was successful. That's what I thought, anyway. It was an informative conversation, and I hoped that the next dialogues with Shining Armor would take place in a more relaxed atmosphere. It was time for lunch, which meant it was time to visit the dining room. There were few stallions there today due to the absence of most of the soldiers, and only our good-natured cook, Green, met me there. Judging by his smile and good-natured look, he was in a good mood today. — I see today is a wonderful day for you? — I asked, taking a seat next to him. — Agas, — He nodded affirmatively, terribly reminding me of the manners of Big Mac at that moment, — My daughter was born. — Wow, — I smiled back, sincerely glad for him, — Congratulations! But why aren't you with your wife and newborn daughter? — The captain will not let go, — The smile on the cook's face faded, and he sadly lowered his head, — I am the only cook in the whole company, and I will not be able to leave for Ponyville physically. Who's going to feed the soldiers? «Yeah... Not a very pleasant situation. Green is having a holiday, and he's sitting here serving soldiers. Is there really no one to replace him at all?» — For the whole company? — I was surprised, — How do you cope like this? Will no one take over for you? — But this is my calling... My special talent, — The green stallion replied a little confused, pointing to his cutie mark. — But anyway, you need to visit them, — I continued, insisting on my own. At that moment, he reminded me very much of an acquaintance from Moscow, who also liked to prevail even against his own interests. «I wonder how he's doing without me now?» — I thought sadly, — «And did he even notice my absence? However, that's not what we're talking about right now.» Sighing, he banished unnecessary thoughts from his head, deciding to focus on what was happening here and now. — Only if the captain lets me go, otherwise I just can't, — Green muttered, shrugging his shoulders. — Now everyone is on exercises, so go to the captain, ask him to leave, maybe you will be back in time for the arrival of the others, — Remembering what was reported on the parade ground this afternoon, I suggested. — Ponyville is far away, I won't make it, — The stallion continued to lament. I decided to give him a little support and put a huge foot on the sergeant's shoulder by pony standards. — I am aware, I have covered this distance on foot. I wouldn't say it's too big. — It's easy for you to say, — He sat down and slowly pushed my leg off his shoulder, pointing at it, — With this size, you have bigger steps. And small creatures like us have a harder time. It seems that he just can't be convinced of the need to visit his family. Well, there is another method — to talk to someone. — Listen, maybe I can solve this issue? Talk to the commander, let's say. — In what way? — Green asked, his mouth hanging open in surprise, — You're not even a citizen, much less a soldier. Why would Shining listen to you? — I'll figure something out, — I assured the stallion, pulling away from him and preparing to leave the dining room. He didn't stop me, just shook his head. — Okay. Try. Is it the same for you today as always? — He asked when I was already at the exit. — Yes. Fish and potatoes, — I threw over my shoulder, then moved down the corridor to the opposite wing of the barracks. «Somehow this is wrong,» — I thought, rushing down the corridor, — «He should be given at least a day off and replaced by someone so that he can look at his child and celebrate this event.» My hooves pounded heavily on the floor, forcing the few soldiers to respectfully step aside when they saw my huge face, and some looked suspiciously around, following me with their eyes. Maybe they were watching me, but I wasn't paying attention to them yet. Shining Armor turned out to be exactly where I left it: in his office. After knocking on the door with my hoof and receiving permission to enter, I met him again, which caused considerable surprise in the white and blue stallion. — I'd like to ask for something not for myself, sir, — I said, getting straight to the point. — What exactly is it? — The unicorn asked, not hiding his curiosity. — Can you let Green go to Ponyville for a day? — Why would I do that, Stevrian? — Armor asked, still curious. — He had a daughter and… They didn't let me finish. The captain immediately interrupted me, jumping up from his seat. — A daughter? It's true? — He says so himself, and I'm inclined to believe him, sir, — I replied clearly. — Get him here, — Shining immediately offered enthusiastically, — I'll talk to him. Congratulations at the same time. — Yes, sir, — I nodded and left the office, heading back to the dining room. «I think this will definitely please our sergeant,» — I thought, feeling a certain surge of strength from a good deed. I still hoped that the commander of the guard would be kind to him and allow him a short vacation. While I was heading to the dining room, I also managed to hear a snippet of conversation between two guards who were heading in the same direction as me: — ...So what's the news from the northern border? — The first one asked. — Just snow and a snowy desert, nothing more, — The second soldier replied, sighing at the same time. Hearing this, I involuntarily slowed down and moved my ears. This conversation attracted my attention, because I remembered that, according to the canon, it is located in the north. «Has the Crystal Empire appeared yet? I wonder when it will arise?» — I asked myself a question, — «So far, I have not had any visions of the future, except for the wedding in Canterlot. But I was already sure that everything would go according to the canon that was described in the animated series. What will be next? Turning Twilight into an alicorn? Starlight Glimmer's travels into the past and an attempt to thwart the plans of the Six? It is necessary to remember». And while I was thinking about all this, the dialogue between the soldiers continued: — Are you sure? — The first stallion asked. — Yes, that's right, — The second guard replied, — But I have a bad feeling, as if something is coming from there. Something very sinister. Those who are on duty at the border talk about strange, frightening dreams and… — It's good to tell tales, Scroll, — The second stallion patted his friend's side with a hoof, laughing, — They just overworked living in the north. You'd be as crazy as I was, being there. — Maybe you're right.… «So, there is not much time left before the return of the Crystal Empire», — I continued my thoughts, thinking about new introductory ones, — «This pleases on the one hand, but worries on the other. We should tell Luna that when we meet in a dream. Obviously, they are afraid of the return of the most sinister and dark character in the universe — King Sombra. Yes, he can do a lot of things if he gets his full strength. I would not want to run into him, knowing his character and assuming a set of abilities that he may possess. It's one thing to see him in a cartoon, and quite another to meet him in person. It won't be good enough anyway.» However, I was not a fan of King Sombra, so I hurried to the dining room, deciding not to stay any longer. Green was in his place. When he saw me, he stood up and tilted his head questioningly, waiting for an answer. — Shining asks you to come to him. He says he wants to congratulate me, — I said, winking at him. — Did you really manage to come to an agreement? Thanks! — He thanked me, pushing me in a friendly way with a hoof in the shoulder, — If he lets me go, I owe you! — Come on. Go ahead. Today is your day, — I replied, smiling at him. — If anything, I've already put your food on, — He said, pointing towards the table, where a plate of hot fish was already standing. I nodded goodbye to him and, while Green was on his way to his commander, I decided to have a quick lunch and return to the dormitory after the meal. There I decided to hide the «coin» given by the Moon this morning. Unfortunately, everything was controlled in the army, and the pedestal was not very well suited for this: inspectors and day guards could easily find it. «What should I do? Hide it in a mattress?» — I thought, trying to find a good place for the subject. Suddenly, my gaze caught on some kind of recess on the inner door. It was almost imperceptible and did not catch my eye, but I immediately realized that it was made by someone on purpose. I saw hoofprints on the door and the consequences of someone specifically washing in this place in order to create a «stash» for various objects. «Tricky!» — I smiled, hiding the coin there so that at first glance no one would see it, even if they looked there, — «But I can always get it using my newfound telekinesis skill». This coin reminded me of the meeting with the Moon, and I allowed myself to smile, already anticipating the beginning of learning in a dream… However, there were some screams outside on the street, and I abruptly raised my head, looking up from the bedside table. «Who's yelling so hard that their eardrums hurt?» — I snorted irritably and decided to look out of the barracks, so to speak, to see what was going on there. I went out to the parade ground and found an unpleasant picture: a certain beige pegasus with a dark blue mane, dressed in leather armor covering his entire body except for his head, was shouting loudly at Dark and waving a long rubber stick at his muzzle. I was unfamiliar with this pegasus, but I didn't like his behavior terribly. Star, on the contrary, looked depressed and seemed to be shouting «get me out of here!» with his whole appearance. I didn't like this scene terribly, and I could already feel the indignation boiling inside my soul. I wanted to shout at that boor, whose speech was full of choice obscenities and insults. — So that tomorrow, fucker, the task is completed! Do you understand? — Pegasus shouted at the whole parade ground, so much so that the windows shook. He nodded hastily. — Then get out before I stick this stick in one place for you! — Pegasus finally kicked him in the chest with his hoof, after which he turned around and headed in the opposite direction from me. I immediately ran up to Star and put my foot on his shoulder. — Who was that? Are you okay? — I asked him. He nodded. — Yeah.… You do this — try not to catch his eye, — Here Star pointed his head in the direction of the retreating pegasus, — He is directly our deputy commander. Lieutenant Black Blade. Utter scum. He was literally taking it out on me today. «Yeah. It's not getting any easier day by day…» — I shook my head sympathetically, — «No one, like me, knows who the tyrant commanders are. In any team, any army unit, there are such personalities who are ready to revel in power in the hooves, running over subordinates and demanding from them beyond measure. And for any jamb or even movement, punish with all the strictness of the rules. Those are the types, in a word.» — What did he want you to do? — Can you describe him? — I asked, walking with a friend towards the barracks. — Wow… He didn't like the fact that I was going on guard duty today, and my mane was allegedly badly combed. And he assigned me an out-of-turn outfit instead of a guard. By company. He also said that I would have to put all the documents in order for him, and if this was not done… — Why do you have to do the work for him? — I was justly indignant. — Because he ordered… Unfortunately, this is an army — they do what they tell you to do here. I'll have to sit up all night and mess with the paperwork. I felt frankly sorry for Dark Star. I sighed heavily, as if I had been assigned someone else's job, and then tried to smile. It turned out to be a tense and strained smile. — Maybe… Can I help you with this? — No, it's not. I myself. Moreover, if he notices that I was helped, he will fly even harder… So I'm sorry. The blue stallion shrugged his shoulders and with these words opened the door to the barracks. — I hope that this idiot will be punished in the end, — I said angrily, feeling obvious indignation at that officer. — That's unlikely, — Dark shook his head. — Why? — He's the son of a noble house among the nobles, and even a princess can't just fire him. Consider him a liaison here. Even Shining Armor is forced to turn a blind eye to his lawlessness, although he is aware of his antics. — Doesn't she have absolute power? — I was surprised. — Let's just say, not completely. She has to put up with the interests of the ruling elite among the nobles, — The stallion sighed sadly, — If she listens to the personal petitions of ordinary ponies, then only for show. — That's it... — Don't tell me, — He said, twisting his face. I didn't even know who to be mad at anymore. To Celestia, who considers herself a goddess and does not care about ordinary ponies... or to that «lieutenant» who already considers himself the most important in the guard and allows himself to be arbitrary without fear of responsibility for his actions. I was mentally ready to crush the skull of both of them with these very hooves, if I had the opportunity. The time before lights-out flew by unnoticed. I worked out and exercised in the afternoon, and then came dinner and the evening screening. During it, Shining himself came into the sleeping area, and he personally checked the guards and their belongings. He found illegal items on some fighter, someone was not dressed according to the rules. But he asked to correct these shortcomings until the morning and not repeat any more mistakes, after which he left the location and wished everyone a good night. — Company, stand down! And we all went to rest on command. And I was already looking forward to meeting the Moon in a dream.

***

And again there is a thick fog around me. The wet floor is flooded ankle-deep with crystal clear water, reflecting everything like a mirror. And I was back in the form of a dragon, which was very pleasing. At least somewhere I can be in my real form! I decided to just sit down and wait for the princess to arrive. However, an hour or even two passed, but she still did not show up. Have you really forgotten? Or did something happen? «I hope she's okay,» — I muttered to myself and closed my eyes. Fortunately, my fears were not justified, and soon I heard a friendly voice: — We are glad to see you, Stevrianᵉ, — The Moon smiled at me coming out of the fog. — And I'm so glad to see you, Lunaᵉ, — I breathed out with relief, getting up from the floor, — Thank you for not forgetting about meᵉ. She came closer to me and, closing her eyes, concentrated magic in the horn. A second later, a weighty book materialized in front of us, which hovered in front of us a meter above the floor. — Are you ready to learn to read and write, Stevrianᵉ? — She asked, glancing at me. I nodded in the affirmative. — Readyᵉ. The princess opened the book on the table of contents and ran her eyes over it. As expected, the text was incomprehensible to me, so I hoped that she would voice out loud to me what she would see in it. — This is a geography book, Stevrianᵉ, — She finally said after a minute. — It's quite voluminous for geographyᵉ, — I looked at the book more closely, approximately noticing that it was at least eight centimeters thick. Usually, textbooks on it are not so weighty that you can hide «War and Peace» in them. But perhaps it's for the best if it contains so much information and, as I hoped, maps. — We haven't picked up a book about the world order for a thousand yearsᵉ, — She flipped through several pages with telekinesis and stopped at a chapter, — We are extremely interested in how the world has changed since we remember itᵉ. She began to look at the letters, which looked like incomprehensible squiggles from my side, and I sat closer, looking over her shoulder. Suddenly Luna sighed in surprise, and her eyes widened. Something clearly struck her in the description. — So, what is written thereᵉ? — I couldn't resist asking. — Rather depictedᵉ! I did not expect that everything would change so much in the last thousand yearsᵉ. I began to look at the page, seeing in the picture the outlines of one continent and the edge of the neighboring one. — Can you expand the map completelyᵉ? — I asked the princess. — We canᵉ, — She nodded and turned the page. As it turned out, it was a geopolitical map embedded in the book, which alicorn immediately pulled out and fully unfolded in front of us. On it, I saw three continents at once, the names of which were incomprehensible to me, but there was something familiar about them. It was as if I had seen them somewhere before, but I couldn't remember where. I have experienced too much stress lately, and this has not helped to improve brain function. However, I could easily name all three continents: — Equus, Gryphonia and Zebrica… Rightᵉ? Luna pulled away from looking at the map for a second. — Rightᵉ… Do you already know how to read, or have you heard about these names from somewhereᵉ? — She replied with a slight surprise. — I... saw this map briefly somewhere, but I don't remember whereᵉ, — I answered honestly, shrugging my shoulders. «I think she'll understand me,» — I thought, sighing. Luna nodded and with a nod of her head suggested that they study the map further. I couldn't remember the other names, but intuitively guessed that Zebrica was located in the south, and, judging by its size and my scant knowledge of geography, it was the largest continent of all three. Gryphonia was in the east. Equus was located in the west. Judging by the dimension, which was depicted by a small mark in the lowest left edge of the map, the scale was simply unimaginably huge. We studied the map in silence for a while, not daring to distract each other from our thoughts. Finally, I decided to carefully check with the night pony: — What was the name of the continent where you lived in ancient timesᵉ? — I asked the Moon, leaning slightly towards her with my muzzle. — Equusᵉ... — She answered in a low voice after a few moments. Judging by her tone, she was still in shock. This did not escape my attention. — Is something wrongᵉ? — We did not dare to think that this world was so hugeºᵉ, — Suddenly the Moon switched to the old Equestrian, exhaling noisily at the same time. — You're obviously shockedᵉ, — I summed up the obvious. — We couldn't even think that there is more than one continentᵉ! Just imagine our surprise when we saw such significant changesᵉ! I mentally imagined what it would look like in earthly realities. «Probably… This is something like a European who, by some miracle, will be abandoned from the thirteenth century to our time. He will be amazed not only by the fact that we have discovered North America, but also by the presence of Australia, Antarctica and, in general, that the Earth is round. It's a good comparison. This can definitely explain and show me the scale of the cultural shock of the night princess». — For me, it's a lotᵉ... — I took a short pause, nodding — ...an interesting discoveryᵉ... But maybe we should continueᵉ? — Yes, yesᵉ, — She looked at me and then immediately looked at the map again, — Let's continueᵉ. We looked at and studied the map for a while, and during this process the Moon pointed with its hoof at certain land areas, listing aloud the names of the countries that occupied them. I tried not to interrupt her, but to try to remember everything and understand where everything is. After all, this will come in handy in the future. Finally, the Moon settled on the state in which we now lived: — Equestriaᵉ… She has changed a lot in a thousand yearsᵉ, — The princess said and, sighing heavily, lowered her head, pulling away from the map. «You don't need to go to a fortune teller here to understand that something is wrong here». — And what's the matterᵉ? — I asked. — Earlier, during the reign of us and our sister, Equestria was an empire and occupied the entire Equusᵉ. Now we see only disparate states in which there is no unity of oursᵉ. I froze as if struck by lightning. «Holy shit! I would never have thought that Equestria was taking over the entire continent. Stop! Then why the hell does she occupy so little territory now?» I frowned, thinking. «Who should be blamed for this? Obviously, Celestia. Who has ruled for the last thousand years? She. And she also continues to destroy the country. But I won't tell Luna about my suspicions yet. After all, she is the sister of the sun, and I do not want to upset her with dislike for Celestia». — What could have happened to make our empire collapseᵉ... — Princess Luna continued to lament, shaking her head. — Okay, don't be sad, Princessᵉ. Maybe we can still restore her greatnessᵉ, — I tried to reassure her. Not knowing how else to support her, I tried to hug her, but she continued to think about something, sighing sadly. My words didn't help her much. After a while, she raised her head and looked at me, changing the subject and asking sternly: — Let's get back to the main pointᵉ. You said that you decided to call Novo Gryphonia your homeland, rightᵉ? — Yesᵉ, — I nodded affirmatively, — Moreover, today I told Shining Armor that I lived in the capital, in the city of Weatherᵉ. I heard about him from the conversations of the guardsᵉ. Luna, hearing this answer, suddenly recoiled from me and stood up. It seems… Did I say something wrong today? Did you sign your own death warrant? Or what? It started to bother me. — Did you learn a lotᵉ? — She continued. — Wellᵉ... — I got nervous. — Not enoughᵉ! — Luna said dryly, continuing my suggestion, — If you want to create a perfect backstory for yourself, you must know the world around you perfectlyᵉ! Otherwise, your words will be given away, and even we will not be able to helpᵉ! Having said about Novo Gryphonia, now you must thoroughly study its culture and languageᵉ! That's the only way you'll get the cover you needᵉ! Here I was already starting to panic a little, which was evident from my eyes darting around and my rapid breathing. «Damn it! How did I get so fucked up. I should have called it something simpler. Although on the other hand, they won't believe it. And what should we do now? Damn it, damn it! I didn't expect such a reaction from her. He clearly approaches the case with a lot of experience. But what should I do then? How to improve?» But I decided to pull myself together, kill all the panic in myself and salute like an army, responding to her words: — Yes, sirᵉ! Luna softened in response at first, and then suddenly laughed loudly, which made me even embarrassed. — You should see yourself nowᵉ... — She persisted, giggling and covering herself with a wing. Even in this form, she looked very majestic and aristocratic, which I really liked. She definitely liked that kind of behavior on her pretty face. — I'm sorry, Your Majestyᵉ, — I mumbled, not understanding the whole situation and scratching my neck with my claws. — Yes, I'm sorryᵉ, — She calmed down and her muzzle took on a serious look, — But to be honest, you really need to know everything, at least wellᵉ. — What's right is rightᵉ, — I agreed unconditionally, — So will you help me, Lunaᵉ? — We'll help you, don't worryᵉ, — The princess of the night smiled, and with that we returned to studying the map. — Novo Gryphonia is located in the northeast of the continentᵉ, — She pointed to the country northeast of Equestria, shaded in yellow, and then looked sadly at another part of the map again, shifting her gaze to the lands to the west of the previously indicated ones, — Has the Crystal Empire still not returnedᵉ? «Exactly! I wanted to tell her about her!» — I remembered about today’s overheard conversation and continued out loud. — As far as I've heard from the gossip of the guards, noᵉ, — I held up my finger, — However, I've heard that the guards on the border began to have bad dreams and feel something sinister from the side where this empire wasᵉ. I'm afraid the worst is ahead of usᵉ. Luna squinted in disbelief. — And how do you know that she should be thereᵉ? — I'veᵉ... heard aboutᵉ... where she isᵉ, — I replied half-honestly, feigning violent brain activity. The Princess of the Night looked at me for a while, but then nodded. — All rightᵉ, — She said, putting her foot on the far left side of the Equus mainland, — The lands in the far west are desertedᵉ. Even in a thousand years, this has not changedᵉ. I nodded silently and continued listening to her. Next, we sorted out all the remaining Equus countries. To my delight, there were not so many of them: dragons, which only conditionally belonged to the continent; several tribes of bison, one of which was inside the territory of Equestria; polar bears in the far north; and penguins, which surprised me more than anything else. I already knew about the changelings in the Wastelands in the northwest. «Considering that that territory is almost equal in size to Equestria, I'm afraid to even think how many of them might be there,» — I thought during the story, — «I'm afraid we'll have a hard time at the Canterlot wedding.» After researching the geopolitical map, we put aside geography and spent the rest of our time studying the modern Equestrian alphabet. It was here that something began that made me remember the famous words of Suvorov: it's hard to learn… If I were in the form of a pony here, then after SUCH a lesson, my entire mane would turn gray, not just its tips. In short, it was very difficult for me to learn a new and completely unfamiliar language. I can say that he has proved too much for me so far, even taking into account the dragon's appearance. And it all looked like this: — This is the letter — The Moon pointed to another scrawl with several dots — The letter «E»ᵉ. — «E»ᵉ, — I tried to repeat. — Wrongᵉ! — The princess sighed deeply. — Correctly, «E»ᵉ. But it was hard to tell the difference. — «E»ᵉ — I gave it away again. Luna did a «facehoof», but she continued to study with me. After a while, it finally started to work out. — That’s rightᵉ! — She clapped her hooves at each other like it wasn’t a princess with aristocratic manners, but a young mare, — Another couple of classes, and you could write the first wordᵉ! I didn't know if she was being sarcastic or serious. I didn't decide to clarify it, just shrugged my shoulders in response, and then asked: — What's nextᵉ? — Consonantsᵉ — Luna told me and opened another page of the ABC. I continued to study the alphabet with extreme difficulty and memorize the letters of Equestrian by heart. All this was given to me with such a fight that it was just right for me to open champagne with every letter I learned and pour it with the night princess. «Even pushing a cart uphill would be easier than learning a new alphabet. And you wouldn't wish that on an enemy!» — I thought as I studied the alphabet, when not only did it not get easier, but in places the alphabet only got more complicated. After studying the alphabet itself, when I became more or less familiar with it, Luna immediately asked me to write my first sentence: — Write it down: «I bought an apple on beats»ᵉ, — And with these words, she materialized a piece of paper and a pencil in front of my nose. To say that I was in shock was to say nothing. I was already stunned by this and was unable to move until Luna repeated her request. — But we haven't even started learning the wordsᵉ, — I spread my paws apart. The princess shook her head negatively, expressing disagreement with me: — We don't have much time, Stevrianᵉ. Every delay of yours distances you from your salvationᵉ! There was no choice, and I took a pencil in my paw and tried to write the phrase as well as I could in this guise. My handwriting was clumsy: a chicken's paw would write better, although I was sure that any other Equestrian dragon would not have coped with this either. However, the result was the same: I brought out meaningless nonsense. «I still have to study and study... it's good that it can be done at night. If I learn the alphabet, I can do it during the day. The main thing is not to mess with it too much,» — I tried to support myself. It did not work out very well, but I did not give up my attempts to master the local script. Human children are more fortunate in terms of learning: they are more likely to memorize new things and objects than adults. I thought the alphabet and writing would be simple, but I've never been so wrong. During the lesson, I tried to write the phrase several more times, and only on the sixth attempt I managed to deduce at least something sane. A C, so to speak. But even this result pleased the Moon. She nodded happily and accepted the paper, but our glee was short-lived: I could already hear the sounds of the bedroom, and I felt that the time of awakening was approaching. — You should goᵉ. I'll see you in my next dreamᵉ. Remember — don't draw too much attentionᵉ, — She warned me, and we hugged good-bye before I woke up in my bunk at the barracks before another climb.