Chapter 3.1. Preparation
Put this apple on your head. Thank you *bowstring slap*
As I expected, the main problem was Twilight and Celestia. Luna, surprisingly, sided with me, and so the last couple of meetings with the diarchs and another alicorn at the negotiating table gradually devolved into debates. Twilight emphasized my safety, while Celestia insistently reminded me that if anything happened to me, only a couple of alicorns in all of Equestria could help me, due to the fact that, as it turned out, any healing spells turned into torture for me, worsening my health.
In response, Luna and I insisted that the people of Ponyville really needed various things that were literally right there. Then I began to insist that everyone should do what they thought was best for themselves. This argument was usually considered unconvincing due to the lack of marks indicating my primary talent. After that, both sides reached an impasse and the conversation moved on to other topics.
During this time, I became very close with Princess Luna when she discovered that I preferred to stay awake at night if the weather was fine.
That night, I sat on the library balcony, gazing at the moon, which was, after all, different from my planet's satellite. However, in my eyes, this only added to the charm of the princess's former prison. The soft rustle of folding wings behind me made me smile.
"Good night, Princess Luna. Are you not observing the dream world tonight?"
"And good night to you, Des. So how did you know it was me?" Sister Celestia's voice betrayed displeasure that her quiet advance had been so quickly exposed. Turning to the princess and bowing politely, I sat back down on the rug, leaving room for my guest.
"You see, most of the pegasi are already asleep at this time. Twilight is still poring over some notes on magic, and your sister is also asleep after her day shift. You or the guards stay. But, forgive me, all the guards—well, those who are pegasi—are rattling their armor so loudly that on this quiet night they could be heard a few dozen meters away."
"I'll keep that in mind," the princess chuckled, settling down on the warm rug and looking at the sky. "And why aren't you asleep?"
"And miss such beauty?" I asked, genuinely surprised, looking at the star-studded sky. "In my world, you have to travel far from the cities to enjoy the stars for such an opportunity. And the moon, breaking through the smog of a big city, loses its charm." "And then," I continued, unaware that the alicorn was looking in my direction with a smile, "the Moon in this world looks much more attractive than in mine. And, strangely enough, your shadow remains on it."
"Yours," the princess corrected, looking at the night light.
"What do you mean... Ah-ah-ah, okay, yours," I smiled. "And yet, is your image really forever imprinted on the surface of the moon?"
"No. If you were on it right now, you wouldn't see a single fragment of that shadow. It's visible only from Equestria; it's an eternal reminder to me. A reminder from the magic of the Elements, not my sister."
"Cruel," I countered, turning abruptly to the country's Night Diarch.I've already read all about that... incident. And I also heard the story of your liberation from Twilight. And if I put everything I heard together... I... I understand you.
"What?" Luna couldn't seem to believe her ears.
"I understand you. I can't approve of what you did, but the feeling that everything you do seems unnecessary to everyone when there's someone nearby who does the same... It was a slap of disrespect in the soul from those for whom you raised the night's luminary. And no explanations or Night celebrations, right?" I noted shrewdly.
"Where are you from?.."
"Please, Luna, I may not be a pony, but I just look like an idiot. In our world, this kind of thing happens every day. I'm surprised you lasted this long." The princess, her head tilted back, stared ahead for a long moment, clearly not seeing the starry sky but reliving the past. I reached out and gently stroked her ear, the way I'd unconsciously done with Twilight when we were both reading. And if I hadn't realized HOW it looked to a pony back then, now I understood why the lavender alicorn had looked at me so incomprehensibly afterward. And now the same gesture toward Luna? "I wonder if there'll be anything left of me to bury?" I managed to think, not even attempting to pray, being an agnostic.
But instead of thoroughly rolling me on the ground in front of the library, the princess quickly touched my cheek with her lips, almost instantly unfurled her wings, and a few seconds later I was sitting alone on the balcony.
"What a twist..." I swallowed hard, as my brain slowly but thoroughly processed what had just happened. "Is this what humans call 'sitting outside'?" the slightly sarcastic voice of Equestria's youngest princess came from behind me.
"Hmm... Not cool..."
* * *
Strangely enough, I still survived that night.
From then on, Luna began acting like a close friend, never reminding me of what had happened. I, accordingly, didn't stutter either.
Something new had appeared in the Night Diarch; she no longer seemed like the aloof princess with the regal voice and old manner when she spoke to me. Well, most of the time. But from then on, she persistently aided me in my endless attempts to convince the other two alicorns to officially appoint me as something like the Forest Guard, or, in other words, a Guardian. Water wears away stone, and after two weeks of verbal battles, we ambushed Twilight when she was alone. Without Celestia's moral support, she quickly caved in to our arguments and defected to the Camp Free Pony, as I jokingly called Celestia's opposition. And so, late one evening, we, as conspirators against the king, secretly gathered in the Ponyville library, forcing Spike, Twilight's dragon assistant, to turn off most of the lights and go to bed.
"So, where do we stand today?" Twilight began, unfolding a long list of checkboxes. "We already understand that it's easier to gather all the necessary equipment in secret, then confront Princess Celestia with the fait accompli. So let's check the status of everything." The alicorn seemed to be blazing with enthusiasm, as if her organizational skills were needed. Even in a conspiracy. Luna rolled her eyes and sighed heavily.
"Twilight, can you talk less and do more?" "Well, that reminds me of someone," I said, taking the opportunity to tease the princess. It was much nicer to talk to a real pony than what I sometimes thought was her official double.
"I hear everything. A couple more jabs at me, and you'll be giving yourself nightmares."
"Uhm, can I begin?" the former unicorn interrupted us sternly, looking at me skeptically while I tried to look as innocent as a child. Clearing her throat, she unrolled the scroll.
"Finances. We need a certain amount of bits for initial supplies, supplies, and additional expenses. On your advice, we won't use our own funds so as not to attract Celestia's attention. And we need quite a large sum, several hundred bits. How are things going with that item?"
Pulling a heavy bag from under the table, I placed it in the center of the table.
"Wow, when did you have time?..."
"Massage therapist, jeweler, and magician, Twilight. Anywhere where fingers are the advantage."
"Being a jeweler isn't as hard as it seemed, and after a couple of unsuccessful samples, unusual pendants and necklaces sold quite briskly throughout Ponyville."
"Wait, so that star-shaped pendant they praised so much at the market..."
"Aha," I smiled contentedly. "I specifically talked the merchant into selling it to you. It was one of my first jobs, and I was helped by Mr. Ruby, your local jeweler, for whom I worked. I should ask him to work with me a little more—all this time, it was just my fingers that saved me, not my experience."
"Maybe I should think about a career as a jeweler?" Twilight asked cautiously. Luna just snorted—She already understood that I would not back down and did not intend to change my choice.
"No, Twi, and let's not talk about that. In that world, I was... Hell, you probably don't even have that profession. I'm a translator. A former one. You know, we have a lot of languages, not like here, and I'd be forced to translate mostly useless papers for most of my life... I don't want to. I don't want to end up in the new world as an ordinary worker. After all, it seems I didn't end up here because life was good. Something happened after I arrived in that country with a client..." I shook my head, driving away the sad thoughts. "That's why I want to live my life here to the fullest. And you know," I smiled. "I'll never go back there. So let's get back to our old ways. That's the expression," I explained in response to their questioning glances. "So, what else is there?" "Mmmm..." the unicorn ran her eyes down the list. "There's a teacher, a house for now, too... Equipment." What exactly did you mean besides sturdy clothing?
— Weapons.
— W-weapons? Uh... what exactly do you need?
— A bow, arrows, a sword, a dagger. And someone who can train me in them.
— I'm afraid there might be problems with that...— Luna tapped her hoof thoughtfully on the table. "To begin with, I don't understand what kind of weapon this 'bow' is. And where we can get one."
— Uh... Wait," I looked at the princess in surprise. "The guards are armed with something, right?"
— Well, yes, spears, magic, hooves. In the past, during my madness, there were ballistae on city walls and towers, powered by magic. Isn't that enough?"
My look clearly meant "yes."
— How can I put it... Our world has been rocked by wars since its creation. Humans killed other humans so often that weapons developed faster than anything else. My planet currently has enough weapons to wipe both worlds out several times over.
A heavy silence fell over the library.
"Are all humans like this?" Twilight finally asked, shocked, realizing what she'd heard.
"No."
I turned to Luna in surprise.
"I only know one human so far. He's certainly not an innocent herbivore, but I can't call him a murderer."
Smiling warmly at me, the princess turned to the lavender alicorn:
"So let's get back to equipment. Des, I understand that what you listed are human weapons. Is it possible to make them here?"
"Quite. There might be problems with the bow."
Taking a piece of paper and a quill, I drew a bow and arrow, explaining how the weapon worked. "The problem is the wood. I have no idea what kind of wood it should be or how to process it. That would reduce my chances of a successful hunt threefold. Because I don't have any magic that would help me hunt or defend myself."
"Speaking of hunting..." Twilight interrupted me. "I understand you're a predator and you need meat... but..." She quickly blurted out, mustering up her courage. "Maybe you won't hunt animals. I understand you need protein. We can find another solution, but if that doesn't work out, we'll understand." Having blurted this out in one breath, the young sorceress lowered her gaze, apparently expecting my negative reaction.
Luna and I exchanged glances and burst into laughter.
"Twilight," I groaned, wiping away tears. "In all the time I've lived here, which is a couple of months now, I've never eaten meat."
"Huh?" What about then? Fish?
"Yes," Luna answered for me, lightly poking me in the shoulder with her hoof. "He was very nervous about it, because he didn't want to kill animals for meat. The fish of our world are clearly not sentient, so he catches them in our rivers. Or buys them from griffins."
"Then why have I never seen you eat fish? And what kind of hunting would you need a bow for?"
"Well, I tried not to attract the other ponies' attention. And a bow is for hunting undead creatures, like timberwolves. Well, other weapons are for the same purpose. Daggers and swords are essentially knives with a more comfortable handle and a longer blade."
After I'd sketched out what I meant on the sheet of paper, I looked at our "secretary," who was thoughtfully examining the drawing. "Maybe a blacksmith can make something similar. But you'll have to help him. Maybe you'll have to go to a blacksmith in Canterlot."
"That's all?"
"Yes. So that leaves the last point."
***
Oddly enough, I wasn't alone in going to Canterlot. Twilight Sparkle followed me, arguing that she could help me find my way around the city and... That was it. I had no desire to be seen in the capital, but I knew perfectly well I had no choice, and the princess's presence wouldn't make ponies shy away from me. But even stranger, Applejack and Fluttershy tagged along. Thank the Supreme Being, her insane bunny remained in Ponyville.
As they both explained, they had their own business in the capital. Fluttershy needed some medicine for the huge crowd of animals she cared for, and Applejack had set off to get supplies for the farm.
Having bought tickets at the station and clearly explained that I didn't need to be registered as an animal, we boarded the train, with Applejack and Twilight pushing me from behind, not allowing me to go back and explain to the ticket agent that she was wrong. With great difficulty, I was pushed into the carriage, and the train pulled out. There was no one else in the carriage—nothing unusual was planned for the capital, so there wasn't much to expect. Sitting by the window, I watched the landscapes float past, half-listening to the chatter of the mares. The country was, at the very least, thriving. "Which is hardly surprising, given that half of nature's processes aren't controlled by nature itself." Fields and forests, plains and mountains. What had happened to hurl me into this world, where even the sun itself obeys the inhabitants of this earth?..
"You've been a bit pensive lately, my friend," I heard AJ's voice as she sat down next to me. "Last week, you almost fell off the roof of a barn you were helping repair, and you still had that same vacant look in your eyes. Something's wrong, huh?" Smiling, I lightly nudged her in the side, firmly cementing in my mind what is and isn't allowed to be done with ponies. Although Twilight sometimes allowed me to pet her behind the ears when we were both engrossed in an interesting book.
"It's not that there's anything wrong. Everything is too good. This world, if not perfect, is pretty close to it thanks to good ponies like you," I smiled at the whole group looking at me. "You ponies are simply wonderful. But you still need someone who's different from you. A true predator, not in strength or agility, but in intelligence—that is, me. I hope you won't shy away from me when you understand what a person can be."
A second nudge in the side and the indignant murmur from all the fillies, including Fluttershy, that nothing like that would happen made me smile.
* * *
Arriving in the capital, the princess and I decided to help our friends and only then go about our business.
"So, the cure," the restless organizer unfolded a list she'd created with telekinesis, who knows when.
"Yes, of course," the shy pegasus led us into the city.
Apparently, she'd been here many times to get the necessary medicine and knew the way. The ponies strolled leisurely through the streets, giving me a chance to look around; I'd never been to Canterlot, and the heavy workload, including preparing for life as Zecora's apprentice, took up all my time.
The capital was a very beautiful city, and the main castle reminded me of something, perhaps, from a book. Regardless, the clean, stone-paved streets, the shops, and the large number of watchful guards made it clear that this was the capital of a prosperous kingdom. Most of the capital's population consisted of unicorns, with pegasi a few more rare, and earth ponies even more rare. We walked through the center of town, past the diarchs' palace, until I realized that Fluttershy was deliberately walking past the sights to give me the opportunity to admire the city, although she herself did not look very pleased with the large gathering of ponies.
"Let's head straight to the right shop," I suggested, trying not to show that I realized why we were going in circles. With an embarrassed squeak, the pegasus ducked into the nearest alley, causing her friends to roll their eyes in unison.
"And I thought she was lost or forgot her way," Twilight chuckled, following us.
We approached a small house with a sign above the entrance.
"Medicinal Herbs and Infusions," I read the sign slowly. "Yeah, while I could speak your language right away, I had to relearn how to read and write."
"Um, you wait here, I'll be right back," Fluttershy said quietly and quickly darted inside, closing the door in Applejack's curious nose.
"Hey!" the earth pony said indignantly, squinting to check the integrity of her nose.
"What's so top-secret that our shy little one wouldn't even let us in?" I asked, looking at the opaque windows of the house, but then the door opened, and Fluttershy appeared, carrying a small bag strapped to her back like a backpack. Bags of this design weren't very common and were used for carrying fragile or precious items, and were equipped with a sort of knot that could be pulled to quickly remove the bag. Judging by the jingling sound, she'd stocked up on quite a few bottles of medicine.
"Medicine—we have," the alicorn scribbled. "Next. AJ, what were you planning on buying?"
"Hmm, a couple of gifts for the family, a packet of seeds—ours went bad because of a burst pipe in the storage room. And... that's all, I think."
"And you had to go to Canterlot for this?" "Yeah, we've lost some seeds from a rare variety of cabbage. They don't sell them in Ponyville, sugar, and we didn't have time to plant them, so..." Applejack waved her hooves vaguely in the air. "So, there you go. Shall we go?"
Luckily, the earth pony didn't run in circles, and so after fifteen minutes of leisurely strolling, we all tumbled into the shop, discussing the latest Canterlot news from the newspaper we'd picked up along the way. The shopkeeper, a dark green earth pony with a cutie mark of a packet of seeds, greeted us with a slack-jawed expression as he surveyed this unusual group. However, noticing Twilight calmed him down a bit.
"Hello, how can I help you?"
"I'm telling you, the rumor about changelings near the capital is nonsense!"
"Maybe you don't believe in vampire bats either?" "Um, dear ponies..."
"I believe in mice, but the second one is stupid, the shield is active!"
"Um, guys," Fluttershy's quiet voice, as always, went unheard.
"Ah-ah-ah, nonsense! You sugar babies are clearly overheated in the sun."
"Guys..."
"I read that..."
"Guys!!!" the pegasus finally shouted, getting everyone's attention.
Turning toward the filly and the waiting merchant, we realized we'd been standing in the shop for five minutes already.
"Ah... Yes. We need a few packets of seeds, if possible..."
Chapter 3.2. Night Vengeance, Night's Retribution
For ten thousand years I have languished in darkness!
Standing before the door of the small forge, I was surprised by the lack of smoke, then remembered that in Equestria, forges are staffed by two people—an Earth pony and a unicorn, the latter's job being to remove smoke and perform fine work. Crouching, I stepped inside. Well, the forges here were cleaner than one might imagine, but it was still clear they weren't embroidering pillows here. A gray Earth pony with a cutie mark in the shape of a blacksmith's hammer was striking a glowing workpiece with force, standing on his hind legs and holding the hammer with his forepaws. It was understandable, really, why he wasn't holding the hammer in his mouth—it could easily lead to tooth loss, not to mention deafness much earlier than he'd like. His partner, a young red unicorn with a silver ingot marked with flames, was sorting through his tools. Turning toward the entrance and noticing me, he nodded calmly, then pointed a hoof at his partner, indicating that conversation was out of the question. He then gestured to a chair next to the table, where he was already seated. A couple of minutes later, the gray-haired blacksmith moved away from the anvil and removed his hooves from the special holders on the hammer. He didn't dip his work in water, which meant one thing: the order was clearly expensive, as it would take quite a while for the metal to cool, but the result was worth it. I'd learned such subtleties even before arriving in Equestria, having a slight obsession with bladed weapons.
"So, what did you want to order?" the unicorn asked, looking at me and pushing the tools away from the edge of the table.
"I need you to forge a weapon, a sword."
"Excuse me?" the blacksmith asked, raising an eyebrow.
"A sword, a weapon," I tried to explain, handing him a rough drawing. He continued without looking at it.
"You don't understand. Are you sure you need a sword? Ponies once used this weapon, but it proved so inconvenient that few know how to create this exotic and awkward weapon. Perhaps you need a spear or a halberd?"
"I'm afraid you don't understand now. You see, it's not the ponies who need the weapon, but me. And it's clearly suitable for me. Plus, I need a heavier version, just don't overdo it."
"And what exactly do you need?" "A regular longsword, like this one," I repeated, pointing to the drawing. Both blacksmiths studied it for a moment, then nodded.
"Okay, we'll do our best," both stallions replied in unison, naming a price. With a silent whistle, I counted out the deposit. Apparently, they were bringing me a sword for the Count, no less. After discussing the minor details, I left the forge. The ponies were waiting for me outside, laden with their supplies and purchases. We nodded to each other and headed for the train station.
* * *
A week later
The doorbell distracted Twilight and me from tucking my belt around the library hall—there was absolutely nothing else to do, so we spent our time testing out the elements of my "uniform" for forest walks. Basically, only the belt was being tested, and despite all the merciless abuse, it hadn't even stretched. The odds were against me. And anyway, she was cheating!
The alicorn's mouth dropped open in surprise, causing me to stagger and fall to the floor.
"I'll open it."
"Okay," I grinned, rubbing my aching tailbone. Pretending to be an innocent foal, Twilight quickly ran to the door. Returning for the money bag, she darted back just as quickly, and after a while, accompanied by her own panting, she entered the room, rear-first, dragging something behind her."I've somehow gotten used to seeing the face of the person entering first, not their... um... tail," I remarked, already sitting in my chair. Thank the Supreme Being that all Equestrian beings possessed innate magic that allowed them to conceal everything that is also customarily hidden in human society. Otherwise, there would have been far more embarrassment. That's precisely why the ponies didn't understand my strange habit of constantly wearing clothes.
"It's not fmef," said the princess, finally entering the room and dragging a long bundle inside.
"Should I use telekinesis?" I asked, noticing the thud with which the bundle fell to the floor.
"For some reason, it won't budge!" Twilight replied indignantly, stomping her hoof on the bundle in frustration.
"What?" "I raised an eyebrow, dropped to the floor next to Twilight, and unwrapped the package. "What the..." I said, examining the contents of the package. "Idiots!!!" I grabbed the blade in anger and threw it toward the bookshelf. With a crunch, it went through the wood and got stuck there.
"Des, calm down, what's wrong?" The pony was terrified and stunned by my change of mood. Looking at her, I slowed down.
"Sorry. It's just that this sword was worth all my savings."
"You... you didn't say... Why?" I patted the filly's mane and walked over to the blade. Reaching out, I pulled it out of the way with difficulty. "Well, now I have to fix the shelf."
"Do ponies even realize I'm different from you?" "And I've reminded you more than once that the weapon be made for me. "Idiots," I sighed sadly. A genuine flamberge rested in my hands. The wavy blade at the base and the straight edge at the tip exactly replicated the shape of a human weapon. Except the blade was carved from black volcanic glass, obsidian. Reforged several times, it was cold to the touch and much heavier than a regular two-handed sword, which itself weighed a considerable amount, around four kilograms. So the blacksmiths had heeded my request. They'd added weight to the blade. Perhaps the blade's material or the unicorn magic had something to do with the weight, but now I couldn't understand how I'd managed to throw it.
I explained all this to Twilight, running my finger along the sword's hilt. Taking a closer look at it, I groaned helplessly—it was clearly not made for a human hand, too short for a two-handed grip.
"That's it... They won't accept a return, since reforging the blade will cost them more, and I'll have to save up the money. Again. Damn it. I have no choice; I'll have to learn to swing this monster somehow." Sighing, I rose from the floor and walked out of the library, resting the blade on my shoulder and involuntarily groaning at its weight.
* * *
The bright night was especially beautiful for the Princess of the Night. A gentle breeze played absently through the leaves of the trees, all the lights of Ponyville were out, every pony was asleep. The soft light of the moon bathed the deserted streets of the town.The silence that filled the city was deep and peaceful, and only near the city center, near the library, could a shrill whistle and the heavy breathing of a man be heard. A dark beam flickered in the air, seeming to cut the moonlit strings of light descending to the ground. However, the dance, unusual for these parts, quickly ended. The man thrust his blade into the ground and drew in a raspy breath, silently thanking Applejack for all the work he'd done on her farm. While he hadn't been particularly strong or enduring when he arrived in Equestria, he'd clearly improved his physique in recent months, but it wasn't enough for what he was attempting.
Leaning my back against the blade, unconcerned about its cool surface, I looked gloomily at the calluses on my hands.
"Who knew I shouldn't skip gym class because I'd need to swing a sword in the pony world?" — the sarcasm in my voice clearly reached a lethal dose, if not more. — The mistake of two talented idiots, all the bits I collected, and a complete mess... By Equestria, only a human could have failed like that. Or rather, no. Only me.
A soft laugh behind me made me turn around sharply. Luna, who had approached unnoticed this time, was looking at me with a smile. Rising to my feet, I bowed awkwardly, suddenly feeling shy. Coming right up to me and looking me intently in the eyes, the princess smiled and gently touched my cheek with her lips, momentarily resting her front legs on my shoulders.
— And I thought we'd stopped bowing to each other when we met.
— Yes, sorry, — I smiled sheepishly, deciding not to return the friendly kiss. Giggling sweetly, the alicorn sat down next to the embedded blade. "I've been watching you for several nights now. You train so hard, you completely exhaust yourself, and then you're completely exhausted all day. You clearly need help."
Desperately shaking my head, I sat down next to her, feeling a warm wing on my shoulder.
"Because of my fault, the blacksmiths made... not what I needed, but you already know that. I don't need help."
With a heavy sigh, I continued:
"Who am I kidding? I need help, but I don't know how to help me. Build muscle? Or teach me telekinesis? Oh, right, I was counting on human strength, so I ordered a simple sword. Made of obsidian. From what I understood from Twilight's books, it's one of those substances that telekinesis and unicorn magic don't work on. You never know... But the weight of the sword, coupled with my lack of experience... Maybe Celestia was right? Who knows?" Feeling a noticeable nudge in my side, I turned and met Luna's watchful gaze.
"You're not Des. I remember him, sitting on the library balcony, talking about the moon, ready to follow the path he'd chosen. You must be a changeling."
Smiling a little more cheerfully, I flicked my sword.
"Find a changeling who can swing this thing standing up, then I'll agree."
"I understand you're tired and want to sleep... But maybe we should go for a walk? The weather is beautiful; I've been deliberately trying to make the last few nights brighter."
"Thank you. My pleasure, Luna."
Leaving the blade stuck in the ground (who needs it...), I followed the princess as she slowly walked through the streets of Ponyville. We walked through town in complete silence, enjoying the night. It was getting chilly, so I instinctively took off my jacket and covered the alicorn, earning a grateful look. As we approached the park, I noticed a cloth spread out on the grass and two baskets. I glanced ironically at Luna, only to receive an innocent look in return.
"What? You haven't been yourself lately; you need to rest."
Laughing, I lay down on the blanket, and the alicorn lay down next to me. Levitating the basket in front of her, she peered inside with interest.
"What would you like to eat? Sandwiches and apples."
"An apple, thank you."
Carefully hooking the apple by the stem, Luna handed it to me, then took another one herself. After a couple of minutes of thoughtful crunching, silence fell over the clearing.
"Are you comfortable lying on your back all the time?" the filly asked, watching me as I, my hands behind my head, admired the sky and, frankly, the princess herself.
"Of course. Plus, this way I can look at the stars and their mistress at the same time."
"I'm not sure you even admire ponies; we're not like you." Noticing that I was shivering from the chill, she pulled one wing free from under her jacket and partially covered me with it.
"So what if you're not like me?" I asked, running my fingers along the inside of the wing, feeling the soft feathers tickle my fingers.
"Stop," Luna shivered, moving her wing.
"Unpleasant? Sorry," I sat up to be at about the same level as her, still slightly towering over her.
"No... it's nice," the princess whispered sheepishly, looking into my eyes. "It's just... you just do it."
Looking into the eyes of the unusually quiet alicorn, I realized she was struggling with herself, wanting to get up and at the same time wanting to stay. Reaching out, I ran my fingers down the princess's neck.
"Stay," I said quietly, approaching her. "The night won't be so beautiful without its mistress."
Luna looked me in the eye shyly and whispered, "I... I... I'm so sorry..."
Leaning forward, I silenced her with a touch of my lips. A brief shudder ran through Luna's body as I embraced her, pulling her close. Closing her eyes and hesitantly responding to the kiss at first, she relaxed, then eagerly leaned forward, unwilling to stop. With difficulty, we pulled apart and caught our breath. This sensation was new to the princess; she looked shy, happy, and surprised. Reaching out, I did what I had already done once before—gently brushed it behind her ear, then lowered my hand to her mane, enjoying the soft touch and the contented sigh of the alicorn clinging to me. "I never thought you'd like me," I said quietly, continuing to gently stroke her mane. Then I lowered my hand to her back and touched the spot between her wings. The soft rustle of her wings and Luna's sigh told me I was doing everything right.
"You caught my attention back then, in the hospital bed, when your body so joyfully accepted my magic, but I didn't think it would go further," she whispered, nuzzling my neck and swooning under my caresses. "And I was afraid you'd reject me," she added quietly, her breath pleasantly tickling my neck.
"Well, such a mature and intelligent filly, and yet she says such nonsense."
She playfully nudged me in the side and shook that same hoof. "But-but, I'm a great princess. But... Aaah..."
Halting her tirade when I lightly tugged at her mane, she pulled her muzzle away from her neck.
"Not fair!"
"And seducing an inexperienced and innocent subject?"
"Quite the opposite," another gentle nudge with a hoof.
"Why do all ponies always try to poke me in the side when they meet?" I smiled, tickling her under her wings in retaliation.
"Because a gentle nudge on the shoulder is something like your... um... what do you mean... handshakes? And you still have to reach your shoulder. Everyone does it automatically. And you're soft, too," Luna smiled playfully, moving closer, kissing me and covering me with her wings. She was clearly getting used to this kind of thing, trying to delay the moment when we'd break the kiss long enough to breathe.
"I never thought that in all her life, no one had noticed her. Perhaps even here, princesses can be doomed to loneliness because of their title. The Princess of the Crystal Empire is clearly an exception." Dropping lower to kiss her neck, I continued stroking her back and mane. The princess's contented sigh and the unconscious spread of her wings were the best reward. Trying to catch her breath, she pulled back a little and returned the kiss to her neck.
"I bet none of my subjects has ever enjoyed kissing and stroking alone so much. But... I hope you don't mind if we... don't appear in public... together for a while," she said, lowering her gaze and ears, waiting for me to respond.
"I understand everything." I think many of his subjects will have a heart attack when they find out their diarch kissed a human.
"Not just kissed," Luna smiled innocently. "But..."
"Not today," I smiled, stroking the blushing princess. It was amusing to see the blush of shame or embarrassment quite successfully breaking through the alicorn's soft fur. She nodded in response to my words and ran a hoof along the ground, reminding me of Fluttershy at that moment.
"I've really never... been with anyone. Thank you for agreeing to wait," a bashful blush became increasingly visible through her fur. Smiling and hugging the filly around the neck, I gently kissed the tip of her ear, which, along with the other, was now happily flapping the air.
The inexperienced and shy princess was completely different from her usual appearance. And I liked this appearance better, although I couldn't say I disliked her usual demeanor.
"By the way, I wanted to tell you something, but you distracted me earlier this night," Luna carefully pulled away from me, breathing heavily and trying to even out her breathing. "Please be there tomorrow, by the house, at the same time. For now... I have to go."
With a sad sigh, she nuzzled my cheek, spread her wings, and took off. After watching her leave, I began packing up the remains of the "picnic" and headed home. "Luna's definitely going to have a day of reflection today," flashed through my mind as I went to get my sword.
* * *
Having literally spent the entire day in bed, I slept soundly and was ready for the night. After getting out the suit I hoped I'd be wearing while wandering through the forest, I leisurely dressed and stood in front of the mirror.
My dark hair had grown out, reaching mid-back, my calm sea-green eyes had a calmer look, my face had thinned—staying in Equestria had clearly done me good; it was embarrassing to think back to what I'd been like before that trip. "Well, I might not have gotten fat back then, but working on the farm had made me look... respectable. But also more predatory," I was forced to admit. "No wonder ponies still get nervous around me."
Looking at the suit, I added to myself, "Well, Rarity helped with that." The black, durable suit fit like a glove, without restricting my movement. According to Twilight, it definitely made me look like some kind of predator. And how much effort it took to convince the keeper of the Element of Generosity not to embellish the suit... It was a real challenge for her—to create a suit that would be worn outside of a palace. A comfortable, lightweight jacket, close-fitting pants, soft but durable boots, and a black cloak that reached almost to the ground. It was Rarity who added the hooded cloak, claiming it would be very useful during rain and could be quickly removed when needed.Having decided I looked just right for a night stroll, I moved away from the mirror and sat down in the chair. The library was empty; Celestia's former student, she said, had gone to Canterlot to get some textbooks she desperately needed, and night hadn't yet fallen, so I could easily snooze a little longer. Closing my eyes, I fell into a deep sleep before I knew it.
* * *
I stood in a gray nothingness. The only thing I could discern was the position of up and down, because my feet were actually on something. I'd had this dream many times before. It was... frightening. The longer I stayed there, the more I felt like I was doomed to stay here forever. Sometimes I tried to walk, no matter where, but it got me nowhere; I wasn't even sure I was moving. This time, however, there was one difference: in one spot, space seemed to be swallowing itself, and suddenly Luna flew out of this vortex. The alicorn's sides rose and fell heavily, as if she'd run a long distance. She looked around in surprise, then ran up to me.
"Des! I finally got through to you!"
"Get through?" I asked, surprised. "You watch over everypony's dreams, right? You're free to make sure they don't turn into nightmares!"
"Not in this case..." She shook her head, finally straightening up. "I couldn't get through to you until today. You were either sleeping soundly, and I couldn't even induce a dream, or... You see, I see every pony's dreams and the gates that lead there. All the gates in the dream world are somewhat similar to the ponies whose dreams they are. They're different colors, shapes." And your dreams... They're a gray fog with something in the center. I flew to the library, and you weren't there. Then I went inside and saw you sleeping in a chair, and when I tried to enter your dream, I finally managed to penetrate that fog. A black flame burned in the center of the fog, and only through it could I get here. Are all people's dreams like this?
Slowly turning around, I looked at the dream around me.
"No. I don't know what's wrong. Before I came here, I dreamed, like everyone else. And now I either see THIS, or I see nothing. Can you control this dream?"
Slowly shaking her head, the alicorn came closer to me, looking warily around. "I'm not sure this is even a dream... Let's get out of here, this is the first time I've been scared in someone else's dream," the filly asked, her voice trembling, looking around suspiciously, trying to find something to focus her gaze on.
"I'm afraid you'll have to wake me up," I smiled, stroking her mane. She nodded quickly, and with a pop, she disappeared. A few moments later, something gently pulled me out of my slumber.
* * *
The first thing I felt were soft lips gently touching my face. When I opened my eyes, Luna smiled at me, then, with determination, as if about to leap off a cliff, she leaned forward and kissed me. After a minute that seemed like a sweet eternity, I broke the kiss.
"Getting into it... my love?"
I've never seen anyone blush so quickly. Especially not the diarch of an entire country.
"My love..." she repeated, as if tasting the word. "Nice. Are you going to say that to all your fillies?" she asked quietly, moving back and sitting on the floor.
"All... all? What are you talking about?" My surprise knew no bounds, and my jaw was clearly only held together by a couple of muscles preventing it from dropping to the floor. "W-what other fillies?" Having managed to stutter, I looked at the princess in complete shock. "I didn't have anyone in Equestria, I swear by the moon!"
Now it was time for the ponies to look at me in bewilderment, clearly trying to understand what was going on and what was going on.
"Well..." the confused interlocutor scratched her head with the tip of her hoof. "The other ponies from the herd you'll take in," she said, looking me in the eye and raising her eyebrows in surprise. "Wait, isn't it the same for you?"
I finally began to understand what Luna was talking about.
"Not at all. In almost every other culture, ours forbids having more than one wife... er... mare in a family."
"Absurd!" the filly exclaimed, almost jumping up in surprise. "I specifically asked Twilight, well, indirectly, what she heard from you, and we both came to the conclusion that you are naturally akin to a pony herd."
"Naturally," I said, slapping my hand to my face. "Didn't she tell you about culture?"
The thoughtful expression on her face was the clearest answer, and it was this that forced a sad sigh out of me. Oddly enough, Equestria had plenty of both traditional families (as I imagined them) and traditional pony herds, with a single stallion surrounded by a small harem of mares. This often baffled me when I tried to understand how these two phenomena coexisted in the same society.
"You don't have to follow tradition."
"And I don't plan to. I just look a little further than you do." She smiled, stood up, and walked to the door. "Come on, I've prepared a surprise for you."
* * *
The night was beautiful, as always at this time of year. I don't understand why ponies mostly refuse to notice the masterpieces their diarch creates: the starry sky, the soft moonlight, the gentle breeze... Maybe it's not worth living your entire life awake only at night, but respecting an alicorn's efforts is certainly appropriate. Looking around, I spotted the princess standing in a beam of moonlight. She casually toyed with a black staff, which reached about shoulder-high to me and towered over the filly. Noticing me looking at her, Luna caught it in her mouth right in the middle, then lunged forward, delivering a downward strike. Barely recovering from my surprise, I quickly jumped to the side, intercepting the staff and gently twisting it from the princess's teeth, hoping with all my heart not to harm the filly. Re-grasping the staff, I quickly spun it like a windmill. "So light?" I thought to myself, gripping it like a halberd and pulling back the end with its non-existent blade. Only then did I notice Luna laughing at me.
"Are you crazy?" I shouted at the laughing princess. "What if I had hit you?" "It was worth it," she smiled predatorily, pointing her horn at the staff in her hand.
"What are you talking about..." Looking at the staff, I almost dropped it in surprise—the top of the shaft held a blade shimmering with silver light. It resembled a crescent moon held by the shaft, with the "horns" pointing downwards. At first, I mistook it for an axe, but then realized it was more like a scythe with blades extending in both directions.
"It worked!" the filly jumped up like a little foal. "Then I'm right, and this is Night Vengeance, the Night's Retribution." King Sombra once found a scythe imbued with malice toward all living things, its blade appearing only in the shadows. Trying to control this weightless weapon, he attempted to cross the scythe with a softer magic, the magic of the Night. But nothing came of it. Once revealed, the weapon was never seen again. After the Crystal Empire was liberated, Twilight's brother found one of Sombra's armories, which contained records of the weapon and the weapon itself. Unwilling to deal with the tyrant king's legacy, they sent it to Canterlot. Well, I took it from the treasury...
"...without asking," I finished, knowing Luna well.
"I'm one of the princesses of Equestria, and I don't have to answer to anyone!" the princess said, her nose cocked proudly.
"And you don't even warn your sister," a voice said from above, after which Celestia's white figure glided silently from the branches of the library tree. Standing next to Luna, just in case, I raised an inquisitive eyebrow, leaning on the pleasantly warm shaft of Vengeance.
"You acted very rashly, sister. What if the blade had corrupted his soul? We know next to nothing about this weapon."
"You shouldn't have said that," I decided to nip the conflict in the bud. "We've already realized that, for reasons unknown to us, I have a very negative attitude toward light magic. However," I said harshly, "that's precisely why you disapprove of your sister's actions, isn't it?" A predator healed by dark magic, wielding weapons of night and darkness, is probably a serious threat to the kingdom.
"Des, don't," Luna whispered softly, clinging to me and trying to reassure me, which Celestia noticed.
"Really? Is that why you've been going on night walks lately to 'admire' your work?"
"Really!" the dark alicorn was about to add something when I stepped softly between the sisters.
"Girls," I said gloomily, slowly twirling my scythe and feeling the weapon 'sing', eager to do its job. "What's done is done. Therefore, without further ado, I would like to receive official permission to create a position as the Everfree Forest Guard and appoint me there after completing my training with Zecora." "I take it Twilight knew about this," the white alicorn sighed, looking toward the library.
"Something like that," we answered in unison, trying not to bullshit our friend too much.
"Okay. In a week, you'll get your official title, a starting salary, a deed to build a house when you save up some money, and so on. Now, it's time for my sister and I to go to Canterlot."
Smiling at each other, the princesses spread their wings. While Luna, after a quick kiss, flew off toward the capital, Celestia turned to me.
"I've been keeping an eye on you, Des, and I have one request of you. Take care of them." She flapped her wings, took off, and hurried after her sister. The soft clatter of hooves made me turn around—Twilight, who had come from the library door, silently approached me and nuzzled my thigh. Kneeling down, I looked at the youngest princess.
"Did you hear everything?" a silent nod.
"Them?" I suddenly asked, looking at the young sorceress in shock and noticing how she was gradually beginning to blush. Still nodding silently, she kissed me on the cheek and quickly ran toward the library.
"Des, you're not a man, you're an ass..." I sadly stated, throwing my staff over my shoulder and slowly following Twilight.