The Prophecy

— Star! — I called out to my friend, walking down the corridor in the direction of the shared shower. — Did you want something? — Turning around and smiling at me, my friend asked. — I wanted to talk to you, — I looked around, — Alone. He obviously started up when he heard about this, but then stopped, and a wide smile appeared on his face. I guessed what was in his head right now and mentally made a facepalm. — Do you really want to propose hooves and hearts to me? — No, — I waved him off, noticing how he was a little upset, — This concerns your service... or rather, prospects. — It's a pity, because I was already hoping, — Star burst out laughing. «Oh, his humor. Annoying sometimes.» — You know perfectly well that I have a... difficult time with this. — Yes, I know, — he lowered his head, — I'm sorry. — Okay, — I took a deep breath, — Let's go somewhere away from prying ears. We turned off the corridor and went into the room we already loved, which by that time had already begun to resemble a warehouse with boxes. Why they were brought here and what was in them — not so important, but we were on hoof until this room was used for other purposes. I closed the door behind me, while Star sat down on a chair at the table in the center of the room. I sat down on the floor opposite him and got straight to the point: — Star, — I looked into his eyes, — Do you know that Luna is gathering her personal guard? — You want to recruit me, — He said bluntly. It wasn't a question, judging by his affirmative tone. I did not expect such guesswork and, after being silent for a few seconds, continued uncertainly: — Well, not that... — I agree, — The stallion nodded. It made me roll my eyes in surprise. — Just like that, right away? — I was amazed. — Well, yes, — Dark Star smiled, — I have long guessed about your connection with her, and when Vulpa caught you, I first hid nearby and decided to wait after hearing your conversation. It was only after that that I came out to you. So it wasn't hard for me to guess. I did not expect such a turn of events. Of course, it was unpleasant for me to immediately fire at the office and say that I communicate with the princess through dreams, but since Star keeps his mouth shut, this is only a plus for him. — Aren't you going to tell anyone about this? — I asked cautiously. He smiled and slapped me in the chest with his hoof. — Don't worry. I won't tell you, — The interlocutor assured me. I breathed a sigh of relief and moved on to the very topic of the conversation: — What do you know about the Moon Guard that Luna is assembling? — Only what Vulpa herself told me, — Star looked away, thinking, — Celestia decided with extreme reluctance to create a new military structure. Besides, many are still afraid of Princess Luna because of her... past. The stallion closed his eyes and took a deep breath. — Except for Vulpa herself, no one enters the guard. For now. — Yea, it's not very good, — I drawled in frustration, — But she's actively looking for new candidates. — I can fix this mess by joining them, — My friend smiled broadly. I let out a muffled laugh, assessing his activity in this regard. — It's a good plan. Then I will report it... But before I could finish, there was a knock on the door, and someone's breathless mare's voice demanded to open it. Clicking the shutter and opening the door, I found a small young pegasus mare, low even by the standards of her peers, wearing light leather armor. She looked up at me with a little curiosity, without showing any shadow of fear. However, I noticed that pegasi are much less afraid of me than other types of ponies. — Oh, there you are! I'm already looking for you everywhere! Her Holiness, the great and divine Princess Celestia, invites you, Stevrian Anlas, to her place! Having said this in one breath, she took a loud breath of air and continued: — You should arrive right now! I was dumbfounded, frozen in place and feeling goosebumps start running down my back. «That's the news! Just so formal and sudden! I wonder why that would be so? I hope this is not a trick or a trap... Knowing Celestia, you can expect anything from her. Oh, I would hate to see her now...» — Did she just say that? — Swallowing a lump stuck in my throat from excitement, I clarified. That's all my paranoid mind could give out. — Not word for word, but I was told to convey it that way, — Pegasus shrugged, — Now I'm sorry, but I have things to do. Having said that, she turned around and walked in the direction of the barracks exit, clacking her hooves loudly. I sighed heavily and silently exchanged glances with Star, who had unwittingly witnessed this short conversation. — I wonder, — Finally, after a short silence, the stallion drawled, — What does she want from you? — I have no idea, my friend, I have no idea, — I said in a doomed voice, shaking my head. — Then go right away, — Advised Dark, — I wish you good luck and don't be afraid of her. — I'll do that, — I nodded, smiling a little. The support of a friend cheered me up a little. But then I added, remembering the topic of our conversation: — Since you agreed so easily, then go and sign up for the Moon Guard. — Absolutely — Star smiled and saluted me as I closed the door behind me and headed towards the main hall of the palace. It was not difficult to find the main hall — all the passages of the castle led there. Whichever corridor you go down, you'll come to it sooner or later, so I wouldn't get lost if I wanted to. Already at the entrance to the hall, I was met by two royal guards, who immediately blocked my way. I tried to explain to them for about a minute that I was summoned by Celestia herself, but they did not believe me and stubbornly refused to let me in. The guards calmed down only when Celestia herself, hearing a commotion in front of the hall doors, opened them and, squinting menacingly, declared: — Let him through, — Her surprisingly calm tone sounded as if she was very annoyed, — I'm waiting for him to come to my place. — I'm sorry, Your Grace, — The unicorn stallion apologized fearfully, who was immediately taken aback by her appearance, — We didn't know. — Didn't Captain Shining Armor tell you? — The tone of Celestia's voice became even more irritated, but he remained calm. She spread her wings a little and hovered over the guardian so that he shrank all over, like a kitten from the cold. I even felt a little sorry for him. — He... he... didn't tell us, — The stallion said timidly. — In that case, I'll talk to him, — The princess said condescendingly and pulled away from him, pointing at me then, — And you come in. With a mental sigh and hiding my fear deep in the bowels of my soul, I went to the throne room, which I had seen only that very night before. It was only now that I noticed the presence of a huge throne at the end of the hall, which stood proudly against the far wall on a stepped pedestal. He himself was black in color with gold stripes on the sides, which went to the very top of the royal seat. An image of the sun was engraved on the back of the throne, painted with a bright golden color. All this created a perfect combination of elegance and sophistication, and also harmoniously fit into the throne room. I also noticed a cushion on the throne, which the princess usually sat on. However, the window that attracted the most attention was the one that Nightmare Moon broke that fateful night. It was intact again, but this time there was something else depicted there, not at all what I had seen before. It now vividly illustrated the scene of the battle with Sombra, and not Celestia with Nightmare Moon. — Well, apparently they have stained glass windows for all occasions, — I said ironically. The marks of my claws on the bright marble floor have not been removed yet. This somewhat stood out from the general decoration of the throne room and spoiled the first impression of it. We walked in silence through several more long corridors, passing the throne room and several locked rooms without signs. We entered a circular semi-enclosed veranda, from which we had a fabulous view of almost the entire Canterlot. The princess motioned me to a wide chair at a large tea table, the size of an alicorn. We sat down opposite each other, and I immediately noticed that the chair was very sturdy and very comfortable even for me. And as soon as I sat down at the table, Celestia spoke to me, taking the teapot with telekinesis: — I owe you an apology, Stevrian, — She poured tea into a cup and took a slow sip, frowning slightly at the same time. I was silent for a few seconds, just watching the mare. The apology came as a big surprise. I really expected something serious, even to the point that she revealed me, but the fact that she started the conversation with an apology already indicates that she wants to correct herself and make amends for the unfairly thrown accusations in my direction. Unless, of course, it was an attempt at bluff and she was trying to lull my vigilance. — What do you want to apologize for, Your Majesty? — I asked, pretending not to understand anything. Celestia narrowed her eyes at me unkindly for a moment, and I thought for a moment that I shouldn't have asked her about it. But she put on her mask of a good-natured ruler and replied quite calmly: — For my behavior that night and for the accusations too, — taking a sip of tea and wincing slightly, she continued, — You helped save my sister, and I, in turn, acted meanly. Such behavior is unacceptable. «Is Celestia remorseful? Seriously? She wasn't showing her best side, she wanted to kill me on the spot that night, literally for nothing, and now suddenly she's changing her anger to mercy? Surely this should work in the realities of Equestria?» — I'm not offended, but it would be better if there were no misunderstandings, — I said calmly, hiding my surprise and playing the role of a completely calm and simple-minded unicorn. I took a cup of already poured tea from the table and hesitated a little, took a sip. The drink itself turned out to be very pleasant and invigorating, although I sincerely did not understand why Celestia winced every time she took a cup. — I agree, — The princess drank again, — I invited you here not only to chat, but also to inform you that at the request of my sister, you will soon have your own house built. Are you tired of military barracks already? — Yes, there is such a thing, — I admitted, taking another sip from the cup — What kind of house and where exactly? — It's going to be a surprise, — Celestia smiled slyly. To be honest, I didn't like surprises, not really knowing what to expect. So her last sentence made me noticeably tense. — Then I'll wait, — I answered her with a hoarse exhalation, — Is there anything else? — Yes. I plan to grant you citizenship, if you don't mind. — Citizenship? — I raised an eyebrow in surprise. It was a surprise. Not only did she apologize, provided a house, but she was also ready to issue citizenship. «Had Luna talked to her so well that Celestia was doing sensible things now?» — Yes, citizenship, — The daytime princess finished her tea and with relief put the cup on the table, pouring herself a new portion, — You will be here for a long time, and it will be useful to you. — Are you so sure? — I'm sure. Political and bureaucratic costs will not allow this to be done quickly. «Wow! One discovery after another. At first, I was struck by the beginning of the conversation, then by the citizenship. Now this! Live for a century, study for a century, as they would say in my past world». — Can't you, — I pointed with my hoof at the white mare, — Influence this? — I could, but I'd be very upset to know, — The mare sipped tea from her cup again, wincing irritably. I couldn't figure out what annoyed her — the bureaucrats and the nobles who upset her, or the tea itself. «Apparently she really hates him. So I remembered a fanfiction called «Celestia hates tea», — I chuckled softly, noticing this fact. However, this was not relevant to the topic of the conversation, and so I immediately returned to my previous thoughts: — Does the nobility have more authority than the princess herself? — I picked it up thoughtfully, chuckling. Celestia looked at me unkindly again, as if she had been staring at me for a while. It made me feel uneasy, but then she closed her eyes and spoke softly: — Yes, unfortunately it is. — So what's the matter? — I moved closer to the table, listening attentively to her. It has become really interesting to listen to her. It's not every day that you can talk to a white mare at the tea table, especially on such topics. — Ancient treaties, sealed centuries ago, oblige me to observe certain kinds of agreements, — At this point she pointed to the city spread out beyond the balcony and looked at the street, — All this was done in return for the cohesion of influential segments of the population, the loyalty of most of the army and a stable influx of finances. — Is it impossible to terminate contracts? — I'm afraid I can't let that happen, — The princess turned her head back to me, — It won't benefit anyone. «Well, that explains a lot. Politics is a delicate matter. Just like the East on Earth. And it has always remained a very difficult topic for me, which I didn't really want to get into». But politics in Equestria still aroused some kind of scientific interest in me: — Are you saying that if the contracts are terminated, they will rise up against you? — I asked cautiously. — It's possible, — Celestia chuckled, — But they don't know how to look ahead the way I do. Alicorn looked at me and continued: — But even if they dare to do something against me, it won't be easy for them to overthrow alicorn. I won't let my little ponies get hurt. — I understand, — I chuckled and, for the sake of decency, finished the tea from the cup, setting the empty cup aside. «She's too confident. I would even say: self-confident and not in a good way. As practice shows with Nightmare Moon, even an alicorn can be injured, and if you can hurt, then you can kill. Is it logical? Logically. Celestia is by no means perfect, but a very unpleasant person with an inflated conceit and self-confidence. And what does this usually lead to? That's right — to the inevitable collapse. So how she managed to rule with a similar character and worldview for a thousand years is a mystery». But I decided not to develop this idea yet, but to return to the urgent conversation: — Can I ask you something? — I asked the question. — You can, — She made a condescending gesture with her hoof, to which I snorted softly. «What a Lady for me... Although, maybe I'm just too grumpy?» — What are these contracts that you cannot break? Celestia took a deep breath and closed her eyes again, as if remembering something: — Once upon a time, namely, a little over a thousand years ago, my ponies and I needed the help of a rich and influential state, which was then a separate territory that did not belong to the young Equestria. The mare sighed heavily again, and then stuck out her tongue and continued: — We really needed help, — Celestia emphasized the word «really», — I was ready to do anything for this. Even to my misfortune. — But, as I understand it, this state then became part of Equestria? — Yes, but the contracts remain, — The princess stated sadly. There was an awkward silence. I thought about it carefully, and eventually I even felt sorry for Celestia. She wanted what was best for her people, and she got in such an ass, but in the end it didn't get any better. «On the other side, she got what she deserved. Who wanted to kill me? She. Who wanted to limit me and make me feel bad? She. Who, after all, is deceiving everyone and leading by the nose? Suddenly she is. And my extreme negative attitude towards her does not negate this. Or does it soften? I can't make up my mind right now». — But enough of the bad stuff, — Celestia smiled a little stiffly, — The soldiers speak well of you, on the whole. I took my mind off my thoughts for a while and let out a sigh of relief. Although subconsciously I was still expecting a trick from her. And I didn't lose this time: — But Shining's deputy, a stallion named Steel Dancer, expressed a lot of unpleasant things to me personally about you, — The mare continued, putting her cup on the table, — The word of a noble officer against the words of ordinary guards. Do you know what that means? Her muzzle took on the most serious and stern look, making me nervous. «So much for «enough of the bad stuff»! It's still okay for her, but for me it's still fucked up». It was obviously clear to me what would happen to me in case of further incidents. However, I was still hoping for the best somewhere in the back of my mind. — In case of problems, I will either be thrown out of the border without the right to cross it, or they will put me in prison as soon as they make me a citizen of Equestria, — I stated sadly. — Right, — Celestia nodded, — But neither my sister nor I want that. We will take responsibility to the detriment of relations with the nobility. I let out a sigh of relief, but the princess's next sentence made me tense up again: — This time, — The princess took a deep breath and looked at me pleadingly, — Don't let us down. — I won't let you down, — I said affirmatively and nodded. I looked up at her, deciding to distract myself on another topic and just find out something important for myself: — And how is your sister doing? — Not bad on the whole, but, — At this point, the white alicorn lowered her head — Princess Luna has been having nightmares lately. Sleeping pills do the trick, but they don't solve the problem. This surprised me extremely. In fact, it did not fit into my head: to have an alicorn, and on pills? «How strange. Apparently, this is very serious! No matter how they get into trouble». — What kind of nightmares are they? — I dared to ask again, — She didn't tell me? — No, — Celestia sighed sadly, — Luna doesn't mention it and says she's fine. Why are you interested? — I care about her health, — I answered honestly, — I didn't help save Princess Luna from Nightmare Moon so that she would suffer again. Maybe there's something we can do to help her? Celestia frowned again, looking at me carefully. It even seemed to me that there was a glimmer of jealousy or hope in her eyes. It was hard for me to catch her emotions again, for some reason. While I was thinking about the facial expressions of the alicorn, she smiled slightly at me, answering: — I do not know how. But if you have any ideas, tell me. Ok? This time, Celestia was sincere, it seemed to me. She even let her emotions get out of the mask. I had already made sure that she would do anything for her sister, and I was ready to help the white princess in this. Another thing is that there were no ideas. All I had to do was nod and answer: — All right, Princess. We sat in silence for a few minutes, just looking at the Canterlot. I didn't know what else to say, and Celestia was considering her next question. After all, she gave it to me: — Still, I'm worried about your power, — She remarked, looking at me reproachfully, — It's possible that you haven't studied it, but it's a part of you. What is it? «She's talking about Void and psionics, right? The very force that everyone is afraid of? But I often have nightmares about her. It's like I'm a part of her. Brrr! It's creepy even from these thoughts». — I didn't use it, to be honest. But she's always been like that, and I'm afraid I don't know much about her. I answered as honestly as the situation allowed. It remained to shrug my shoulders to reinforce the words, which I did. — You can't not use it, especially considering that you are a unicorn, — The mare chuckled, — But for your own and others' good, use less. — I'll try, but it's as it turns out, — I replied, sighing, — I can't help but use telekinesis, I'm sorry. — All right, — Celestia replied in her condescending manner, — But keep in mind that your actions will not be ignored. No offense, it's for the good of my little ponies and yours too. — I understand you, Princess. «Herring really knows how to be strict... with representatives of non-pony people who live here in Equestria», — I noticed, feeling that I was already a little uncomfortable in front of her, — «On the other side, this «caring» of hers may not end well. I hope that this is really not done for evil». Fortunately, Celestia seemed to read my thoughts and, smiling, pointed with her hoof to the exit: — I have a lot of things to do right now, so we need to finish. It was nice chatting with you, Stevrian. — Likewise, — I nodded, mentally grimacing at her sickly sweet way of speaking. I would like to answer directly what I thought about all this, but decided not to say anything. «The conversation was informative. Cultural, however! Well, now I see the reasons for the actions of the solar mare much more clearly. It can be understood, but not in all cases it justifies. And for the future, I will also know that it is not worth joking with the local nobility. And I've never liked these pompous faggots at all. There is a lot of money, but no brains». I left the veranda and the door immediately closed with a loud bang, almost hitting me on the rump. I cursed and turned back, but there was only an earth pony guard who hurried towards me. — I'll walk you to the exit, — He said in a monotone, — Follow me. Since there is nothing else to do, it remains only to obey. The guard escorted me to the barracks, after which he left, and I went to the dining room, wanting to fill my stomach with food. Since there is nothing else to do, it remains only to obey. The guard escorted me to the barracks, after which he left, and I went to the dining room, wanting to fill my stomach with food. On the way, I greeted the guards I knew, and when, finally, I was already in the dining room, I began to eat, I noticed that our sergeant-cook was extremely cheerful today: — Green! — I called out to him, — You're in a good mood today, I see. — Of course! — A stallion came up to me, — My daughter walks! By herself! Tears of joy flowed down his face, which he immediately wiped with his foot, and then burst out: — Thank the light for giving her a chance! — Congratulations! — I smiled, - This is really good news! Green was talking so loudly that only Celestia herself, who was sitting in my room and chasing the next teas. — Really? — One of the guards who had lunch in the dining room asked, — And I congratulate you, Green! — Thank you, thank you so much for the kind words, — Green beamed even more, — Double portions for everyone today! There were enthusiastic shouts and congratulations all over the dining room, which even made Green a little embarrassed, and then he joyfully jumped into the kitchen. At the same time, I couldn't help but think, watching the whole picture: «Interesting how he will be able to cook all this alone? He's a great cook, of course, but to feed fifty-odd muzzles and also me, who eats for two or even three... It will be interesting and, hopefully, very tasty». I soon realized that my fears were in vain when he took several carts out of the dining room. I was just stunned. «HOW? Just HOW? Magic is forbidden outside of Hogwarts! Apparently, he has his own secrets». Green came up to me with four plates of fish and, putting them on the table, as if reading my thoughts, said: — Need a little kindness, fatherly love and more experience, — Smiling, he winked at me, put the plates on the table, wishing me a pleasant appetite. And while I was eating, Green went on to serve salads on the tables. When I turned my face back to the plates, I suddenly found Star sitting in front of me. Once again, he crept up to me completely unnoticed, only this time he didn't even say hello — apparently, he was so immersed in his own thoughts, eating a vegetarian hamburger with herbs at the same time. — How are you? — I asked my friend, slightly touching him with my hoof. He visibly shuddered. — I talked to the princess, — Star replied, distracted from his meal. I chuckled with interest. — And what is the result? — She will gladly accept me... after the «exams» — The stallion made quotes with his hooves. I choked on my food when I heard that. «Luna didn't tell me anything about that. What other exams?» — What other exams? — I voiced my thoughts out loud. — For example, I need to memorize the ritual of entry, the ancient oaths of the Moon Guards, etiquette, and other little things, — Star listed, taking another bite from the hamburger. — I'm sorry, — I said, shaking my head. I immediately thought of exams at school, which are «prettily» called the Unified State Exam, diploma defense in the field of medicine and other «little things». «Interesting what Luna's exam is like? I'm not good at this kind of thing, but it probably doesn't look like the Unified State Exam. It is possible that physical exercise...» — It's not worth it, — My friend replied, smiling, pulling me out of my thoughts, — It's okay. I can handle it. I just shrugged and returned to the meal, noting to myself that this time the fish was even tastier than before. Savoring the taste on his tongue, he periodically caught the slightly squeamish glances of the guards, but did not pay much attention to them. I'm already used to this. We didn't talk about anything else with Star, and just as silently went about our business. I trained with telekinesis on my own, and he was preparing for the exam. Towards nightfall, I met Vulpa, the same thestral woman who stopped me and wanted to arrest me. She was running quickly down the corridor, obviously in a hurry, but I decided to stop her and talk a little: — Vulpa, wait! — Oh, Stevrian! — She turned at my voice, stopping, — Did you want something? Contrary to expectations, she was surprisingly friendly today, which caused a slight cognitive dissonance in my mind. But that friendliness was exactly what I needed. — How is Her Majesty, Princess Luna? — I got right to the point. — She hasn't been sleeping well lately, — She took a deep breath and pursed her lips, — Do you want to help? — Yes, I do, — I nodded, — But here's how... — Maybe you can talk in person when you sleep? I'm a little bit stuck in place. «Wait, I don't remember telling anyone about this. How did she guess?» — Where are you from?.. — I started to say, but she interrupted me: — Moon Guard knows about such things, — Vulpa smiled slightly, — Don't be afraid. We, Moon Guards, know how to keep secrets. I calmed down a little and sighed. Of course, Vulpa didn't inspire much confidence, so far, but she wanted to believe more than Shining Armor, for example. — Okay. Perhaps I really should do that: meet her in a dream, — I replied thoughtfully, — I should go to bed as soon as possible. — And I'll tell Luna to meet you first. Good night in advance, — She smiled slightly at me and went on about her business. Deciding not to waste any time, I headed for the sleeping quarters. I couldn't sleep for a long time at night because of the sudden oppressive atmosphere around me. It was as if I felt some kind of danger in the air, and it made me wake up every time I started to fall asleep. I had to lull all my instincts, mentally assuring that I was at least under the cover of a whole company of heavily armed guards. Only then could I fall asleep. This time I found myself not in a foggy dimension in the middle of the water, but, to my surprise, in a corridor with many doors without signs and signs in the walls. Some were made of wood, others were decorated more elegantly, but still did not impress with sophistication, and others were completely cracked and old. «What a strange place! Am I in Celestia's palace?» I chuckled doubtfully. «Naturally, no one will give me an answer to this question». I decided to head along the corridor, examining every door. I wandered for quite a long time and even lost track of time. «How long have I been walking? Ten minutes, twenty minutes? Maybe an hour?» It went on until I came across the biggest doors I could see here. They looked like gates and consisted of two doors opening outwards. One was cast in pure gold and decorated with the symbol of the sun, and the other seemed to consist of something similar to marble and decorated with the sign of the moon. «Celestia», — I guessed, and, frowning a little, slowly, with difficulty, opened the «marble» door. It was extremely tight, and barely gave way under my pressure. But when I got inside, the pitch darkness immediately surrounded me from all sides. And worst of all, even my eyesight couldn't disperse it. It was like I was in the middle of nothing. Suddenly, the door slammed shut behind me, leaving me completely alone in the pitch darkness. My heart immediately started pounding harder in anxiety. — What's going on here anyway?! — I asked in perplexity, shouting into the void, — Where is Luna and why is it so dark here? «Can't even hear the echo. It's like I'm really floating in the middle of space, and there's absolutely nothing around me». I felt uneasy, even considering that I was standing on a hard surface and could clearly see my horse's body. «So it's not really a dream», — I guessed, remembering that in dreams I always appear in the form of a dragon, — «What does that mean then?» Having gathered myself and determined, I decided to find answers to the questions. As in the case of the corridor, he just trotted forward. The room seemed infinitely large, and I walked for a very long time, listening to the clop of hooves — the only sound I could hear besides my breathing. Unexpectedly, taking the next step, I did not feel the floor under my foot. It's good that my reflexes worked, and I managed to jump back in time. «Ugh — just a little more, and I would have fallen into the middle of nowhere!» But I didn't have time to come to my senses and figure out what was going on. Suddenly, an unpleasant rustling sound was heard to my right. I was more worried: if you hear an unexpected sound in the dark, then anyone will feel uncomfortable. I turned my head sharply at the noise, but I didn't see anything. I immediately wanted to turn back and find the door that led back to the corridor, but I lost my orientation in space. And soon the noise was repeated — this time behind me. This forced me to back away somewhere to the side, stepping carefully along the abyss. «Things are bad. If this continues, then I will be completely scared. And this may increase my risk of falling off. It doesn't look like a dream — I would have been in the form of a dragon then. If this is the nightmare of Luna, then it is very realistic». I also felt like someone was watching me the whole time. The noise was getting closer. Swallowing convulsively and calming the trembling in my legs that had already begun, I took in more air and shouted: — Show yourself! The only answer was the same noise, which grew and grew. My soul completely sank into my heels, but I decided to repeat my question already in Equestrian, remembering that it is something very similar in sound to English: — Show yourself, whoever it isᵉ! The noise was heard very close and already to my left. I quickly turned my head there. Unexpectedly, I saw a Nightmare distorted in an evil smile ten meters away from me, rushing towards me with a spear in a telekinetic grip. «So it's your hooves' business?» — I grinned viciously in response, involuntarily recalling our first battle. First of all, I accelerated and ducked under the mare. I managed to push her, which caused her to release the spear, losing her grip, and it clattered loudly on the floor, then flew off somewhere into the abyss. But this did not bother the mad mare at all, and she began to fight hand-to-hand, using besides this also a horn. The new attack of the Nightmarer turned out to be successful, and with one precise blow to the muzzle, she threw me straight to the cliff, almost pushing me off. I immediately got up from the floor and reared up, activating my telekinesis and blocking her front hooves with it. However, I miscalculated a little, and Nightmare Moon increased her pressure, gradually pushing me to the very edge of the cliff. Already on the very edge of the abyss, I pulled the ink mare aside, as if making a dance movement, and abruptly released her from the grip of the hoof. As a result, the opponent lost her balance and fell into the abyss with a terrible scream. Feeling tired, I lay on my side, trying to come to my senses. «What was that?» — I asked myself, listening to the new sounds. Fortunately, after my fight, there was a deathly silence in the room. «Is Luna afraid of its evil half? It makes more sense. But if I were her, I would be more afraid of loneliness and vacuum than the evil half of her personality. By the way, how did she survive there anyway? Alicorns are definitely not simple organics... It's hard to fight them... But what now?» The answer came by itself when I heard a voice that was already painfully familiar, filled with joy and pride: — Just fine! — Princess Luna said from somewhere in the darkness, — You're doing great, Stevrian. My heart immediately felt calmer. I started to get up from the floor, but I haven't seen anyone yet. After a few moments, the darkness abruptly disappeared, and a blinding bright light shone into my eyes, which made me painfully close my eyes. — Oh! — The night pony caught herself and turned down the light a little so that I could see the silhouette of the alicorn in front of me, — I didn't want to. «Well... I feel that someone will have to answer questions for a long time.» — Why turn on such a bright light? — I asked, rubbing my eyes, — What was all this about? For what? — I'm sorry that I forced it, — Luna replied, lowering her head, — But it was necessary. — For what? — I muttered. — The local nightmares are quite real, and I can't cope with all of them, — The dark blue alicorn looked at me sternly, — If you want to survive here, then learn to fight them, otherwise... — They're going to kill me, — I finished for her. The Princess of the Night nodded in the affirmative. — Exactly. And you helped me too, thank you. I opened my mouth a little surprised. I guess I didn't quite understand her. — With what? — I raised an «eyebrow». — I couldn't control this nightmare until I called you here. But now it's over. I felt that the room where we were began to change, and water began to form under my feet. My appearance also changed — now I was in the form of a dragon, which means I was definitely in a dream, which calmed me down. However, the phenomenon of water in my dreams still interested me, and I couldn't even resist asking: — Interesting… Every time in my dreams I see this water. And I keep wondering — where does it come from? — Maybe because it is the element closest to you and a reflection of your inner world? — Luna suggested. I shook my head vaguely. — Perhaps, — I sighed, — We seem to have been distracted. You wanted to tell me about nightmares and fighting them. Right? — Yes, — Luna nodded and came closer to me, — Unlike the world you came from, the nightmares here are quite real, and they can kill you. — In the human world, can also die of a heart attack in your sleep, — I grinned, recalling some stories from Earth. But Luna shook her head. — No. You did not understand. If the local nightmares kill you, then there won't be much left of you in the real world. There was a tense silence between us. And then I suddenly slapped my forehead: — Wait a minute. It's like in the Freddy Krueger movies, right? The princess only nodded in the affirmative, which made me really uncomfortable. Even breathing became difficult from excitement, and under the scales I began to feel quite real goosebumps. — That's why you need to learn how to defend yourself from them, — Luna repeated what she had said earlier, — This... little nightmare, — She emphasized this word and grinned, — The least these... monsters are capable of. — And how can I do that? — I spread my clawed paws to the sides, — Will I fight? — Yes, — Luna nodded. I let out a little laugh. — Let me guess, — I tilted my head to the side, — Are you going to teach me this? — Exactly, — The princess nodded again, — I have not taught anyone to fight personally for a long time and YOU will be honored with the greatest honor to study with the diarch himself! — I am honored to study, — I bowed a little, understanding what she was leading to. Luna, as the second person in the state, equal to her sister, gave me a great honor, which pleased me. Naturally, only a select few are awarded this. It was nice to know that Luna herself appreciated me so much. — We'll start tomorrow, — The mare smiled, — And thanks again for today. Get ready, student. But for now, wake up. And with these words, the dream began to dissolve around me, taking on the familiar outlines of the barracks room.