The Prophecy

I stood in the middle of the library and read out the titles of books in different departments. I was so unused to reading during all the time I was here that I was happy about it like a child. I could find out where mathematics — the queen of all sciences, is located. I didn't love her, but it's stupid to underestimate her importance. I found out where the geography is, where the history of Equestria and other books are. «I learned to read, and now I can learn more! «A short guide to illusory magic», «List of magical artifacts of Equestria», «Cookbook»... So many prospects open up that it is hard to believe» I was looking forward to my more in-depth training, that I did not leave the shelves even a meter away. «If I had my way, I would stay in the library for a few months in order to find out everything. Of course, my knowledge of Equestrian is still modest, and now reading literature seems to me only to translate articles from Equestrian with a dictionary, but the seeds of that learning with the Moon, for which I spare no effort, began to give the first shoots. It makes me incredibly happy!» But now I could not choose a book for the next dream reading session with the princess and for about an hour I wandered around the part of the library that was available to me. I had three more hours to do everything about everything, so I wanted to choose something useful and necessary as soon as possible. My eyes were literally running away. At one point, I got tired of all this, and I went into the «magic» department, where I picked up the first book I saw with a colorful, multicolored cover. «The Basics of Illusion Magic» — I ran my eyes over the title, and laid it open on the table. First, I opened the table of contents and walked diagonally through the first pages to see how useful this book could be to me. «How unnoticed these weeks have passed. The first month since I've been here is coming to an end, I can't even believe it! Time has flown by too fast. Although why be surprised, living according to a soldier's schedule in the barracks? It's good that you now have access to the library». There was a lot of interesting information in the book, but unfortunately, as far as I could understand, there was too much «water» in it. The only useful thing I could learn was that spells consist of various elements, like runes, which are drawn by willpower in the head, and strengthened by knowledge and experience. «What kind of experience can you get if this book doesn't teach you anything?» — I was indignant to myself as I read, — «You can't even handle the first chapter with so much water!» But as soon as I flipped through the book to the fifteenth page, I saw a piece of paper where it was written by an unknown author that the system indicated in most books is false and too complex. Apparently, the author of the note was able to see the whole situation and wrote his conclusion about it. «I wonder who it was?» — I asked myself a question that I probably won't get an answer to, — «And could he even master magic?» I looked around to make sure I wasn't being followed and continued my thoughts: «How do I understand him. It was clear to me from Star's words how bad the magical arts were here, and that this system had deteriorated greatly since the beginning of Celestia's reign, but it seems that this point of view is shared not only by him. I'm sure I can find more dissatisfied people in order to find out exactly where the system is rotten». While I was flipping through the book further, I heard the heavy sound of the door opening from behind and the clatter of hooves on the marble floor, turning into muffled footsteps on the carpet. Hastily putting the piece of paper back and closing the book, I turned sideways, pointing my head in the direction of the intended interlocutor, and my soul literally sank into my heels, because in front of me was Celestia herself. — What are you doing? — Alicorn asked the question, squinting. I hesitated for a second at this unexpected turn of events. «I never thought I'd see her again so early» — I read books. — I answered honestly, swallowing nervously, — Has anything happened? — Yes. It happened, — The white-haired mare said somewhat irritably, — My student saw you. How can you explain this? I began to think feverishly about where this could happen. «A student? It's about Twilight, right? But how? When? Where? Hadn't she seen me on the observation deck then?» Suddenly, a hunch came. It was then that I felt someone's eyes on me, and therefore I immediately retreated as soon as I noticed it. «That's a shame! I wasn't supposed to be seen, but I got caught on the first walk. That's a big-eyed witch! Now try it, fuck off!» — When was that? — I answered the question with a question, pretending that I didn't know anything. — A week ago, — The irritation in whitefly's voice grew with every word. She literally loomed over me. It was like she was ready to turn my body into ashes right here and now. At least that's what it seemed to me, although the princess herself seemed relatively calm on the outside. — Then I went out for a walk in the courtyard with the permission of the captain of the guard, and even then for a few hours, — I calmly continued to answer her questions, trying to hide my nervous behavior, — I don't know why your protege saw me. Celestia chuckled, but she didn't decide to put in a word, so I continued, deciding to ask her: — But please tell me, — At this point, I took a short pause, anticipating her reaction — Why was she even looking at the palace that day? Celestia was about to reply, but froze with an outstretched hoof in slight surprise. For a moment, I thought I was embarrassed. It was difficult to read the facial expressions of the alicorn, especially with my superficial knowledge of the facial expressions of local ponies. However, I felt something similar to these emotions from her. Finally, after about a minute, she frowned and continued the conversation: — It's none of your business! — The princess snapped proudly, without raising her tone, — But you shouldn't have been given permission… — I have studied your laws, Your Highness, — I interrupted her. «No, I'm definitely not going to dance to your tune! I'll try to beat you on your own field» — I am not a prisoner, — I continued, — Moreover, I am here as a guest, and restricting my movement is a gross violation of the article on the «status of civilians» of paragraph thirteen, part two, paragraph «B». Reprimanding a captain of the Guard just because he was doing his job and didn't break any rules looks wrong. I smiled to myself. Luna did not prepare me for this in vain, having become more familiar with local laws. Knowing your rights and responsibilities is very useful in situations where they are trying to pin you against the wall. For a while, the luminous princess just stood there and silently looked at me, trying to come up with an answer, but then she turned her back on me, snorted and headed for the exit. — As you wish, — The princess said in a condescending tone. When she reached the door, Celestia turned to me and began to stare intently at me. — But if at least one incident happens through your fault, you will regret that you were born into this world. After saying that, she left me alone in the library. And I sighed faintly, but heavily, feeling great relief. «Ugh, it's gone. I thought for a moment that something very serious had happened. Well, she saw me and she saw me… Okay. I think Celestia has found excuses for a long time. I'm just surprised that she decided to visit me right now. It's weird». Rejecting unnecessary thoughts, I decided to continue studying literature and delved into reading books. After lunch, I decided to practice telekinesis with Dark Star for a while, using the knowledge I had gained in the morning about magic. This time I managed to fully move the cube to the table. Of course, it was impossible to apply the techniques described in the book now, but I was satisfied with the result. — You see, — Dark smiled broadly, — it's not that hard. If this continues, one day you will be able to move objects by levitation without even looking at them. — It will be good, — I replied, breathing heavily and catching my breath after such exercises. It felt like I had run several kilometers in heavy armor, it was so hard. At this time, I even thought about where my psionics abilities were coming from, but I was distracted. — It's only difficult at the very beginning, — He assured me, drawing attention to the condition, — You'll get used to it and it won't be such a problem. — It's kind of weird, — I said, thinking for a second. Star raised his head questioningly. — Yes, Stevrian? — Then why are most unicorns physically undeveloped? — Maybe because they train the mind first and carry several amulets with them to dissipate excess energy, — My interlocutor replied in a sarcastic tone. — Really? — I was genuinely surprised, — Are they using some trinkets instead of training on their own? — Yes, it is, but not everyone is so lazy. «Lazy is not the right word», — I snorted and shook my head. — For example, the elite guard of the princess, and, — Star proudly raised his head and smiled, — Of course, my humble person. — That's why you're teaching me, — I guessed. My interlocutor grunted a little doubtfully, obviously guessing something, to my regret. — You sound like you've never used the power you've been given. Such abilities are usually given from birth and the fact that you didn't use them looks strange. I shook my head a little worriedly, trying to come up with an excuse for this argument. — That's the point, — I slightly averted my eyes to the side, then looked around, making sure that we were still alone in the room, — Until that day... or rather night, I did not think that my abilities would manifest themselves so strongly. — Oh, well, yes, — Star chuckled thoughtfully and waved his hoof, — You grew up side-by-side with griffins, and they used to achieve everything with hard work, not relying on all sorts of «crutches» that the minotaurs invented at the time. I just sighed, turning my gaze to the only window in the room. The room itself has been serving as a private office and a place for magic training for almost a month. «It’s a shame that you have to learn everything «underground» like this. But nothing can be done», — I thought with some sadness. So far, the room has not been furnished, although it was going to be a long time ago. It was completely empty except for a couple of drawers. I wanted to talk to Dark about something else, but a scroll suddenly fell on my head, tied with a tight knot with a rope. «What the hell is this?» — I thought, examining the scroll and wondering where it could have come from and how it got to me. Having decided to find out the answers to these questions as soon as possible, I decided to just expand it and read it: «Dear Princess Celestia, today I learned that shouldn't get too involved in other relationships, even if it's your best friend and you want to help him overcome adversity with every fiber of your soul. I also realized that you don't need to take everything personally. My Friendship Magic lesson is over for today. Sincerely, your Best student, Twilight Sparkle. P.S. I liked your muffins for breakfast». «So… This is Twilight's letter for Celestia. Why did it end up here and not next to the addressee? Strange. But this is another letter about a friendship lesson.» It was not necessary to be a fortune teller to understand this. Over the canon, as far as I could remember, such letters were written over a hundred. «So it was Spike who teleported him. But why here and how did it end up here? Oh, if only Twilight Sparkle knew how things really are here… These «friendship problems» of theirs are nothing compared to what is happening in the country. Pink glasses, damn it» — What is it, Stevrian? — Star said, pulling me out of the depths of my own thoughts. — Apparently, this letter is for the princess. — It's interesting. Let me see, — With these words, he levitated the scroll to himself and read it carefully. For a while, his muzzle retained a neutral-thoughtful expression, and towards the end it acquired surprised features. — The magic of friendship? Is this some kind of new type of magic? — The stallion asked in disbelief. — What's wrong? — I asked him, raising an «eyebrow». — There is no such magic. — That's how it is! — I exclaimed in surprise, — Why would a princess lie to her student? — I do not know, — Dark shook his head ruefully, — it's worth thinking about. But shouldn't I take this letter to Princess Celestia? — I should, but I don't think it's more important than the affairs of her state, — I retorted, grimacing at the last words. — Well, — The interlocutor hesitated, — It is logical. And where should I put it then? — Give it to me, — I smiled tightly and took the scroll in my hoof, putting it in the saddle bag, — It will be safe with me. I don't think the letter was teleported to me by accident. Maybe this is some kind of plan or a lesson for me. «Accidents are not accidental», — I remembered the words, — «So it is likely that someone deliberately tried to deliver this letter to me. Once Twilight Sparkle saw me through a telescope, it means that others will gradually find out about me, and they will not just ignore me anymore» — Yes, it's better that way, — Dark nodded back and walked away from me. After saying goodbye to my friend, I left the room, still thinking about the purpose of delivering this letter to me. There was some kind of snag in it and it was about someone else's relationship. However, already in the courtyard of the castle, I decided to discuss with the guide Diamond a more important thing for myself: magic. — Diamond! — I shouted to the stallion, who, as before, relentlessly accompanied me. Although he looked a little sleepy today, he perked up and turned his muzzle to me. — Yes? What's the matter? I looked around for a moment to see that there was no one else, and then returned my gaze to the interlocutor, continuing: — You're like an earth pony, but I've heard that you know a lot about magic. — Well, yes, — He nodded affirmatively, clanking his armor and shuffling his hoof on the ground a little embarrassedly. — Then tell me, how many schools of magic are there? You can name the forbidden ones too, if you want. The guard thought for a moment, looking up at the sky. — Creations, light magic, magic of illusions, changes, incarnations, — The guardsman thought for a moment, — There is also magic of destruction, charm, enchantment and prediction, and also shadow and dark. — And which of them are prohibited? — Partly destruction, completely enchantment, shadowy and dark, — The guard squinted intently, — Especially dark. For using such magic, they are killed on the spot. I froze in place. «Wow! How serious it is! There was definitely no such thing in the canon, and it is not surprising, given the fact that the events in Equestria were shown only from the position of the Six and only in isolated cases not from their muzzles. It's creepy! I need to keep this in mind, otherwise even Celestia has perceived my abilities as dark magic». I frowned, remembering the incident in the palace and how the elder alicorn reacted to my abilities. «It is logical that dark magic is prohibited, but for the "Great and Just" Celestia to simply take and execute without trial… Although, which one to execute? Maybe she was under stress and that's why she blurted out without thinking? It probably was» I could feel the anger rising, even though I was trying to suppress it. «So... okay. Quietly» I mentally counted to ten and took a deep breath, continuing more calmly: — And I thought that you ponies were soft-bodied creatures, — I grinned, shifting the topic in a slightly different direction. However, Diamond didn't like my statement very much, which caused him to change his face and his gaze to become more severe. — Who are you to judge meanness? — The stallion was indignant. — I grew up among griffins and that's why I know what cruelty is. — It's obvious, — The guard snorted and waved it away, — But why did you ask about magic? Did you want to reproach us for something? — No, it's not! — I shook his head, raising one hoof, — I just wanted to clarify: do you know such a term as «friendship magic»? The guard stared at me in surprise, clearly not understanding something: — What? What is this? — I don't know either, — I shrugged, — But I've heard that it's kind of being passed off as a new school of magic. I did not give him what I read in the letter today, I decided to arrange it differently. The guardsman didn't need to know such details. — What kind of nonsense is this?! — The interlocutor immediately burst into bewilderment mixed with indignation. On the contrary, I remained completely calm. — And what exactly do you see here as nonsense? — In everything! — With some malice in his eyes, the stallion looked at me, — Friendship is when two ponies get attached to each other, find common interests, but nothing more. How can a simple friendship become magical?! — If only I knew! «A bit of a strange reaction», — I remarked, chuckling, — «Let's put it down to Diamond's nervousness or fatigue» — In general, how did you know about this? — Diamond squinted suspiciously, taking a few steps towards me and looking into my face. — Yes, I found a mention in a book in the library, the name of which I forgot, — I pointedly scratched the back of my head, pretending to be thoughtful. «Yes — an actor without an oscar, nothing can be said. But I will hope for the stud’s narrow-mindedness» — That's how, — Diamond was still a little surprised, but my answer calmed him down noticeably, and he nodded, — It's worth thinking about. — Anyway, thanks for the information and clarification. — I smiled. — You're welcome, — The guard grunted, turned around and nodded at me to follow him. This time, the guard led me through the corridors of the castle, rather than directly to the barracks, and I could explore the interior of the palace as we moved. I purposely walked leisurely, carefully examining the details of the surroundings. In addition to all sorts of vases, tables with carved patterns on wood and white walls, there were colorful stained glass windows in the corridor, which attracted my attention. Here is the ancient era of the ascension of the Alicorn sisters, and here is the first time after the expulsion of the Moon. Then the rise of the country after the decline of the same period, the construction of cities. Discord, which was once fought by the forces of justice, is also depicted here. And towards the end of the hall, there were no stained glass windows, and instead there were empty windows, which, obviously, were left as a reserve for future works of art. Usually, I didn't pay attention to the details that were insignificant to me, but here I saw live what was not shown in the canon. Therefore, I carefully, as far as the situation allowed, peered at the little things that were new to me. I even involuntarily remembered that very window in the library, where some strange pony was depicted in a haze. «Who was that there?» — I asked myself again, which will remain unanswered, — «I definitely don't remember anything like this in the canon» Finally, I stopped at the stained glass window, where Princess Luna was depicted, and next to her was a whole herd of fanged and winged pony — thestrals. «I still wonder where they went after the events in the castle of the two sisters?» — I involuntarily began to think, looking at the mosaic that interested me, — «Offended by Celestia and just left en masse? This is not surprising. But what really happened? Were they forced to leave Equestria? This is more plausible». I mentally chuckled and closed my eyes. «What if they were hunted? It is clear that in this Equestria there is no «Peace, friendship, gum», but everything is dark and very realistic. Cruelty and xenophobia are commonplace here, and religious intolerance is almost elevated to a virtue. If we summarize the information about the affairs of the country as a whole, then Equestria can be safely given up. It's big, granite» The only other person I hoped for was the Moon and me as her advisor. I understood that I would have to directly help her both take over the reins of government and supervise her with my advice in the future, based on my previous life experience. This is the only way to get things going in Equestria. Anyway, that's the first thing that came to my mind. «Celestia, what have you brought the country to?» — I asked mentally, — «I understand that it is not easy to rule, but how can you come to this? How did it happen? Why did this happen? Will anyone answer this or not?!» I growled menacingly at the Equestrian government and the princess in particular, having already forgotten who I was with right now. — Hey, Stevrian! — Diamond shouted, bringing me out of my thoughts, — What are you growling at? Will you go outside? I've been trying to get to you for a minute now, tall dreamer. I immediately pulled myself together and cleared my throat, pretending that I was just clearing my throat with a growl. — Yes, I'm sorry, — I shook my head, — I remembered something and thought about it. — It's obvious, — The stallion snorted and waved his head at me, saying, move it. And I hurried after him, clattering around the hall with my heavy hooves. We left the corridor and after a while found ourselves in the garden, where there was a statue of Discord. Surprisingly, the surroundings all this time looked so perfect that such «correctness» even began to cut the eye. At one point, I noticed the very maze where, according to the canon, the actions of the series with the awakening of Discord took place. After standing in front of its entrance for a few seconds, I decided to enter it, despite the protests of my escort, and immediately moved towards its center, intending to see Discord in his statue. Soon Diamond and I approached her, and I found draconicus enchanted in the stone, who was just peacefully standing on his pedestal. The Spirit of Chaos was indeed in his stone dungeon, as it should be in the canon, and was not going to leave it in the near future. I stepped forward and took a closer look at the statue, noticing some strange defects in it. As it turned out, these were microcracks, which worried me a little. «This can only mean that he will actually come out of prison and the events shown in the canon will happen», — I noted it and put a hoof on the statue. — I wonder if you can hear me, Discord, — I whispered, closing my eyes, — I wonder what you will say when you are released about the situation in the world around you? For me, it was the mystery of the century. Given the unpredictability of draconicus, I couldn't imagine what he would do if he were now in harsh and cruel Equestria without the «magic of friendship», which was so promoted in the series, but is safely absent in reality. And what will be the Discord in character? Hardly the chaotic «troll» who creates chaos for the sake of chaos. At that very moment, it seemed to me that the statue snorted in annoyance, and a vibration was transmitted to the hoof, and immediately pulled away from it in fright. — What are you mumbling about? — Diamond suddenly called out to me, looking at me in disbelief. I turned slowly to him and shrugged my shoulders, as far as the anatomy of horses would allow. — It's nothing. Judging by the expression on his face, the guardsman was not satisfied with my answer. — I was just wondering who it was, — I lied, glancing at draconicus again, — The statue looks like it's alive. — It's a statue of Discord, — The stallion explained briefly. — The one who has been creating a bacchanal on Equus for a long time? — I laughed softly, remembering his appearance from the animated series. «That's really who has the charisma, so it's him… Unlike Celestia» — Yes, yes, - The stallion waved away, — That very Discord. Why did you like his statue so much? — It's like she's alive. Don't you think so? — No, — Diamond looked at Discord carefully and shook his head negatively, — It's just a statue, and the master who made it is a real unique. However, I do not know him. This statue is most likely not the first thousand years old. — Okay. I saw what I wanted to see. Shall we go from here? The guardsman immediately agreed with me, and together we headed for the exit of the maze. We walked in silence. And I kept thinking about different things. Mostly about what I'm going to do next. But suddenly, at the exit, we met a guard, or rather a pegasus mare with the distinctive badge of a junior officer on her chest. Diamond suddenly stopped in front of her, stood at attention and gave her a military salute. — Lieutenant Windswing! There were no incidents during our walk! She looked carefully at the stallion, then at me, already squinting, but then she shook her hoof, as if signaling us to get out of here. — At ease, go on, — She said dryly and headed in the other direction. Diamond sighed and relaxed. I watched her go, and then I chuckled a little. — I've only caught a glimpse of mares in guard uniforms a few times. And this one is a pegasus, and even an officer. Are there so few of them in the Guard? — No, but less than the stallions, — He answered the question, shrugging his shoulders, — It's just that their barracks are on the opposite side of the palace, you know for what reasons. — I understand… And where were the pegasus stationed then? — They are also on the other side, but their barracks occupy several floors, and they are wider. This is so that they do not feel isolated and can guard the airspace above the castle. — Hmm, — I thought, — And this is convenient. — That's it! — The stallion smiled, — In general, tell me, how do you like the castle? You've been living here for a long time and you've probably made up your mind. Overall, I liked the castle. But I've been so few places so far that I couldn't say for sure. — Yes, I did, although I didn't see everything, — I chuckled, casting a quick glance towards the palace where we had recently been, — The slightly monotonous colors of the floor, walls and ceiling. Too much light, too many windows, giant corridors… But in general, it is cozy, although not practical. Diamond gave a hoarse laugh in response, shaking his head. — Yes, I see you think more about the practical application of things than about beauty. — Yes, I won't hide it, life has taught me, — I shrugged my shoulders. — And why is it that there are, as you said, «too many windows»? — The stallion asked. I must admit, I've been thinking about all this a lot since the events with Nightmare Moon happened, after which I was transferred to the barracks. If the castle looked more like a fortress, then perhaps it would be much easier for both Celestia herself and her guards. Here are the problems of architecture in the century of peaceful life without wars and shocks. — Have you or your esteemed princess — I tilted my head slightly to the side, emphasizing the word «dear» — Have you ever thought that through these windows they can sabotage or try to kill the monarch? Almost a month ago, Nightmare almost did it. Diamond opened his mouth in surprise and blinked, as if I had told him the secret of his whole life. — But it really makes sense, — Diamond agreed, — It's strange that no one provided options in case of war. It's just useless to tell the princess that. And she will not agree — we have had peace for a long time, and no serious threats are expected in the near future. «How are you mistaken!» — I mentally let out a malicious laugh, — «Do you seriously think that you will live in peace like this? The Changelings will be knocking on your door soon. And it will be very difficult for you to defend yourself from them. And these events will come very soon. If you do nothing and do not start minimal preparations for a possible invasion, you will be in trouble.» I really doubted that everything would turn out the way it did in the animated series. Still, this Equestria is about realism, not about fairy tales. Considering all the facts I've heard about this country, I had some very bad news for Celestia. «Thoughts are thoughts, but I will not betray that I saw the future» So I asked a simple and obvious question: — Why? — She has been building peace in Equestria and with her neighbors for a long time, relying only on diplomacy. And besides, she doesn't really care about ordinary employees like us. And he won't listen to you either. No offense, but you are, by and large, nobody here, and officially you don't seem to be there. — Why doesn't it matter to me, — I objected, frowning, — I helped save her sister, after all. She should at least pay attention to me somehow! «Yeah, I did. So much so that I'm not even happy myself.» Mentally, I was outraged, but I realized that it would have been better if I had just helped Moon, and I would have hidden somewhere in the woods. «Maybe things would be much better for me now,» — I thought sadly, — «But there is already something. And you can't undo what you've done» Diamond thought for a moment, as if checking the authenticity of my words. — Perhaps... — He came out of his reverie and then smiled, nodding at me, — Maybe we should go to the barracks? Or do you want to take another walk? — I think I'll go to Miss White. I promised her something anyway. That's why we're going back. I nodded back to the stallion and we headed back.

***

As it turned out, I went to the doctor very timely. The first thing I did after arriving at the barracks was to look in on the nurse, as if my intuition was telling me something. As soon as I knocked on the door, I didn't get the usual permission to enter. — Hello, Miss White! — I said confidently, opening the door a crack. No one answered me, and only the quiet ticking of the clock broke the complete ominous silence in the office. There was no light in the room, which was strange — if Miss White had just walked away, she would have probably closed the door. The silence and the lack of light were already alarming me, so I decided to immediately feel the notch with the switch with my front foot. As soon as I did this, the lamp dimly illuminated the room and saw the mare's body lying on the floor. — Miss White! — I shouted in panic, running up to her. I leaned my head against her nose, listening to her breathing, I caught barely audible breaths and exhalations. It calmed me down a bit. At that moment, I remembered that I could see, as a dragon, the auras of others lives, and therefore I tensed up and focused on the nurse. I pulled myself together with all my might and tried to remember the feelings that haunted me when I first appeared in the Everwild Forest. «The aura of life… If she is present, then she is still alive» After a while, something inside me responded to the call, and for a second it went dark in my eyes. I staggered and gasped softly, but I kept my balance. A moment later, Miss White's aura appeared in front of my eyes: neon-colored, faint and pulsating to the beat of this mare's heart. «She's definitely alive», — This fact reassured me. I was also glad that I managed to regain my aurovision, even though I had to concentrate very hard. My new-old ability, which I was already beginning to consider rather a «glitch» of the brain, successfully worked, and I mentally smiled. — Phew, — I wiped the illusory sweat from my head with my hoof and then began to look around the office in an attempt to find out what happened here. «There didn't seem to be any attack, everything was in place and neatly laid out. What happened?» Fortunately, I didn't have to guess: the nurse sighed faintly and opened her eyes with difficulty, moving her trembling lips: — Pills… I looked at her with surprise and incomprehension at first, but quickly realized what she meant, so I jumped up and clarified: — What kind of pills? — Red… With a white core,— White replied dully, as if her voice was not her own. I hurried to the medicine cabinet on the table and began rummaging through it, sorting through everything in it with the help of my newly acquired telekinesis. «A book is not that... A mane clip is not that... A purse is also not that… And here is a pill that fits the description of the right one!» I took her with telekinesis with lightning speed, since she was almost weightless, after which I grabbed a mug of water from the table, and, approaching White, smoothly dropped the pill into her open mouth. He slowly brought the glass of water to her lips and smoothly poured water into it. Now all that remains is to wait. I sat down next to her and began to monitor her condition, and after a while Miss White really came to her senses more or less. Coughing, she started to get up on shaky legs from the floor, but stopped herself and leaned her rump on the table so as not to fall. I immediately offered to help her get up, but she refused, shaking her head. Fortunately, she managed it on the second try, still coughing. But it took several long minutes to finally catch my breath and come to my senses. It was only when she sat down on her chair and wiped her face with alcohol that the nurse began to speak: — Thank you, Stevrian. I owe you my life. — You don't owe me anything, — I retorted, shaking my head, — It's just my job. What happened to you anyway? She sighed heavily and lowered her head dejectedly. — I'm sick. — What are you sick of? — I leaned in her direction, not wanting to miss a word. — I have a lack of oxygen... in my blood, — The mare replied, sighing heavily again. — Did you mean to say that you have anemia? — Um, — She hesitated, nodding and looking at me with glazed eyes, — Yes, exactly… — That's bad, — I frowned and sighed too. «It's not good. A doctor who suffers from a similar disease and has been lying like this for a hell of a long time… I wonder — if it hadn't been for me, what would have happened to Miss White? She would have died for sure. Well, I'm lucky I made it in time. Just a little more... however, let's not talk about it» — What kind of pills are these and where did you get them from? — I decided to ask, pulling the pack towards me with telekinesis. — It's «Fibrocentranum», made by griffins. The name on the pack is in their language. I stared at her in disbelief for a few seconds, until finally it dawned on me that something was wrong here. — It's strange to see you have pills. There are no synthetic drugs in Equestria, as far as I remember. — It's contraband, — She explained and bowed her head, — Please don't turn me in. I can't do without these drugs. — Don't be afraid, I understand... — I immediately reassured her and continued, — But why don't you just buy them from Novo Gryphonia? — I can't get the medicine any other way. Relations between our states are too strained now, and Equestria has banned them from us, and therefore we have to survive only in this way, — White replied in a trembling voice and closed her eyes, and I noticed how tears began to flow down her cheek, — And even then… It's been going on too long! And I spend almost all my salary on them. «Yes... it's a bad thing. And now I had to restrain myself by force, so as not to yell at the whole cabinet about how rotten the government is in Equestria. White doesn't need to be even more nervous about my emotions» Instead, I tried to abstract myself from all the negative emotions and then asked: — Then why did all this happen to you right now? You had the pills. — I wanted to take medicine, but the attack of suffocation caught up too early and I couldn't... — the white mare sighed heavily, still crying and hiding her face from me — And yet... If it weren't for you, tomorrow the newspapers would write about the deceased military doctor, that is, about me. — I really would not like that, — I decided to come closer and, trying to comfort the nurse, lightly putting my foot on her shoulder. She soon stopped sobbing and raised her head, pulling a handkerchief towards her with hoof kinesis, to wipe her eyes. — I'm not going to let anyone die so easily, especially those who are at least a little dear to me, — I said firmly and sternly, adding, — I've lost a lot of people in the past. The mare slowly removed the handkerchief from her muzzle, and then sent it to the table, after which she nodded sadly, adding sympathetically: — I can imagine, especially with your past… — Yes, — I sighed heavily and sat down next to him, — Maybe you need a break from work and someone else's care? With your health, you're going to bring yourself down so soon. — Thanks, Stevrian, but I can take care of myself, — She snorted, removing my leg from her shoulder and then taking the right one from the stack of magazines, — But you're right about me needing a rest. I still have so many magazines to fill out, but I don't have the strength at all… The mare stopped for a second, thinking about something. I didn't interrupt her and waited patiently for her to continue: — Here's the thing: there's no one to treat the soldiers, no one to do the weekly medical checkup, and a lot more, — She added, frowning. I nodded understandingly. — It must be hard. But why can't you get a second shift or someone else to replace you? — Unfortunately, Celestia saves a lot on staff and does not like to spend extra budget money... Besides, it is difficult to find a specialist as skilled and faithful to his work as me. — This is not good, — I shook my head gloomily, but then realized that it was pointless to argue, suggesting the following: — Maybe you should lie down. — I pointed to the bed in the other corner of the office, — You don't have to work in this condition. I'll put a sign on the door so you won't be disturbed. The mare thought for a moment, but then closed the magazine and slowly got up from her chair. — Thank you, Stevrian, — White smiled tiredly and walked towards the bed, swaying slightly. As soon as her body touched the couch, she breathed a sigh of relief and allowed herself to finally relax. — Do you know how to close the door? — She asked, no longer looking up. — Mmm. And isn't it just by putting a hoof to the handle? — I pricked up my ears, clearly not understanding something. The mare smiled faintly. — I have some horseshoes on my desk. Take one and put it against the door handle, and the door will close itself. I nodded understandingly and covered her with a blanket, saying goodbye. Then I looked into the table and found some silver horseshoes that Miss White had reported earlier. «It's very tricky to use horseshoes instead of keys», — I noticed, taking one of them with hoof kinesis and trying to try it on myself. As expected, it was too small for my huge hooves, so I'll have to apply it like this. Fortunately, I could easily hide it in a small shoulder bag and take it out when it was convenient for me. So there will be no unnecessary questions if I am not searched. And, turning off the lights in the room, I left the office. After hanging the «Do not disturb» sign I had taken from the table on the door, I took a horseshoe with my hoof and carefully applied it to the handle. When I heard a distinctive click from inside, I gave the door a slight telekinesis tug, making sure that it was not just closed, and then hid the horseshoe in my purse, as if it were a key. Although, in fact, it was him. «Okay. It's been dealt with. What now? Should I go to the library again? The main thing is not to run into Celestia, who clearly suspects something bad about me» After standing outside the closed office for a minute, I decided to move towards the library and use a coin to copy new literature for study. When I reached the goal, Princess Luna was there. — Luna? — I was surprised when she appeared unnoticed in front of my eyes, — What are you doing here? They can see us together! I remembered the warnings and safety measures, and therefore was very surprised to see her in front of me. We are clearly visible here, and the guards are regularly watching me. But Luna put a hoof to my nose, interrupting: — They can't, — She said in completely unaccented New Equestrian, — Let's go inside, we need to talk. We entered the library, and Luna immediately locked the door, which seemed to have been designed to fit the hoof of an alicorn. Then she whispered something and thereby cast some kind of spell on the room that I did not understand. I looked at the magic barrier on the door and then stared questioningly at the night pony. — What kind of magic barrier is this? — Acoustic, — Pointed the horn towards the exit of Luna, — It does not miss sounds. That way we won't be overheard. — Oh, — I smiled, — That's what I thought. This is very convenient. — I'm starting to remaster what I once did just with the power of thought, — Luna lowered her head and sighed softly, — And now I can only do a little more than a foal. — But you're doing well, I can see that and it pleases you, — I nodded, trying to cheer up the princess of the night. Realizing that we didn't have much time, I got down to business: — So what did you want to talk about? — Celestia is making inquiries about you, and I don't like where this is leading, — The princess supported my initiative, — If you want your legend not to collapse, then I'll have to connect those of my soldiers that we can gather. It seemed like it was a serious matter. The Princess of the Night was extremely worried, and a sense of danger was in the air. She took a deep breath and sat down on the carpet next to a shelf with a sign titled «Geography of Gryphonia». Luna slowly looked around the shelves and began to look for the necessary literature, as if hinting to me what to focus on. — Please read more about this country. Also, recruit as many of the Guards as you can and leave them to me. «Does that mean to recruit a guard? There may be problems, but I will do it!» — The most important thing, — Luna held up a hoof in a gesture that meant «listen carefully», — Is for them to be as loyal as possible. Do you understand everything? I sat there and, to put it mildly, was surprised by what was happening. But not so much a request, but the fact that Luna so quickly mastered the local equivalent of the Russian language and very quickly stopped calling herself «WE». I was confused for a second, but quickly gathered myself together and answered in army style: — That's right! It's all clear, Commander. The princess laughed out loud at my answer. I didn't really understand why she was reacting like that. On the other hand, I felt a kind of «connection» with her. We got along well with each other and understood. That is why they often behaved at ease, as they do now. Sometimes I even caught myself thinking that we are similar in character, although the age difference is enormous. But at the moment, I was just smiling stupidly in response and waiting for her to come to her senses from laughing and answer. — Sometimes you're funny, — The mare said, gradually regaining her breath, — But you're right, soldier. Complete submission and faith in the leader is the key to success. She smiled cunningly, and her smile clearly read «I want to use you, servant.» To admit, I was a little uncomfortable with this, and at some point I even thought that Luna might just use me as a jack-in-the-box, who, after playing his role, would go to the «bat». «But do I have a choice?» — I thought, — «How can I let her down? If she loses interest and trust in me, then I'm doomed» Nevertheless, I also had something to tell Luna about, such as her faithful followers. — Luna, I know it's funny to you, but there's some bad news for you, — I told her quite seriously, — I just came from the infirmary, and Miss White was in critical condition. Hearing this, Luna lost the power of speech and froze in a pose that could be called a «silent scene» in the comedy «The Inspector». His eyes were round, his mouth was slightly open, and his body froze in an unnatural position. — She's sick and I was the only one in the right place at the right time, — I continued, realizing that she was listening attentively, — I could barely save her. There was a deathly silence in the library for a while. — What is she sick of? — The princess said softly, recovering from the shock. — Anemia. — In the name of the Creator! — Raising a hoof to her mouth, the Moon broke off, — This is terrible! If she agrees to come under my care, then I will make sure that she is given medicine on time for the rest of her life. I will not spare any money for this! «That's the right attitude! That's exactly why I adore Luna — she is a mare of action, not just beautiful words» — But about the others... — I continued, saying only the most important thing, — I don't really know yet. But I'm sure Dark Star will want to come under your care. — Having someone like him won't just be an ordinary addition, Stevrian, — Luna turned her head slightly to one side, and then looked at me squinting straight again, — It will give us a huge advantage and me personally in the first place. — What makes «night watchers» so special? — I asked, remembering in time how Luna called a show off with such an extravagant ability. — The abilities that they possess, — The princess smiled cunningly again and came closer to me, and her voice sounded more and more insidious, — Dark still does not realize the power that was given to him from above. But he already knows how to do things that others are not able to do. He'll make a great moon guardsman. — To be so inconspicuous that even I can't see him until he wants to? — I decided to clarify. — Yes, and not only that, — Princess Luna returned to her seat and stopped, — A special kind of teleportation, manipulation of space, energy, manipulation of consciousness through dreams and much more. — Wow! — I was very surprised when she finished listing, — It's hard to believe that Celestia is wasting such potential with her prohibitions. — That's for sure, — The night princess agreed, — You talk to him, otherwise he'll definitely be in danger. Let him come to a meeting with me, and I'll take care of the rest. — I will, — I nodded, and then I remembered another incident that had affected me at that moment. I telekinetically took out a letter from my shoulder bag, which somehow turned out to be mine, and not Celestia's, and handed it to Luna. — Twilight sent this letter to Celestia through a dragon named Spike, — I sat down and raised my hooves to chest level, proud that I know the canon, — He can teleport objects with the help of flames. But how it turned out to be right next to me, I do not know. Opening the letter, the night pony ran her eyes over the lines, and then, giggling at something, rolled it up, putting it on the table. — That's interesting, — Alicorn chuckled, — But wait... is there another dragon in Equestria? — Yes. But that's all I know, — I lied, deciding not to betray my knowledge of the canon. We were silent for a while, but then I decided to ask another question. So to speak, ask an expert in this field: — And what about... the so called «magic of friendship»? — I asked, curling the corners of my lips a little. Luna glanced at the letter on the table and then shrugged her wings: — I haven't even heard of her, — The mare answered the question in bewilderment. — I don't even think that such magic exists at all, — I chuckled skeptically, — It seems to me like one big deception. — I completely agree, — Luna nodded, — Friendship is friendship, but it has nothing to do with magic. When my sister and I were young, there were no magical abilities from the fact that several ponies were friends with each other. I don't think anything could have changed in a thousand years. «I knew that even Luna would confirm my guess», — I mentally made a note about another sin that Celestia may have caused, — «If this is really true, then it eliminates many problems, but gives rise to a number of questions, the answer to which I will obviously not get very soon» Anyway, it all made me feel better. My guesses have been confirmed. The only thing that was unclear to me was one point about Twilight Sparkle: — Then why would she lie to her student? — I was genuinely surprised. — I do not know, honestly, — The night pony sighed and turned away for a second, — Over this thousand years, my sister has changed a lot and faintly resembles the one with whom we were close. Perhaps she is preparing a replacement for herself and trying to make an ideal friendly politician out of her. That's all I can assume. «Oh... If you only knew what this is all going to lead to...», — I mentally kicked my forehead off with a hoof. It was unpleasant to realize what Celestia had already brought the country to. And if her successor is the same... well, then Equestria certainly won't survive her reign. Nevertheless, Celestia was predictable to some extent. Behind such deceptions, there was almost always something grandiose and no less dangerous. The only question is — what is it? — It's possible that it is. Or maybe not, — I shook my head, — I feel like there's more to it than that. And all this «magic of friendship» can only be a cover and that's it. Luna looked at me warily. — Do you think so? — She raised an eyebrow questioningly and doubtfully, looking down at me a little. — I think so. — Well, Stevrian, so be it, — She nodded to me and slowly walked to the door, — Take the literature on the history of Nova Gryphonia and go. Don't forget — finding guards loyal to me is your priority! — I got it, — I smiled guilelessly and was about to go deep into the search for the books I needed, when the night princess suddenly called out to me: — There's something else, Stevrian. — Yes? — Turning around, I noticed that she lowered her gaze a little, as if embarrassed. — It seems that I am absorbing some of your own energy, albeit unconsciously, — The princess of the night looked back at me, — I do not know how to control it and what it has done to you. But there really was a connection between us when you first yelled at me. I burst out laughing and mentally slapped my forehead again. «So that's it! That explains a lot» — That's why I'm so bad at even simple telekinesis! — I chuckled, gradually fading away, — And I thought... a bad student or a problem with magic. And everything turned out to be much simpler! Luna smiled at me a little, but there was sadness on her face. — I'm sorry, but I do not know how… — I'm not offended, — I raised my hoof to chest level, interrupting the princess, — If it helps you become stronger, then so be it. I'm ready. To be honest, such a confession was unexpected, but for some reason I didn't hold a grudge against her. In the end, my life depended on her directly, which means that nothing was a pity for Luna. — But it's somehow wrong... — Don't worry, Luna, — I continued to assure her, — This may be a temporary phenomenon. In any case, I'm already starting to master magic anyway. So I could be proud of myself. I had already mastered telekinesis almost completely at the basic level, and I could easily demonstrate it on a small horseshoe. However, it never came to that, because Luna interrupted my thoughts, assuring me in a stern voice: — Be careful with that, Stevrian, or it might end badly. — Okay, — I nodded and began to follow the Moon with my eyes, but I suddenly remembered what was discussed at the very beginning, and cleared my throat loudly, attracting her attention. — By the way, what about my fictional legend? And what should I answer if they ask me directly? Many are already interested in me. — In the process, — Luna said matter of factly, smiling slyly, — You planted part of it yourself, and the rest will be completed by me and my servants. «I hope she manages to do this before the irreparable happens» — As for the answers to the questions, — The mare poked me in the chest with her foot, — Speak as concisely as possible. You talk too much about yourself. — Clearly, — I stated, — I will keep it in mind. — Okay, — The princess of the night grunted with satisfaction and turned away from me, — I have to go to the bedroom before I'm missed. You shouldn't stay here either. — Yes, you're right. Good night, — I answered her one last time and, following with my gaze as she removed the barrier from the door and left the library, returned to the shelves. I was given the task to read more about griffins and their country, and I'm not going to shirk it. The search for the necessary literature was successful, and I was able to «copy» several books at once before leaving the library after Luna. However, as I was closing the door to it, I noticed exactly the same notch in the handle, which gave me some thoughts. «Interesting. What if I try to put a horseshoe here?» — I thought and telekinesis took out the «key» from my purse. Slowly levitating the silver horseshoe to the handle, I gently touched it with the notch, and there was a soft click outside the door. «It worked! It worked!» — I rejoiced in my thoughts. Previously, I had no idea exactly how to lock the doors, but therefore, at most, I slammed or covered them. In fact, all of them did not have any kind of access key, and therefore opened if you just put your hoof to the handle. I guessed that the ponies in Equestria had an analogue of the keys they use to lock doors, but it was unusual for it to look so original. I also wanted to experiment with doors and horseshoes, as well as learn more about this entire access system. Surely there are not only silver, but also some gold or even diamond horseshoes or «eternal bone picks» «I'm glad for such a small thing», — I remarked ironically, — «What have I come to?» Events were already gathering momentum around me. Celestia has started to act actively, and Luna is trying to protect me somehow. So now it was up to me to start recruiting. «I'll start, perhaps, with Star. He's a good candidate, and Luna herself said who he really is. Don't show off your biography? Easy. But about Luna pulling energy out of me… What can I say? I don't feel tired, but even the simplest magic, like telekinesis, feels like I'm trying to squeeze a hundred from my chest. I thought that we should redouble our efforts and take note of the saying of an old friend of mine: «Success accompanies the stubborn». So I will be more vigilant and determined» I did not even notice how I managed to walk, being immersed in my thoughts, to the sleeping location and there, on the spot, pass the evening verification. I was too preoccupied with my own thoughts to react to this properly, and therefore the rest of the day passed for me in a blur. All I remember is how my head touches the pillow, the command «Company, stand down!» sounds, and I fall asleep, hoping for a meeting with Luna.