//------------------------------//
// 20. Exporing Fillydelphia 
// Story: Exploring Equestria 
// by A_guy_from_Earth 
//------------------------------//


“Bluve, Oma, you should not be allowed to shop,” Max panted, carrying about two dozens of bags on his back.
“I have to agree,” Zet’rar, equally loaded, wheezed.
“Why?” girls surprised.
“Because it feels like I’m carrying both Edez and Kor right now on my back!”
“Yeah! Even Rarity doesn’t go so far!”
“And what else I could do if pantries were almost empty?” Bluve shrugged.
“Indeed,” Oma supported her friend. “So, please, be patient, boys. We’ll come back to the Castle soon.”
“We have been patient for three hour already,” boys responded.
“Then be patient a little longer!”

Girls vigorously trotted forward, guys trailed behind them, quietly muttering curses.

They walked down two more streets and, finally, got to the place. The last effort – and they were in the main Castle hall. Max and Zet’rar fell down and sprawled under the weight of the bags.

“You couldn’t bring them to our rooms?” Oma and Bluve asked discontentedly.

Some more quiet curses came from under the bag piles, then Zet’rar said:

“Oma… This evening you shall learn how relentless I can be.”

Oma gulped. If unfalizan said something like this, then he’ll do it. And considering that he is her lover… Senior sociologist put her tail between her legs.

“Bluve…” Max spelled. “Your game console will be mine for next dekad.”

Bluve was so terrified like she was losing her precious One Ring forever.

Meanwhile bag piles moved and slowly rose from the floor.

“Okay, we’ll take these bags of yours to the room,” guys said. “And our work will be over. Sorting them out will be your job.”

Girls gave a quick nod, and they went to their chambers. Researchers were approaching the common room, when they heard strange sounds. A mix of sobbing, groaning, hissing and some more undefined weird noises. They came from their locker room. Max and Zet’rar quickly dropped the bags in the common room and together with girls rushed to the source of sounds. When they opened the locker room door, they saw Affi and Edez. Curators sat with their backs to the door, their heads were lowered, they trembled.

“Masters!” Oma and Bluve worried.
“What happened?” Zet’rara and Max exclaimed.

They ran to them and got surprised. Edez and Affi sad like this not because they weren’t mourning someone, it was because they tried not to laugh. Those strange noises were just a consequence.

“Eh?!” senior physiologist and technician were stunned.
“M-masters?” Oma quietly spelled. “Wh-what’s wrong?”
“This,” Edez gently pushed the tablet which lied between him and Affi.

Researchers took it with claws.

“What is it?” Zet’rar and Bluve asked when they looked at the screen.
“General report for the last five dekads,” Affi spelled, barely managing not to laugh.
“See the incidents chapter,” added Edez.

Oma, Zet’rar, Bluve and Max found the necessary chapter, looked through it and…

Their “WHAT???” could be heard even from Sweet Apple Acres.

“And this is just the beginning,” said Edez. “Reading it, it’s impossible to believe that we are representatives of nine million years old civilization…”
“Yeah…” Affi nodded. “You think that there are no idiots like this in nature, but they do exist.”
“Max, Zet, that plasma bomb explosion you made in Appleloosa is not as mad as most of the cases described here.”
“Just look at this!” Affi turned to her colleagues, took the tablet and scrolled forward a bit. “Girls from Team Eleven invited their local friends, but didn’t tell the guys about it. Team Eleven men learned about it only when guests literally were on the doorsteps. Guys were at a loss, and girls, paying no attention to their state, tell them to bring food. So guys brought all what they got. Including fresh, full of blood, meat. Yeah, to llamas and alpacas… Or this: Team Thirteen geophysicist, Ta’Uim, went to look at the most famous anomalous zones of Land of Southern Dragons. When he got to “The traveler’s plate” and listened to what the guide told, he decided to “enlighten” the incognizant locals and told them about Gyimenaa-Khownn theory of spontaneous large-scale teleportation… Or this: Team Five biologist, Hadri, managed to save female lamia, harpy and centaur from some bad guys, and just a day later – save female slime, arachne and mermaid from a landslide. He became a hero for those girls, so they fell head over heels in love with him, and now Hadri doesn’t know what to do – girls just don’t let him go. Or this: knowing that locals have “seven-league boots”, Team Fourteen technician, Kui, decided to make own ones. He made them, and obviously, there was a need to test them. But he chose own backyard as the test area. He didn’t want to risk own health, so he decided to ask one of the colleagues. He went to the house and soon met – as he thought – their geologist, Gudra. He told him what to do, put the boots on him and said to jump. He jumped. And landed in a micrograd away. Kui’s settings were incorrect, and, moreover, Gudra wasn’t the one who jumped – it was their neighbor. Yeah, they are veeeeery similar: one is yellow, other is brown… Or this: during shopping at a market, one local annoyed Team Three officer Maderz. His patience ran out and, eventually, he punched the kibitzer in face. And sent him in flight above all the market to the neighboring district. Now they call him “One Punch Stallion”.”
“You shouldn’t tell Kor about it,” noticed Max.
“Too late,” Edez sighed. “Kor found us reading the report right at the moment when we read about Maderz’s case. He read it too and… Well, we had to send Karin and Sheim to calm him down. It was about a supramoment ago.”
“Oh…”
“Well,” Affi finally managed to suppress laughter, “We have had enough of this madness today,” Edez nodded. “We have to get back to work. Enjoy,” she gave the tablet to Oma, Bluve, Zet’rar and Max.

Regular researchers remained in the room to read the report and get gobsmacked, curators went to the main hall. There they saw that Sheim and Karin came back already. They were talking with Fluttershy.

“Good day, Fluttershy!” curators greeted the bearer of the Element of kindness.
“Hello!” she responded.
“What you are chatting about?” asked Edez.
“Well, I was invited to the nature lovers’ conference that will be held in Fillydelphia tomorrow, and I asked Pippi and Lierre to join me, because… um… I’m a little afraid to go alone,” the last sentence yellow pegasus said in very quiet voice.
“You will not mind if we be out of town for a couple of days?” asked regular researchers.
“Nope,” curators answered.
“You can go even for a week,” Affi added.
“Thank you!” Karin and Sheim smiled. “Fluttershy, we are coming with you!”
“Oh, it’s great!” she smiled.
“By the way, where’s Erő?” asked Edez.
“…let’s say he got better,” answered Karin.
“He lies about under the jasmine bush, chilling,” added Sheim.
“Goodness! Is something bad happened to him?” Fluttershy worried.
“No, no! It’s just the opposite!”
“Oh… Really?”
“He’s just exhausted after good laughter.”
“So, when should we come to the station?” Karin asked.
“At ten or fifteen minutes to three in the afternoon,” Fluttershy answered. “We must have some time to buy the tickets.”
“Got it!”

Fluttershy smiled and after kindly “See you!” left the Castle. Researchers went about their business.

Lunchtime had passed, and time to go had come. Researchers packed their things and went to the Ponyville station.  Near its entrance they met Fluttershy.

“You are here!” yellow pegasus smiled. “Okay, let’s go!”

Sheim and Karin gave a nod, and they went to the ticket window. Luckily, there was no queue, so they quickly bought the tickets and took their places in the train.

A couple more minutes, and conductor shouts “All aboard!”, driver gives the last choo-choo, and train begins to move. Speed gradually increases, and soon Ponyville train satation, then Ponyville itself was left behind. Now there will be only road to the east.

“Hey, Fluttershy,” Sheim asked, “How long it takes to get to Fillydelphia?”
“Um, about five hours.”
“I see.”

Ponyville disappeared behind flat hills covered with fields and orchards, train reached its full speed. This was an express train, so because of rather short time of travel there was no buffet car or any food selling services and there weren’t any entertainments. They have five spare hours, and they have to find an occupation for this time.

There researchers faced with a little problem. Knowing their companion, the best variant will be a simple conversation, but she is very timid pony and, thus, has difficulties with starting. But they are friends, and it isn’t good just to sit in front of each other and play dumb.

Karin and Sheim hesitated for some time, but, finally, decided to make an attempt. It wasn’t good, but it had effect: Fluttershy responded, and they could use it as a start. Phrase after phrase, and they were speaking with each other.

Since they were going to the conference of nature lovers, the topic of conversation was obvious. They were experts in different fields, but, nevertheless, they could find many common things which they could talk about – especially, considering that Fluttershy could tell a lot of funny stories about her fosterlings, and Sheim and Karin could share many occasions from their past.

Train raced forward, and they continued to talk. Fluttershy passed through amazing metamorphosis: though she knew researchers for four months already, she still was shy and discreet talking with them. But now she gradually opened more and more. She became ordinary pony enjoying friendly chat, and when they arrived to Fillydelphia, she was vividly and happily chirping almost like her friend Pinkie Pie. Conversation with a friend on your favorite topic really does wonders.

“Well, where should we go?” asked Sheim when they were walking down the stairs of main entrance of Central Station.
“To “Yggdrasil” hotel, it’s in the center of the city, near Star Square,” Fluttershy responded. “As conferees, we have a room reserved for us there. However, we don’t need to hurry – check in will continue until 11 p.m.”
“If so…” Karin smiled. “Then let’s go and enjoy the beauty of evening city!”
“Agree!” Sheim supported her.
“Wait!” Fluttershy exclaimed. “It’s dangerous to walk around big cities at night!”
“Don’t worry, Fluttershy, we can fight back,” Sheim reassured her.

And then, as if it was planned by higher powers, two hefty stallions decided to attack them. Those hoodlums thought that it would be easy to rob two weak and short mares and one stallion-wimp, but no. Researchers allowed the criminals to come closer, and then stroke. Taking advantage of her short stature and concentrating telekinetic energy on her hoof, Karin punched one of the hoodlums in stomach. Sheim hit other in neck at lightning speed. Criminals wheezed and dropped like cut down tree.

“Told you! We can fight back!” researchers turned to Fluttershy.

This, though strongly impressed and shocked her at first, was clear demonstration. She got reassured and gave a nod. The proposal was supported, and they went to see the city.

Fillydelphia was the third largest city in Equestria by territory, so walk around whole city was impossible even in two days, not to speak of hours. But such spatial expansion was due to the development features of the city. Fillydelphia was like old bird’s nest: long time ago first couple made it, and then during the subsequent years next generations built the nest up. As a result, it turned into monstrous conglomeration of branches, leaves, feathers and garbage which could be as heavy as average pony’s shed. So was the city: downtown and historic center, rather small primordial nest, and the vast belt of suburbs, all the increments which were made. Thus, since suburbs hadn’t anything notable, for an ordinary tourist it was possible to see the main sights in a couple of hours.

Impression from this city was ambiguous. On the one hand, Fillydelphia was large industrial megalopolis populated with the appropriate contingent. When they were approaching the city, they saw a lot of factories. Large floors built of metal and red bricks with rattling machines inside, high chimney-stalks, injecting smoke into the sky… “Everything that is done, is done in Fillydelphia” equestrian ponies said. It had some truth: local factories made everything – from bricks and pots to locomotives and mine equipment. Many citizens of Fillydelphia worked at these factories, and not the easiest work day after day had its effect: fillydelphians were known as the grumpiest ponies in whole Equestria. On the other hand, Fillydelphia was great ancient city. Before Manehattan rose, it was the most influential city in the country. When rulers of Equestria decided to concentrate all the government offices in one city, Fillydelphia was the likeliest candidate. Some offices had been already built before the decision was made. But the Senate and kings decided to move closer to the center of the country, in small town of Greenmount, summer residence of the monarchs, so Government house was given to the city council, and Court House – to the city court.

Generally, Fillydelphia has the largest amount of old and historical buildings in Equestria – speaking about it, even great Manehattan and magnificent Canterlot are not match for the capital of equestrian workers. However, many of these buildings are simple apartment houses and shops, but it doesn’t change the general atmosphere: all old buildings have some decorations, and good gentle backlighting turns them into pieces of art. Walking along the streets delighting all this is real pleasure. Fillydelphia had no grandeur of Canterlot, greatness of Manehattan and brilliancy of Las Pegasus and Applewood, but citizens of the city could turn it really pleasant place.

Evening Fillydelphia, as every large city, was replete with variety of colors and lights. Neon signboards and billboards, backlights, street lights… But all this wasn’t so eye-hurting like in Las Pegasus or Manehattan, it was gentle like in Canterlot. It made simple-looking Fillydelphia true gemstone which one could admire forever.

But not only this made Fillydelphia so interesting. Although it was city of factories, there were lot of parks and gardens. Residential quarters in suburbs were buried in verdure, almost all streets in downtown had green spaces. To meet a squirrel or a jay in the center of the city was not surprising. That’s why nature lover’s conferences were often held there. And, of course, famous Dragon Town. Its architecture made it look absolutely alien. To visit it was like visit another planet.

Fluttershy, Karin and Sheim slowly walked down the main streets of historic center and downtown and, finally, after two hours stopped near “Yggdrasil”. The hotel was old, but surprisingly airy tower, richly decorated with molding: stone vines twined the building from base to roof. It was situated right opposite to massive domed structure – Fillydelphia conference center, the very place where the event will be held. Ponies looked around for the last time and entered the hotel. Conference begins at ten o’clock, so they must have enough sleep to look good at it.

They registered as the conferees, got the keys and went to the room. Soon they were having sweet dreams.

Tomorrow, right at the appointed time, they were in the conference center. Researchers didn’t do anything special for the event: they just freshen themselves up and put the badges on. But Fluttershy… She came to the conference dressed like a ranger of national parks of Land of Marsupials. Sheim and Karin, when they saw her, could just ask “Why so?” Yellow pegasus answered that “it better fits the local atmosphere”. Researchers just shrugged, and they began the visit.

The nature lover’s conference was neither like a scientific conference with its presentations and poster sessions, nor like a convention with its numerous specialized corners and mass entertainment event. This conference was the place where ponies could gather and talk on their favorite topic. Nature explorers prepared some short lectures for this conference, but any conferee could get up on the stage and speak. Also, there were ponies which came there not only to talk with like-minded persons, but to acquaint others with their pets.

“It looks more like a rally,” said Karin, looking around.
“Well, it is so,” Fluttershy agreed. “Honestly, the event was called “conference” only because some scientists come here to give public lections.”
“I see.”

They reached the end of the first passageway and when they only began to make a turn, they ran into another pony. It was a green mare with red dreadlocks, who wore a bandana.

“Treehugger!” Fluttershy exclaimed happily.
“Fluttershy, hello!” green mare smiled. Her actions looked unnaturally slow.
“Lierre, Pippi,” yellow pegasus turned to researchers. “This is my friend Treehugger. She is the president of White Pine nature lovers’ club. We met at one of the previous conferences.”
“Hi, dudes!” Treehugger spelled. “You have fancy names, I must say.”
“Oh, we are Europonians,” responded Sheim.
“Europonians? Cool! You come here to tell some amazing stuff about nature of your homeland?”
“Actually, we are here just to support Fluttershy,” said Karin.
“You are good friends,” said Treehugger and, suddenly, intently looked at Sheim. “Hmmm…”
“Ehmm… Miss Treehugger?” worried researcher asked.
“Lierre, my friend, I don’t know why, but… something makes me want to hug you.”

Sheim and Fluttershy surprised. Karin suppressed a snicker.

“Um, Treehugger, Lierre is just green,” Fluttershy said.
“I dunno, Fluttershy,” Treehugger responded. “But something tells me that it’s more than just this… Lieree, my friend, let me hug you!”
“Uh… Okay!”

And green mare hugged green stallion.

“Wow!” Treehugger smiled. “Such amazing sensation! Like, out of this world!”

After these words both researchers tensed up.

“…Maybe it’s because you are from Europonia,” continued Treehugger. She let Sheim go.
“Yeah, right!” Sheim and Karin intensively nodded.
“Oh!” Fluttershy smiled. “Since we met, let’s spend the rest of the day together!”
“Well, we agree,” researchers said.
“Righteous!” Treehugger smiled. “Oh, Fluttershy?”
“Yes?”
“I just remember… I heard that they are planning to ask almost each president of local nature lover’s clubs to give a speech.”

Fluttershy, the president of Ponyville nature lovers’ club, silently gulped.

It took some time to help yellow pegasus to find courage and to assure her. Eventually, Fluttershy agreed to give a short speech – she said it with all the confidence what she could find.

The speech session of presidents of local nature lover’s clubs was scheduled for 3 p.m., so now they had some free time. Together they slowly walked along the passageways, meeting with other ponies – and griffins and dragons – and sharing impressions. Fluttershy and Treehugger spoke with other conferees about different nature lovers’ club businesses, Sheim and Karin, as it was during the trip to this city, told adapted stories from the times when they were students and freshmen workers. It was quite popular.

In short, it was ordinary pleasant friendly meeting. However, wherever researchers were, knowing their luck, thing just couldn’t go as they should.

One of the conferees brought his faithful friend, giant Southern Badlands’ coyote. These representatives of Canidae family were smart and patient creatures – some desert citizens kept them instead of ordinary dogs because of this – but there were some trifles that could easily drive them mad. This coyote quietly sat near his owner, but then one inconsiderate conferee occasionally stepped on canid’s tail. And obedient and good-natured big guy turned into mad beast. He growled, got off the leash and ran away.

Visitors panicked. Angry beast because of ponies running around didn’t know where to go.

This could end up very bad if Karin hadn’t intervened. She stood right on the coyote’s path, put forth her hoof and loudly said in steel voice:

“Stop!”

And the coyote stopped. Not because he was impressed and shocked by small mare’s actions, but because something seemed to attach his paws to the floor. Ferocious canid immediately turned into startled canid.

“Sit!” Karin commanded.

Coyote sat down.

“Good boy!” researcher smiled.

Coyote gave a weak nod.

Meanwhile canid’s owner ran. Together with Karin, Fluttershy and some other conferees, they calmed the coyote down. Soon, after some treatments, he was just like before the accident: a good big guy.

“That was something,” Karin said when everything remained behind.
“What made him so angry?” Fluttershy wondered.
“I dunno,” spelled Treehugger. “But, I guess, likely, somepony stepped on his tail.”

The incident was over, but it was only the beginning of adventures.

Wandering around the conference hall, friends met old stallion, famous in Fillydelphia for his compassions to squirrels. Here he was together with half-dozen of his grateful wards. Fluttershy and Treehugger started to speak to him, and meanwhile they noticed that squirrels tried to reach Sheim.

“Hey, dude, they want to climb you!” Treehugger spelled.
“They really think that you are a tree!” Fluttershy smiled.

Sheim sighed and looked at Karin, like asking “What should I do?” Sociologist just shrugged, trying not to snicker again, saying with it “I have nothing to do with this”. Planetologists sighed again and said: 

“Fine.”

And old stallion let his squirrels to get on Sheim. Little critters got delighted, jumped on researcher and started climb him up and down. Researcher stood still and courageously endured the tickling. Fluttershy and Treehugger looked at him and said how adorable he looks, regularly mentioning that it looks just like in nature, when squirrels climbed small trees. They had no idea how close to the truth they were.

Squirrels explored Sheim for some time, and then one critter sniffed something familiar. The source of the smell was on the researcher’s head. Critter climbed it, found the exact source, Sheim’s mohawk, and… began to gnaw it. Understandable reaction followed then: when filled with quasinerves tissues got damaged, Sheim fell down paralyzed.

“Lierre!” girls exclaimed and rushed to help him.
“Ow…” he spelled.
“What happened to you?” asked Fluttershy.
“It’s just… a spasm. Don’t worry, I’ll be fine in a couple of hours.”

Soon the medical team arrived, and Sheim was taken to the first aid post.

“Don’t worry,” Karin said Fluttershy and Treehugger. “He’ll be fine, really. This has already happened with him.”
“I hope you are right,” yellow pegasus responded.
“Hey, it’s already a quarter to three,” said Treehhugger after a look at the nearest wall clock.
“WHAT? Nonononononononono!” Fluttershy panicked.
“Calm down!” Karin stopped her. “We agreed that you’ll give that speech!”
“Yeah, there’s nothing terrible with it!” Treehugger added.
“Uh, okay.”

They came to the stage allotted to the speeches for presidents of local nature lovers’ clubs, and soon the head of Equestrian association of nature lovers announced the order of speeches. Treehugger turned out to be the fourteenth, Fluttershy – the nineteenth.

After this the speech session itself began. Ponies, griffins and dragons started to get up on the stage and tell about how the things stand in their clubs. The speakers were absolutely different ponies: vets, rangers, scientists, artists, clerks… It was the evidence that everyone can be a nature lover, it doesn’t depend on your job or status. And as different the speakers were, so different were their speeches. Some of them were brief: speakers only told about the general state and mention the main achievements. Other presented detailed analyses, during which visitors sometimes fell asleep.

One and a half hours had passed, and Treehugger’s turn came. She slowly got up on the stage, came to the microphone and began her speech.

Well, it wasn’t a speech, technically: first half of it she greeted other conferees and said how awesome they are, then she told that White Pine club doesn’t live high, but has no needs, they develop, have new members, and in general everything is all right. Listeners applauded, and Treehugger with her usual expression, like she was seeing something far beyond everyone and was glad with it, bowed and left the stage.

Forty more minutes, and the hour H came. Fluttershy’s turn. Yellow pegasus gulped, but her friends encouraged her. She came to the stage, climbed it and stood in front of the visitors. 

“Um… H-hello! I-I’m Flutterhy, president of Ponyville club…” she said and lost the courage. Trying not to show her anxiety, she looked around.

Luckily, there were two prompters in the first row. Karin with gestures tried to say Fluttershy that she must be brave and go ahead. Treehugger with her gestures said “Be calm and everything will be righteous!”

Fluttershy gulped again and ventured to continue. Her friends lay themselves out for her!

“Our c-club is small, comparing with clubs of other towns and cities, but we have some things to be proud of. This year we got seven new members, organized three charity events and organized additional classes in town’s elementary school…” she looked at her friends again. Teehugger continued the remote reassurance, Karin started to gesticulate more intensively. “W-we continue to help and save animals from surrounding areas, including Everfree Forest… Y-yes, Everfree Forest is infamous, but animal that live there are just like in other places of Equestria. They just… more adapted… We learned this from our observations…” Fluttershy paused as she realized that she blurted out too much. She looked again on the prompters, calmed herself and continued. “I mean, besides nature protection activities we do some research, mostly observations of Everfree Forest nature. We keep a journal of those observations. We receive some help from princess Twilight Sparkle to continue this… Also thanks to her we now have no financial difficulties…” she gulped. Karin, trying to show Fluttershy what she must do barely managed not to show her claws. “Well, um, in general the state of our club is good. We will be happy to see everypony in Ponyville in our small amicable club! Thank you!”

She quickly bowed and left the stage. Listeners applauded. Exhausted Karin with wide smile of satisfaction fell down.

“You did well, Fluttershy!” Treehugger said when her friend came to her.
“Thank you! That was hard!” she responded.
“Yeah, but I saw ponies who took it even harder.”

After her words yellow pegasus looked at Karin. Researcher still was lying on the floor and only began to make weak first attempts to stand up. Eventually, she got up and joined Treehugger and fluttershy. Together they listened to the rest of presidents of local clubs. Before the last president finished her speech, Sheim returned. As he said, he was fine. Fluttershy and Treehugger sighed with a relief.

Speech session took almost three hours. That meant there was only an hour before the end on the conference. Practically no time to do anything significant. Some conferees already started to leave. So Sheim, Karin, Fluttershy and Treehugger decided to leave too. They said goodbye to their old and new friends and went away. Soon they were around evening lights of Fillydelphia, just like yesterday.

“Well, what now?” asked Sheim.
“I have one idea,” Karin said. “There is a café right behind this corner,” she pointed to the nearest turn. “Let’s go there and dine together!”
“Wonderful idea!” Fluttershy smiled.
“They say that it’s a good one…” Treehugger spelled. “I agree!”

Soon they were having their meals in small old, but comfortable eatery. The conference was already over, but they continued their little gathering of nature lovers. Four almost completely different ponies, united by common topic. Quite a motley company, but that’s was the very thing that made the meeting interesting. When each one is polite, but has own point of view and temper, it is possible to talk forever. And presidents of nature lovers’ clubs and researchers would talk forever, but café didn’t work all day and night.

They said goodbye to each other only in the hotel, when they went up on the elevator – it was already 11 p.m., and they just had to have some sleep before their trains leave. They waved goodbye, and then elevator doors separated them. Treehugger went to her room, Fluttershy and researchers – to their.

Rough industrial city turned out to be really nice place. It will be sad to leave this city. But they will remember forever its simple beauty and hospitality.





Quasi plodded along semi-abandoned trail near the edge of the Everfree Forest. Black shadow with lowered head, hidden under a cape. He left Dodge City three days ago, and still there were one hundred and fifty milligrads to Canterlot. But this didn’t bother the lifeless. There was no need to hurry: those ones from the Union don’t even know where they should look, locals also know nothing and frightened. Everything goes just according to plan… And, by the way, the walk itself now was quite enjoyable: late evening when stars only began strew the sky, warm air and moderate wind that flutters the cape and makes leaves rustle, comfortable darkness…

Suddenly several voices came from behind the nearest bushes. Quasi stopped. Voices gradually became louder, and soon lifeless saw who it was. Three teenagers, one strong unicorn colt and two fillies, unicorn and pegasus. Some youngsters of Foalshire, the nearest settlements, decided to test their courage or bet with contemporaries. When they saw dark figure in the cape, they got surprised. Quasi also was surprised a little, but quickly got rid of that sensation.

Fillies pressed themselves against their friend. He, as true young gentlecolt, assured them that everything will be fine, he will defend them in case of danger. Quasi heard that and grinned under the hood.

“Hey, kids…” he spelled. “Have you been told that it is dangerous to walk in this forest at night?”
“Oh, it’s old wives’ tales!” pegasus filly said.
“Yeah, there’s nothing scary in this forest!” unicorn filly supported her friend. “It’s just dark and… eerie.”
“Indeed!” colt nodded. “And anyway, who are you, mister?”

Quasi chuckled. Mechanisms and implants in his body reported that there is some place for excess energy.

“I just tried to warn you…” he said. “But, since you don’t want to believe me, it seems that I have to teach you a lesson…”

He raised his head.

His eye full of darkness was the last thing young ponies had seen.





“Hello, Grace!” Hidden Path phoned to his colleague in Dodge City. “I met with Calma and “accidentally interviewed” her during the conversation. Turned out that she knows only about the incident in the Everfree Forest. She says with genuine horror that “she saw it and it terrified her”. It’s hard to believe in, but it seems that she and her friends are clear. Or involved only to that incident. However, we need more proofs. What about you? Got any news?”
“Just a few, sir,” she responded. “We examined photos and X-rays of the victim’s body and found nothing new. Examination of the crime scene also did not give anything new – after the murder local utility services removed garbage from that dump for two times already. We found only barely noticeable traces of victim’s blood. Its examination showed that the murder happened late in the evening, so… We tried, but found no witnesses. Nopony heard anything. That’s all about this case, but…”
“But what?”
“There was another case. As you know, there are several shelters of migratory dragons near Dodge City. They live separately from everypony, so don’t cause any problems. But yesterday… Uhm… One dragon, which lived in the northeast from the city, was found dead in the woods. Someone… ripped his stomach.”
“What? Someone?”
“Yes. Only living being could do such thing. It seems that this… creature jumped and stroke, making one long cut. A cut with perfectly aligned edges. It was… like a sword strike, but it was even more accurate than incision made with a scalpel. And… Razor Edge and Cloudbreaker found some traces of metal in the wound. Cloudbreaker says that… that it is identical to what we found during examination of the first victim.”
“Goodness…”
“We are dealing with a true monster, sir. If it could slay a dragon…”
“It is moving to Canterlot…”
“What?”
“Two hours ago I received a message from Foalshire police department. Three teenagers were murdered there. Something turned their palates and brains into a mash and then dissected bodies from nose to tail. And the incision was perfect.”
“N-no… Can’t be…”
“Yes. Both murders were committed by the same scheme. Both times – perfect incisions. Mutilated palates, just like it did with the first victim… Foalshire is in northeast from Dodge City, between it and Canterlot. This monster is heading to our capital!”
“We have to warn them!”
“I’ll do it. You – go to Canterlot as fast as you can. We’ll reunite there.”
“Got it.”
“May the heavens help us…”