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/ Equestria/-/

"No I don't have special someon...err..somepony. Why do you ask anyway? Are you in love?"

She wrapped her fore hooves around my neck.

"Yes, I am in love." Short pause..., "with you."

Fuck, that was unexpected.

"Wow, well..." That was all I could say, before my ability to speak vanished.

"I knew it, you didn't like me that way." She was almost crying, You need to say something Reaper, quick.

"N-no, I didn't mean that way Chrissie, It's just..." I cleared my throat, "Chrissie, you surprised me..."

She slowly nodded: "okay, I am sorry."

I hugged her and said: "Give me some time, I will tell you when I am ready, but for now, Can we please stay friends? I don't want to lose you."

She calmed down, her eyes were sparkling with hope.

"I think I waited long enough, so few more days won't kill me." she replied after while.

"I am glad you understand." We hugged again.

After long cold night we decided to went further beyond Equestrial borders.

Chrissie convinced me to sleep next to her and we ended cuddling with each other. Well, I can't say, I didn't like it.

We reached the forest and my friend refused to continue.

"This is a Everfree forest, there are monsters everywhere. Nopony ever made it through alive."

"But it's our only chance to get into Equestria unnoticed. If we try to past near that cloud metropolis, we risking problems."

I was just reminding her the fact, we were near to Las Pegasus and local wouldn't be happy if monster(Yes, Chrissie told me about their opinion about humans) and changeling queen show up. They will probably banish us to the dungeon and sharp their axe for execution.

"So, you are serious? Forest or dead in desert." she said.

I simply nodded.

She sat down and signed: "Hard choice." After short while, she choose forest, but before we even stepped into, she made me to promise her I will not leave side. After this, she hugged me and we walked into the Everfree forest.

I could understand, why was Chrissie so nervous.

That forest was nothing like anything I ever saw at Earth or other human colonies. Actually, I can say It was better than on Earth.

Forest was deep, with tall trees, green grass and clean air.

There was no giant mushrooms, releasing toxic spores in the air. No flesh trees or even radioactive flowers. This forest was pure as forest should be. Maybe I should start scientific research here.

I noticed movement. Yes, bushes definitely shivered, but what caused it. Maybe was Chrissie right. Maybe even marine like me wasn't safe in this place. IR was reporting contacts everywhere and EMR was blind.

Damn it, We on our own now.

Situation where the technology wasn't usable was quite rare. Our army was based on modern scanners and weapons, so environment where scanners didn't work could be deadly for us.

I switched from IR targeting to DNA scanner and tried to clean signal.

When I was busy and didn't paid attention to anything, Chrissie started to be more nervous.

Fact, we were in forest was really stressful for her.

Adrenalin was flying through my veins. My breath was almost as fast as my heartbeat.

I tried to calm myself and didn't think about danger or other horrible stuff.

It didn't worked.

As I expected, we were watched from while we entered the forest.

Bushes moved again. I raised rifle and fired.

Green flames burst from place I hit and large wooden wolf fell down to the ground.

I was breathing furiously: "What the hell was that?" I shouted.

Chrissie, more calm than I was, walked over me and looked at my catch.

"Nice shot, you've got timber wolf with just one hit. Most ponies or changelings would be scared enough to even get close."

I decided to hid my true fear, better she thinks I am brave, It's good for a her morale.

We left timber wolf behind our backs and proceed deeper into woods.

After twenty minutes, forest become lighter and I hoped, we were near an exit.

Sadly, It was just another opening.

Chrissie was tired and I didn't felt well as well.

We sat down, I set up a fireplace and ignited it.

I couldn't say nothing. I couldn't say, we were weak or lazy.

Everyone would be weak after day of walking through scary forest, full of timber wolfs, hydras and only god knows what more else.

Chrysalis again snoring on my chest and I am stroking her mane, trying to sleep.

My self defence system will tell me if wild animals get too close to our camp.

Life is just perfect.

No, life sucks.

In a midnight, we had company. Dozen of some nature-element spirits tried to smother our fireplace, but they didn't count with mine defences.

Alarm was sharp and made me and Chrissie woke up from our peaceful slumber.

Chrissie was really pissed of that night. First, she bawled out every nature elemental she could catch, than she lighted up fireplace, ate one pack of dried apples and felt asleep almost at sunrise.

We woke up, thanks to a night incident, at 10 AM.

Chrissie was still a little bit angry, but sure less than me.

I was furious at these bastards who have woken up my beautiful girl. They were lucky I didn't used my gun.

After next few hours of walking, we finally arrived at the edge of forest.

Before us were plain with green, tall grass. On the backdrop, you could saw a massive mountains.

"Yes, we made it. We are outta Everfree forest." shouted Chrissie with a joy in her voice. I just smiled at her.

"What's wrong?" she asked me.

I shaked my head and said: "It's just...We are in Equestria and if I can remember, you told me, Equestria is banned for you."

She nodded: "Yes, I said that, but I didn't mention this before, " she cleared her throat, "I have a friend there, his name is Spike, he's a baby dragon. We met long ago, before my exile to the Wastelands. He can help us."

"Where does he live?" I asked.

"That's the main problem, he lives in Ponyville, the most dangerous city for us at all."

"What's that dangerous about this place?"

"I told you already once, It's the place, where the Elements of Harmony are and It's situated relatively near to Canterlot, the capital of Equestria."

I signed: "Things just couldn't be simple, didn't they?"

"No, they couldn't" she replied.

I signed again and checked the battery in rifle, nearly depleted.

"Alright, but if things get too hot, I will shoot, no matter what." I said and replaced energy magazine in my rifle.

"Anyway, how do you want to past through city without being noticed?"

She giggled: "Well, I have my ways." We arrived at hill, where we could see a place we were going: the Ponyville.

Yes, we did it, from borders of Equestria, through Everfree forest to Ponyville in only three days. Sun was near to sunset, time to get some rest.

I sat down under the nearest tree and tried to relax. Chrissie sat down next to me after while and placed her head on my shoulder.

" I hope, we will stay like this, even after I try to clean my name, I just hope Princess will be merciful and don't banish me to the moon." she laughed at her last words, before we fell asleep.

We woke up earlier than yesterday. Meanwhile Chrissie was dragging on herself, I was getting ready for action we were up to.

"Cloaking device...check, weapons...check, ammo...check, Chrissie...Yep, she seems to be ready as well...check."

I wrapped up my imagined list of things I needed to be tip-top and asked my queen: "So, I am ready, now tell me how do you want past those guards."

She tapped on my shoulder and replied: " Simply."

Her horn started to glow and before I decided to do anything she burned down in green flames. Instead of her, there was standing another alicorn.

She was smaller than her, her coat was pink and her feathers on wings were purple on the tips. Her eyes were no longer like two emeralds, now they had almost same color as her coat, but a little bit darker.

She wore a small gold tiara behind her sharp, long horn.

She signed and said: "So, how I am looking?"

"Your disguise is good, but I am wondering who is it. From what I know about Equestrians is that they are ruled by princesses and second, alicorns are rare and you changed yourself into alicorn, Chrysalis." I said slowly.

She changed herself back and mumbled something like: "I knew this will not work, I need to come with something newer."

"Why don't we just use my cloaking device, It can cover both of us."

"No, that's not a possibility." she stopped my thoughts, then added: "I can't count out a option where we'll have to split up. I have enough power to take care of it, but I need better disguise." She was thinking for a while, then hit the ground with her hoof: "Darn it, I don't know."

"Oh come on, you are a queen, you can do that." I said, trying to get some spirit into her.

She was thinking for a another small while before her face light up: "I got it. You will sneak around the guards and meet some suitable material, then you will come back and I will take them from your memory." She seemed to be satisfied with herself after this.

"I have no problem with it, but I want to know how this memory transmittal works." I replied.

"Oh silly, don't worry, I will not open your skull. It will be done in no time."

"OK, if it's that simple, I don't mind." I said, stood up and looked in direction of my next destination: "So, I better be going. Farewell Chrissie and please, stay out of trouble."

She just nodded and took over my sitting place under tree.