//------------------------------//
// Acquaintance 
// Story: Forward and upward 
// by Solntsepek 
//------------------------------//

Chkalov quickly settled in a new place. His tent was only a hundred paces from the headquarters and, if anything, he could quickly get to the command post. Chkalov also studied the camp and having built the whole brigade, greeted the pilots and mechanics of the three squadrons. According to the major, the number of the brigade's aircraft is only twelve, and there are no spare parts and fuel for them at all. According to him, the construction of the runway is in full swing and will be ready in two days. And from the first of July this year, the planned construction of everything else will begin. Before the first autumn coolness, we need to do everything in time.

Now Chkalov was combing his hair back, already dressed in a ceremonial uniform with all the orders and medals — you need to make an impression of a well-groomed person who takes care of his appearance. Moreover, he will get acquainted with a special blue blood, and they know a lot about it.… Every now and then preening for the next ball and with such regular affairs.

Ugh. Chkalov mentally spat. His task is not to show his attitude to the nobility, but to make friends with them. Get over yourself and your dislike for the sake of everyone else.

What's gotten into me? Maybe she's not as bad as she thinks: they speak well of her, without guile. Soon we will find out how true the rumors about her are.

The pilot put on his cap and left the tent. Kuznetsov and Bogoslovsky were already standing at the headquarters. The major was as well dressed as Chkalov. The captain, on the contrary, in a field tunic and with the top buttons unbuttoned, was slowly smoking a cigarette. Seeing Chkalov, the commanders perked up and at first wanted to stand at attention, but an absent-minded wave of his hand and a kind smile from Chkalov stopped this action.

"Are you ready, Valery Pavlovich?" having clarified, Kuznetsov asked.

"Ready, ready, Dmitry Alekseevich. When will we go?"

"Right now." and turned his head to Bogoslovsky with a cigarette in his teeth, "And quit smoking already! It's better to go and check on your yellowheads, otherwise they might be sitting around." morally instructed the major.

Bogoslovsky shrugged his shoulders and threw the cigarette on the ground, immediately extinguishing it with the toe of his boot.

"Permission to go, Comrade Commander?"

"Go ahead." Chkalov answered, who had been watching and had not intervened in the conversation until that moment.

Bogoslovsky turned around and soon disappeared behind the tents. After seeing him off with a frown, Kuznetsov, followed by Chkalov, went to the half-truck that stood at the outskirts of the tents. Only half an hour ago there was a whole column of them here. The drivers worked hard every day and every night, carrying provisions, uniforms and weapons with equipment. So this truck and a half with canned food was unloaded by the fighters not so long ago. Kuznetsov saw this as an opportunity and asked for a lift to Ponyville. The driver not only agreed to give a lift, but also waited until Chkalov came up. Even if it took only three minutes.

Two people quickly jumped into the back of the car. After a couple of seconds, the engine purred and the car moved along the rutted road to the town. The truck ride was wildly uncomfortable, but there was no other option. On the offer of Major Chkalov to get into the cockpit, he resolutely refused.

"We're not going that far, Dmitry Alekseevich." he answered him with a smile and almost rolled when the car turned into a hollow at the turn. But it was not so much the distance as the thought of the inequality of the position of the two commanders in the car that influenced this decision.

Despite the fact that the distance was small — it seemed to the two pilots that instead of three kilometers there were all ten to the pony town line. On the street, the Star car slowed down — everything is further on foot. Chkalov and Kuznetsov jumped onto the road and thanked the driver for acting like a human being. After a short time, the lorry disappeared in the direction of the road to Canterlot.

Chkalov glanced at his watch and, having assured himself that there was no need to hurry, with a straight posture and military bearing, walked with Kuznetsov. Zvezdnaya Street is quiet, without cars and people, except for two guards with rifles at a house converted into a warehouse. This was clearly indicated by the sign "Food Warehouse" in large letters above the door with a padlock. The main part of the architecture in this neighborhood were residential buildings, several shops and a small alley with wooden benches in the shape of flowers.

But only two pilots crossed some invisible line, as they immediately fell into the midst of people and a pony market. Ponies went to get groceries after work, and the Red Army soldiers enjoyed being dismissed to the city, sneaking around wherever at least something was out of the world order of a Soviet citizen. Half-empty shops with various sweets and goodies here and there were occupied by half-starved soldiers. Drooling over previously unseen sweets, they frantically counted the remaining bits from the advance. You can't blame them for this, sometimes even more serious commanders wanted something else that was not included in their daily diet.

Chkalov and Kuznetsov were no exception, but this time, apart from a curious glance and a short stop of the most unusual, they were moving towards the exit at the other end of the Ponyville market.

Eventually, the market ended and the number of ponies and people decreased. Among the usual two-story houses and cafes, a large three-story white building stood out. On closer inspection, a hospital with a recognizable red cross could be seen in it. There were two trucks parked outside the hospital with the same red crosses on a white circle and a dark green emka. Half a dozen military doctors and hospital staff gathered on the wide porch. It could be assumed that today they had an exchange of experience, reports and lectures by military doctors about Soviet medicines, treatment methods and vaccines. From their appearance, it could be said that the communication was long and tiring, but at the same time quite interesting and productive.

The commanders turned off the wide Vinogradnaya Street and went out onto the path to the castle. Tall, unlike Canterlot, none of the medieval ones known from books. Overgrown with uneven edges, with protrusions, the castle was a huge purple crystal.

Precious or not, Chkalov did not know, being from a peasant family. Kuznetsov did not go very far from his comrade brigade commander, also having an origin from the proletariat.

At the second floor level, two banners with a pale pink six-pointed and smaller white stars on a purple background hung on either side of the gate.

Another oddity was that the castle did not have the usual royal Guard commanders. It's like they came to visit friends.

The pilots stood at the gate and knocked together. There was no need to wait for the owner — the gate opened itself as if by magic, revealing an empty crystal corridor. Kuznetsov and Chkalov exchanged glances, but entered. And again the gate closed by itself.

Comfortable. Chkalov thought about such a system. And you don't have to keep servants on the doors.

The corridor wasn't straight: it wobbled and branched like a boa constrictor after dinner. It was unclear which way to go next. Suddenly, a small purple dragon came to the rescue. A black formal suit with a bow tie, even if it fit him perfectly, but clearly did not fit his frivolous childish look.

"Hello. You are Sir Chkalov and Sir Kuznetsov, right?" he asked in a childish voice, holding a tablet and a pencil in his small paws.

"That's right, kid." Chkalov answered affirmatively, softening his voice a little.

The reaction of the little dragon was immediate: frowning, he replied with displeasure:

"I'm not a baby. I'm already thirteen years old!"

There were signs of confusion on the faces of Chkalov and Kuznetsov, but they did not ask why at this age he looks like all seven. After a quick glance at Chkalov , Kuznetsov replied with a smile:

"We believe you, we believe you."

After these words, the dragon's muzzle took on a more good-natured look, albeit with a touch of seriousness.

"Let me take you to Twilight." the dragon waved his paw and led the guests forward.

Chkalov already thought that the hall was at the very end, but no — before reaching the end of the corridor they were led to the other side, where there was a spiral staircase. Passing by the second floor with the same scanty (for persons with royal blood) atmosphere, they came out on the third floor. Let the floor itself be inferior in size to the first, but because of the hall alone, which was also a library, it seemed quite large. Smooth shelves of books stood only against the walls, not interfering, while in the very center of the hall it was possible to sit at round tables for reading. But at this moment they were crowded together in the form of one large table, at which six ponies and two people were already sitting. Hearing the footsteps, everyone turned towards the newcomers.

Chkalov also did not waste time in vain: examining the two commanders of short stature, while not avoiding a direct look.

"Good evening, comrades and ladies." Kuznetsov said with a good-natured smile, putting his right hand to his cap. Chkalov did the same after him.

"Hello. We've been waiting for you. Have a seat. The purple alicorn pony sitting at the head of the "table" said a little shyly. Apparently Princess Twilight.

The sitting commanders got up and went to meet the pilots. The tankers, also dressed in full-dress uniforms, stretched out their hands. Opposite Chkalov stood a mature major, about his age, with a deep look of once faded blue eyes. Dark-haired, but already with strands of gray hair breaking through here and there, he was seen as a man who lived only by service. Such a person hardly has a family. The Orders of the Red Banner, Lenin and the Spanish Medal of Valor, clearly obtained by hard work, glittered dully on his chest.

"Major Orlenko."

"Brigade Commander Chkalov."

Kuznetsov also got a tankman of about twenty-five, no more. In his brown eyes burned the youthful fire of adventures and feats. Young and hot, you can expect anything from such for the sake of your ideas.

"Captain Grishin."

"Major Kuznetsov."

After shaking hands, the commanders took their seats. Ponies watched their acquaintance with interest and in complete silence. It's time to get acquainted with representatives of the opposite sex and another race.

The first word was taken by the mare-alicorn:

"I think you are already familiar with my name, but according to etiquette, I still repeat: my name is Twilight Sparkle. Don't call me Princess or Your Highness. Twilight smiled sheepishly and continued. "I will be glad if you will just call me Tway and call me you. To see me not as a princess of Equestria, but as your friend with whom you can chat. Also sitting here are my close friends: Rainbow, Fluttershy, Applejack, Rarity and Pinkie."

Twilight pointed to her words with her hoof at all the mares sitting in the hall.

Chkalov met Rarity's gaze. She smiled sweetly and waved her white hoof weakly. The pilot's gaze shifted to the other mares. Sitting opposite, a rainbow-maned pegasus with a bold look purposefully examined Kuznetsov and Chkalov. In her dark pink eyes there was clearly some question to the pilots, but she did not try to voice it yet. On the right side of her sat a yellow pegasus, hiding its muzzle behind a long pink mane and furtively looking at the commanders with timid turquoise eyes.

"I'm glad to meet you all! You are so interesting and unusual. How about throwing a welcome party for all the people in Ponyville? You will come to it, won't you?" a pink earth pony with curls responded in a high and loud voice. There was a huge smile on her face all this time, and a fervent light was burning in her big blue eyes.

"Pinky… Ahem, it will be correct in the plural not people, but people. Twilight corrected her hyperactive friend a little shyly.

"Yes, Pinkie. I think they don't have time to go to parties right now." the last pony with orange fur gave voice. On her head was a worn leather hat in the Western manner. There was a peasant simplicity and straightforwardness in her voice.

Pinkie's smile faded a little and she looked hopefully at the four commanders.

"Maybe… Can we all become friends?" she asked no one in particular.

"Absolutely." Orlenko answered her encouragingly. There was a kind and reassuring smile on his face.

This immediately cheered up the pink pony. All her other friends grinned at this change of mood, but said nothing.

"Well? Let's drink tea." said Twilight and began to pour it out of a teapot with flowers. At her behest, magic lifted spoons and saucers into the air. Pieces of cake flew after them.

"Listen, can you tell us about your life? About your exploits on the battlefields?" Suddenly Rarity asked.

All the commanders exchanged glances with the question of what to tell them. All except Orlenko. The good-natured smile disappeared from his face and his gaze became sad. He didn't want to think about his recent past in Spain.

The ponies noticed it too. Kuznetsov and Chkalov came to the aid of the tanker.

"Of course, we didn't fight, but we have enough interesting stories. For example, our Valery Pavlovich made a non-stop flight across the North Pole. He and his crew spent sixty-three hours in the air." Kuznetsov began to tell everyone a well-known story in the Soviet Union.

Pony's eyes lit up with curiosity and attention from Orlenko switched completely to Chkalov. He confusedly confirmed this with a short nod and continued:

"In this flight we did not break the record for the flight distance, but its importance was in another — the chosen route. I, Comrade Baidukov and Comrade Belyakovs received a special task from the party. This was not the first attempt and they tried before us, too, but for technical reasons it could not be done," Chkalov took a deep breath, furtively watching the listeners and their ears sticking up. "We didn't need awards, fame and all-Union love, we challenged nature itself and difficulties. Five hours after departure, we discovered a fuel leak, but to return back meant to let everyone down and we..."

***

While the Ponyville commanders were drinking tea and Chkalov was telling his story of the flight, at that time Chuikov was signing another order in Canterlot. Just a few minutes ago, a fighter jet took off from an airfield near the capital to Baltimore with a package for the garrison border troops stationed there. The essence of the order was simple — in the absence of communication with Chuikov himself in Gryphonstone, two regiments of fighters would fly to their aid. Directly, across the sea, they will quickly reach the griffin country. This should have an intimidating effect on the impudent griffins. And in the best case, to force them to come to negotiations on favorable terms for Chuikov.

There were several knocks on the door. Without raising his head Chuikov shouted:

"Come in."

A second later, the door opened and a unicorn guardsman stepped over the threshold of the office.

"Mr. Chuikov, you are requested to be present in Princess Luna's room in ten minutes." he reported loudly and clearly.

Frowning, Chuikov was lost in thought for a few moments, but remembering the guardsman immediately switched to him.

"Thank you. You can go now."

"Yes, sir." said the unicorn. The words "Sir" and "Mister" hammered into his head will sound like that to the commanders of the Red Army no matter how much you try to retrain them.

The pony raised a hoof and turned around. He marched out of the office, closing the door behind him.

Chuikov exhaled and looked at his wristwatch.

"Twenty minutes to seven." he spoke in a low voice, sighing heavily. "Not a moment of peace."

Having folded the documents into two piles, Chuikov put them in a drawer. He locked it with a small key and put it in his breast pocket. After quickly inspecting the office for the presence of something undesirable for prying eyes, he left the office and headed to the right wing of the castle, where Princess Luna lived.

A few minutes later Chuikov found himself in front of a door with a symbol of the month on a dark cloth, strewn with stars of the sky. It was guarded by elite guards — thestrals. Feline pupils and leathery wings became the main external differences between them and Pegasus. According to rumors, they were bred a thousand years ago for one purpose only — to kill. Sadism and bloodlust are no strangers to them. They feel no fear and are ready to die for Princess Luna at any moment. The perfect living weapon. But again, these are just rumors and greatly exaggerated, as Chuikov believed. A Soviet person should not be frightened by another kind of pony, but their appearance and notorious gossip become the only obstacles to friendship outside the service. Maybe someday Chuikov or someone else will change this opinion… In the meantime, an exhausted man was knocking on the door leading to the second Princess' chambers.

The door opened and Chuikov entered a spacious room in dark colors, but upholstered in silver. Match the night ruler. And this ruler is now sitting on a large bed with his muzzle to the guest, tucking his front legs under him.

"Come on in. There's no need to stand in the doorway, I don't bite." Luna playfully told Chuikov

.

When he woke up and stopped looking at the princess's chambers, he lowered his head for a while as a sign of respect for the princess, but not allowing his back to bend. The door closed softly behind him.

"You've probably already heard about me, and I've heard a lot about you, but let's start with dating. My name is Princess Luna-the second diarch of Equestria and the lady of the night." she began and looked expectantly into Chuikov's eyes.

Chuikov did not look away.

"Nice to meet you, Princess Luna. I am Vasily Ivanovich Chuikov, a citizen of the Soviet Union and currently a military attache in Equestria."

"And you are not a blunder, Vasily Ivanovich." the Moon said with a grin.

"In what way exactly?" Chuikov raised an eyebrow, but did not take his eyes off the lunar diarch.

"Your art of hiding true feelings. You don't shake like an aspen leaf in front of me, you don't try to appease me by stuttering along the way."the moon expressed her thoughts.

Chuikov was still standing with an eyebrow raised, but now confusion was added to the misunderstanding.

What? Did she call me to chat about some nonsense? And in what sense do I hide my true feelings? Does she think I'm afraid of her? Chuikov was perplexed, but he did not voice his thoughts, wisely believing that this was unnecessary.

Now it's the turn of the princess to curl her grin from her blue face and be genuinely surprised by Chuikov.

"You're afraid of me too, aren't you?" pony-alicorn asked with some hope.

"No way. You are not a rifle or a bayonet. So why would I be afraid of you?" Chuikov answered her without a drop of lies.

The man's words put her into a short stupor and for a while she remained sitting with her mouth half open, thinking about something intently.

"That's how..." the Moon said softly and for some reason smiled.

But Chuikov heard her and risked violating the princess' personal space. After taking a couple of steps and squatting down in front of the mare, the man asked:

"Has something happened?" there was affection and caution in his tone.

"No..." she began to deny it, but under Chuikov's gaze she gave up. "I... have always been afraid of ponies. From the very first day after my return. The nobles and all the families of the aristocrats began to shake with fear, thinking that anyone objectionable to me would be condemned and go to the mines. And simple ponies… They are still afraid of the return of Nightmoon and eternal night, which I promised to arrange. Even if not as much as in the first months, but behind their strained smiles and shifty eyes, I always see a reflection of my rebellion, blood flooding the streets and the cries of the doomed..."

Then she smiled sadly and fell silent. Chuikov took it as a sign.

"Believe me, everyone makes mistakes and..."

The moon suddenly interrupted Chuikov and again hung the mask of the ruler without feelings.

"I know that you, Vasily Ivanovich, need access to secret archives. I can take you there and under my supervision you can read whatever you want in those walls." Luna switched to another topic and looked at Chuikov waiting for an answer.

A heavy burden fell on the shoulders of a fragile woman, even a pony. If she doesn't want to continue this topic, then I have no right to put pressure on her. Chuikov thought sympathetically and got up from his squats.

"There is one more request. My comrade Divisional Commissar Sokolov is now in the archives. He understands documents better than I do and he needs to know all the details of your secret documents with griffins." explained Chuikov.

Luna thought for a while and nodded approvingly.

"In thirty minutes we will meet at the doors of the secret archives. Please don't be late."

"Thank you, Princess Luna." Chuikov thanked her and straightened up and stood at attention. "Permission to go?"

"Of course. Go ahead." the Moon answered in the same tone.

Chuikov turned around a hundred and eighty degrees and walked towards the door. There were conflicting feelings about the Princess of the night in his head right now, but he was diligently suppressing them. Now it is important for him to work and perform his official duties, and only after that a personal attitude.

The door closed behind him and the Moon lowered her head, ceasing to portray. She opened up to a stranger and he treated her past and present with understanding. Luna was sure it would stay between them. Why? Everything was written on his face and read in his gray serious eyes. During her life, she had learned well to recognize ponies like him through all their everyday masks.

***

"... And after returning home, Comrade Stalin personally met us, presenting each of us with a Hero of the Soviet Union medal. That's it." finished Chkalov and pointed his finger at the medal with a gold star on his chest. His throat was dry and he immediately took to drinking the already cooled chamomile-flavored tea.

"It's a great story." Twilight smiled. "If the writer Irling took this adventure and wrote a book about you and your team, she would make a splash among the ponies." and as a sign of her words, she banged her hooves against each other, fantasizing how it would happen.

"And what can you tell us about yourself?" Grishin asked. "I am sure that your stories are no less interesting for us. After all, you have magic and miracles happen every day."

"Yes. We have saved Equestria so often that it is impossible to remember all our exploits." Rainbow Dash rolled out her chest with a wheel and proudly threw her head up.

"Ahem... Dashi, it's indecent to brag."Rarity condemned her.

"Yes, what is there… Just think of some kind of flight. I fly every day and I don't see anything in it. Now, if they were saving the world or their Soviet Union, they would be able to match us." the blue pegasus brazenly declared.

Twilight blushed with shame for her friend's words, and Applejack got up from her seat and approached the boastful pegasus. Taking a red apple from a fruit bowl, the Earth pony plugged the flyer's mouth with it. Tankers and pilots watched all this silently, but with approval.

"You'll forgive Rainbow Dash. She gets carried away sometimes." squeaked Fluttershy, standing up for her friend.

"It's okay."Orlenko answered for everyone. His kind expression and easy smile returned again.

"Don't worry, Fluttershy, we're not touchy people. Orlenko added and winked at her.

But it had the opposite effect and she hid behind her mane again.

"Then I'll take the floor." Twilight began. "It all started when I received a task from my mentor, Princess Celestia, to monitor the preparations for the summer solstice in Ponyville. That night, Nightmoon returned from her thousand-year imprisonment and Princess Celestia disappeared. I intended to find the Elements of Harmony and defeat her. My path lay in an Ever-wild forest full of dangers. They unexpectedly got involved with me and now I am overly grateful to them for this." Twilight looked at her friends with a touching smile, but then returned to the story again. "Every step we took was full of difficulties and dangers left by Nightmoon. So each of us was able to show our element of friendship. Applejack showed her honesty at a dangerous moment on the cliff and proved that she can always be trusted.

"The power is in the truth." Applejack replied with a smile.

"Fluttershy helped the evil Manticore while we were trying to force our way through it. Her kindness was stronger than all of us."

"We need to be a little kinder and then maybe we will be happier to live." Fluttershy added.

"And when we were scared of the terrible forest, Pinkie showed how laughter can help overcome fear. Before her, I would never have thought of such a method in my life."

"And it's true. Laughter prolongs life. You just have to smile more often and the world will become brighter from smiles. Pinkie Pie said, laughing.

"Rarity cut off and gave her tail to a giant water snake when another in her place could be stingy."

"What appears to me is also yours. Rarity said with a slight smile.

"...And of course Rainbow Dash. You don't think she's bad. Each of us has our own shortcomings and even Princess Celestia is no exception here… That day she went against her wishes, but remained faithful to us."

"Betraying friends sucks." after chewing an apple, Dash added.

"And then I realized that the Elements of Harmony are us. Since that day, a lot of water has flowed away: I became an alicorn, I got this crystal castle ..." Twilight finished on a meaningful note.

"And what are the Elements of Harmony? You often mentioned them and they hardly have the last place in the significance of your story." asked Grishin.

"Well, the Elements of Harmony are artifacts that can destroy any villain." Twilight explained.

"So it's a weapon." Kuznetsov concluded.

"No, no. It's not a weapon. It is not capable of harming simple ponies. Only the bad ones. "Twilight began to deny what was not obvious to herself and obvious to people.

Chkalov began to understand from the first words where everything was going and loudly announced:

"Fellow commanders, how about a smoke?" and then he turned to the mares, "I'm sorry, ladies, we need to leave for a while."

Chkalov stood up and ordered Kuznetsov to get up with a look. Fortunately, he understood everything and immediately left the table. The example of the pilots was followed by tankers. The commanders took their caps and went outside. Already on the stairs Chkalov said in a low voice to his deputy:

"You shouldn't do that, Comrade Kuznetsov. Relations with the locals need to be built, not destroyed."

"So I didn't say anything like that. Only revealed that it was a weapon. Perhaps a secret development for the single destruction of strong opponents of the government." Kuznetsov shrugged his shoulders.

"Yes, but not really." Chkalov began to explain his guesses. "This is the standard practice of starting a dispute. I, too, like you, consider the Elements a powerful weapon, but we are unlikely to be able to convince the princess who firmly believes that her knife in the sheath ceases to be a weapon."

The commanders went outside and again marveled at the technology of automatic door opening without any sophisticated mechanisms. Everyone took out their own cigarettes, except Chkalov. He fumbled in his pockets for a long time and slapped them in search of cherished cigarettes. In the end, he gave up and looked pleadingly at the others.

"Here you go." said Orlenko and handed the pilot a cigarette made of shag.

He grinned, but took a cigarette. Having struck a match, Chkalov inhaled an unusual "soldier's smoke" for himself.

After smoking and relaxing, the commanders returned back to the hall. It was clear from the faces of the mares that they did not waste time in vain during these five minutes of a smoke break. No one else tried to start asserting their point of view for fear of offending the interlocutor. The time for a simple tea party and conversations about life and everyday life flew faster than I wanted. It began to get dark and the pilots and tankers who had stayed too long began to gather back to their units. After saying goodbye to everyone, they went outside.

"Well, it was nice to meet you, fellow Equestria aviators." Grishin said with a smile and put his hand to his cap, standing at attention.

"And we were glad to meet the wonderful tankers of Ponyville." Chkalov answered in the same joking manner.

The commanders shook hands and went in different directions, pleased with the past, by no means diplomatic, conversations in the princess's castle.

***

Chuikov rubbed his eyes wearily with a blurred look. The text began to float before his eyes and the man got up from his seat, littered with stacks of books and individual folders with documents. Sokolov was sitting a couple of meters away from him and non-stop absorbing information about griffins and drawing conclusions about potential tricks of rivals from Gryphonstone.

Princess Luna came up from behind and asked, already knowing the answer to her question:

"Are you tired, Vasily Ivanovich?"

"That's right, Princess Luna. But losing time can cost a lot. Sleep and rest will wait." Chuikov confirmed her thoughts with a yawn.

Sokolov took a quick look at them, but then returned to run his finger along the lines by the light of a magic flashlight.

"And yet you are unlikely to be able to continue working like this. Fatigue will take its toll and you will fall broken. In addition, now many ponies say that recycling greatly affects the quality of the result."the Moon decided to try to take people back to their rooms. "You have time outside of your sleep as well."

"We don't have that time. We are not kings or nobles to sleep half the day and dance the rest at balls." Chuikov waved away Princess's concern wearily.

Luna giggled without a shred of pretense.

"And you are a simple worker here?" Luna asked with a grin.

"But what about: he started as an apprentice in a spur workshop, and after that he was a cabin boy in a detachment of miners in Kronstadt itself ..." Chuikov began, but remembering that Alicorn did not know anything about the October Revolution, he fell silent.

Pony cocked her head questioningly to one side, but remained silent and did not ask anything.

"Okay, okay. I understand you, Princess Luna." without knowing why Chuikov surrendered.

Although no, I knew. Her anxious gaze of deep blue eyes directed at Chuikov was something fascinating and captivating. Alicorn smiled contentedly at this statement and, without further ado, lifted all the books into the air with her magic, putting everything on the shelves. Any librarian would envy her skills and professionalism.

In a minute it was all over. The door to the secret archives is closed tightly with a lock and a complex magical seal.

"Good night." the Moon wished two soldiers.

"The same to you," Sokolov and Chuikov replied.

Chuikov felt a certain awkwardness between the alicorn and him, but he couldn't say why now. All thoughts were directed to the future dream. Tomorrow, early in the morning, everything will repeat itself and with the first rays of the Sun Chuikov will begin his monotonous working day, simultaneously preparing for the trip.