Shiny fishies

Celestia and Luna were exhausted, but very proud of themselves - they've managed to get understanding of Nereek's words and complete the task. However, after doing so, they've asked for another task and Nereek made them to do the same, but on the move. Last mile he has to carry them - even if they were very potent to magic, their little bodies couldn't take such pressure lightly. Result was obvious. Little alicorns slept on his shoulders, drooling a bit. At first he wanted simply move them via levitation or portal, but decided that they've had enough magic for one day. Besides, it felt the same as it was when Rikka was younger and slept tired behind his back while he was carrying her home.

"Aren't they cute?"

Consumed by thoughts and memories, Nereek didn't notice he had arrived.

"Just like you, when you were a bit shorter. I don't think we have to wake them up. I'll bring them to your room, are you ok with it?"

"Yup, go ahead."

*

"Huh, you're pretty late today, Celestia. Is Luna still sleeping?"

"No, she'll be here in a minute."

"Good. You both did great. Much better than I've anticipated. With such success you'll be able to call yourself a magician pretty soon. Oh, Luna, come in. Get a plate and get something to eat."

"Thank you, Nereek, forgive me for being so late."

"It's nothing, you've both been exhausted. I'm even proud you could grasp essentials so easy, considering many people studying magic can't do it through their whole life."

She sat down near her sister and overlook the table with hungry eyes. There weren't much, but enough for two fillies, one girl and one man. She followed Celestia with the same choise. But then pointed at fried fish and asked for one bit of it.

"Well, you can try, but i don't think you will like it."

"Why?"

"It's fish."

"Fish... You mean these shiny little fishies you were keeping inside your bucket?"

Both ponies looked terrified. Curse the gods, Celestia started to sob quietly, Luna was simply stunned by such information. How the hell could he explain them that this is normal. It wasn't even meat. Good thing that wasn't meat.

"H-how can you eat them?"

"Uhm, we are different from you. We need to eat something like this sometimes. It's necessary for us to stay healthy. We are like some kind of predators - we can eat fruits, vegetables and berries, but we have to eat another creatures sometimes."

"It's disgusting."

"It's not like I love killing all these creatures, but i have to do so from time to time. I can't go against my nature."

"Are you going to eat us too?"

Nereek was shocked. How could they ever consider such a thing? He briefly looked at Rikka, her eyes were watering, he didn't know what to say to calm everyone down. He thought about how easy it was before - you want someone to calm down, you cutting out his tongue.

"Why would I do this?"

"How could you ever thought about this, I thought we're friends!"

Rikka screamed these words as she ran away. Curse the gods. And he thought that raising one girl was tough.

"Luna, Celestia, calm down, please, we know perfectly that killing is bad, but if we don't, we'll end up sick and dead. I swear, I'll never try to harm you, actually, I'll stop anyone who will try to harm you, deal?"

They've stopped with their sobbing. Rikka, he has to talk to Rikka. Damn.