Moonshine and I returned to the apartment. She went to do her homework, and I... Well, I think I should try to come up with a theme for the costumes that won't be stupid.

Well... That’ll be rather hard. I don't know much about the films or fiction they have here, so I don't really have any ideas whatsoever. No, not like that. I have some ideas, I just don't think they'll make sense here. So, I'll have to make something from scratch, something that will fit the atmosphere of the celebration.

Hm... I think I should do some research into the celebration. I'm sure it’s connected to Nightmare Moon. Although... maybe not so much since a nightmare is a bad dream, not a night mare. Ugh, these pony names confuse me.

Alright, I suppose I’ll have to take a walk to the library. I wouldn't have to if I could just use the internet but, well... No internet.

***

Oh crap, it's cold outside! I only spent ten minutes in the apartment since I returned, how did it get so cold out here? Damn, this weather is completely unstable!

I really think I need some pants. Even though I have fur, my dick doesn't. I don't wanna freeze it off, that’d be terrible! So, I think I should find a clothing store first.

I’ve got my purse, and... I still have fifteen bits. I don't know if it’ll be enough.

Well, I remember seeing the closest store somewhere nearby. Wait, I actually see it. It's a shop labeled "Outfits for all Purposes". That explains everything. Well, at least they don't have strange or difficult to pronounce labels, that's all I'm thankful for. And I think that a store with such a simple name won't have clothes with high prices just because a certain company produces them. I don't like labels at all. If the outfit fulfills its purpose and is comfortable, it’s worth the money. However, if most of the price is just the company name — I won't buy that.

So, let's see what's inside. I hope prices won't bite me too hard.

Here the shop is. There are many outfits to choose from. They mainly cover the upper half of the body. I mean, not upper, but... first part? Front part? Something like that. Suits, shirts, hoodies, sweaters, even t-shirts... Alright, do they even have pants here?

...

Here they are! Wait... what's my size? Uh, I better ask an assistant for help. They're easily distinguished from all the other ponies in the store by a dark-green shirt with OfaP written on them.

"How can I help you?" the assistant asked once she saw me approaching.

"Uh, I need to buy some pants, and I don't know the size I need." I told her. I’ve never had any problems asking assistants about anything. They're here to help, and I need help. Simple.

"I can measure you." she smiled at me, then pulled out a ruler from the pocket on her shirt. "Stand still." she said, holding the ruler in her mouth.

She moved closer to me, fixed one end of the ruler on my back by holding it down with her hoof, and then went around my... waist. Well, it's waist, right? Ugh, I don't know pony anatomy much yet.

Alright, she measured me. Then, she used the ruler to measure the length from my backside to the beginning of my hoof. She did some calculations in her head, judging by her expression.

"You’ll need a C-1-7 size." she told me. "It's a rather uncommon size, but I think I'll be able to find something that fits."

"Some simple pants would do. Black, if possible." I asked kindly. The assistant smiled at me, and then began to search for my request.

After a few minutes of searching, she handed me a pair of simple black pants made of... actually, I don't know. It's like jeans but softer in texture. Whatever, I'm not making outfits anyway, I don't really need to know anything about the materials.

"Here they are, as requested." the assistant told me. "Glad to be of help!"

"Thank you." I made a small smile.

Well, time to find out how well they fit me.

***

Ponies have booths for changing clothes. I don't know why though, they're nude all the time. Perhaps just for privacy, I suppose.

Alright. The pants fit pretty well, even without a belt. The material is comfortable, I can stretch my hind legs rather well, and the pockets are nice and large, which is a good thing, too. They only cost nine bits, which I can certainly afford.

After buying the pants and putting them on, I headed to the library.

Now I feel really comfortable having something covering my backside. It's warm.

So, I need to find a few books in the library. I really need to elaborate on the history of the Dark Age and religion. Those really got me interested. Even as an atheist, I enjoy reading about how religion came to be and how it changed throughout the ages. Even if I despise it for the many bad things that happened to humanity and for overall unreasonableness, it is really interesting to study religion. Besides, I might even find a theme for the costumes Blueblood, Moonshine and I will wear. Religious people do have some interesting and unusual clothes that look rather cool, I’ll give them credits for that.

Enough about that. There’s still one thing bugging... What Moonshine did. I still don't know how to react to that. If she’s attracted to me, everything will quickly become complicated. And I don't want to make her sad by saying "let's just be friends". If it’s her first love, that would hurt her a lot. I experienced the same thing, and I wish it on no-one. Yeah, it's the first love and all, but it doesn't make it any less painful.

I certainly don't have any attraction to her. Sure, she's rather cute and all, but she's not an adult, and I am. If I had any attraction towards her I would be questioning my mental state.

I should get advice from someone. Maybe Luna. She's a lot older than me, she knows many things. Yeah, I'm definitely going to ask her how to deal with my problem.

Maybe I'm exaggerating the problem here, and her kiss might meant just gratitude for helping her, but I better be prepared, just in case. You never know women, be they young or old.

Well, here's the library. Time to find the books I need.

Some time later.

I was walking back to the apartment. I got a few books I think will help me: "History of Dark Ages", "Religion", "History of Music". I took the last one because I want to find out why they don't have anything related to rock music here. Besides, there may be something interesting about music in the book.

...

Wait... I see something on the roadside. Something that wasn't there when I was walking to the library. I walked to it and looked closely.

It was a white with a little round black spot on top of it's head. The cat was shaking from the cold, and looked like it hadn’t eaten anything for a few days.

I can't believe it. The cat looks exactly like the one I had. The size, that little spot... No, it can't be!

"Molniya?" I called quietly. The cat's ears perked up, it looked at me and meowed.

Wow... I... I have no words. I would recognize that anywhere even with my eyes closed! That’s definitely her, my cat Molniya that I used to have before I appeared in Equestria.

I... I'm surprised and happy at the same time. She's here!

"Meow!" she exclaimed happily, jumping in place and hurrying to rub herself against my leg, looking at me with happiness in her eyes.

This is... Oh my, it’s so good to know she's alive! I think I... I'm going to cry now!

"Hey," I said awkwardly and carefully petted her with my hoof. "Haven't seen you in a long time."

I don't know how she got here but I am very happy to see her again! I... I didn't think much about her, I just hoped she was alright. And now, she's here!

"I'm not going to lose you again." I assured her and myself, picking her up and setting her on my back. She curled up and began to pur, relaxing.

Damn those books, I should get a vet to look at her. What if she has medical problems? I don't want to lose her... forever, this time.

I think I saw a vet clinic somewhere nearby some time ago, now I need to find it.

So, Molniya... She's a cat I had for at least three years. She can easily be scared by strangers but she's very kind to those she knows. She got her name for being as fast as lightning. The Russian word for lightning is ‘molniya’. The name is pleasing to the ear, there's just... something poetic about it.

I got her when I stayed at my grandma's in Russia during the summer holidays three years ago. Molniya was just a small kitten back then, she could fit in my hand. Now, she's grown up, and she became a good-looking cat. She's not so special, just like a regular cat you can see anywhere. But looks isn't what I love her for. She's been my companion for a very long time, always there to comfort me when I was feeling down. I feel calm when she's around.

Well... That’s why I am so happy to see her again. And I'm never going to lose her ever again.

Author's Notes:

This chapter was kinda inspired, if I can call it that way, by what I saw today on my usual walk to the training. Sadly, it wasn't so pleasant... I saw a dead cat, lying on the ground, buried in yellow leaves. It looked like the one I described in this chapter. Seeing that cat, seeing how it looked like it tried to save some warmth to survive... It had a deep emotional impact on me. I don't know why, but every time I think about it I cry. Yes, I honestly say that I cried because of something I couldn't change. But maybe if I didn't drive home from the training yesterday, if I took that walk I, I maybe would've found that cat and helped it... But I didn't know.

But I did something that I could do — I immortalized the cat in this story, so it will live here forever.