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Eclipse (MLP)

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    • The stars and moon shone above as the wind ruffled my mane. The sound of the large slowly turning propellers behind and below was the only sound breaking the sound of the wind.

    I stood alone on the upper deck, looking out over the dark jungle far below, lit only by the stars and moon. I could make out some glow from the cabins around the curve of the balloon, but it hardly mattered.

    A sound behind me, a hoof against the metal mesh and I flicked an ear back before glancing over my shoulder to see Twilight or Midnight approaching from the hatch, wearing a pair of night goggles.

    No, that's Twilight, her mane whipping in the wind was longer, she wore her mane longer than Midnight did.

    I waited for her to get closer, looking back out over the forest gliding past below us again. Tonight. One more day and then we'll be back.

    "Hey," Twilight said as she stopped next to me.

    "Hey," I said and gave her a small smile, "Looking for me?"

    She nodded, "Wonder if you were hungry, we're getting to lunch time."

    "I'll be down in a bit."

    She regarded me behind her goggles for a couple of moments, "Thinking?"

    "It has been known to happen occasionally, Sparks," I said with a small smile, "Rarely, I admit, but it does happen."

    "Thinking about?" she asked, "Nocturnis?"

    I sighed softly, "The ponies there. How to calm things down, I understand the news of my incident made some of them quite a bit upset."

    Twilight looked at me seriously, "Page, if it had been in Nocturnis, when Neighsay was identified he would never have reached the trial. He would have been mobbed by the general population, tied up and tossed outside the shield. Likely with his horn not blocked by a ring, but cut off like in the old days."

    "Oh."

    So quite upset.

    Twilight pressed her side against mine, her feathers feeling hot compared to the wind, "...And I wouldn't have been far behind them," she then admitted, "When I saw him at the trial, I got so angry. I thought I was before, but... seeing him, I... if Midnight had not been right next to me to stop me, I may have done something."

    "Sparks..." I said and slipped my wing across her back, hugging her close, "If it had been you, Sunset, Luna or Celestia, I would not have been able to be as restrained as you. You know where I'm from. My previous people can be... not nice when their loved ones are threatened."

    She looked up at me, "Maybe so. But you are a pony, Page. A good pony."

    "I'm not sure I am," I said quietly, uncertain if she could even hear me over the sound of the wind and propellers.

    Sparks looked at me with worried eyes, "What do you mean?"

    "Consider the things I have done in the past. Threatened to stab Sunset to get her to return to Equestria, exploded Tirek, tortured the Storm King. Manipulated ponies, likely ruined lives to get my way, even if it was because I thought it was for a good cause. I'm not sure any of those are the actions of a good pony."

    Twilight regarded me for a long moment before opening her mouth to speak only to pause and motion me closer. I ducked my head-ow!

    She bit my ear! And not just a nip as Luna does either! That hurt!

    "Ow! You bit me!"

    Twilight glared at me, "Saved Equestria, Saved Equestria, saved the bat ponies, saved the changelings, saved thousands upon thousands of ponies!" she yelled and poked my chest, "Saved my Kitten! I will not have anypony criticizing you about any of those, especially not you!"

    "I think I might be bleeding!" I exclaimed, feeling my ear with a hoof.

    "You're fine!" she snarled and stepped closer, forcing me to step back, "So you stop that right now, and I'm serious. You are a good pony and you are helping a lot of ponies. Everything you have done has been to help ponies! You put every bit you earn into doing it, you do a job you hate because it helps ponies and you are away from ponies you love because it helps ponies!"

    I cringed, taking another step back, but she followed me right along, her nose almost pressing against mine.

    "So you stop that right now! Would I be in love with a bad pony? An evil pony?"

    "I-i… No, but..."

    "Would Luna marry one?"

    "No, I-"

    "Would Celestia? Sunset?" she continued, taking another step forward, "Would the thestrals of Nocturnis follow a bad pony?"

    I hesitated, "I mean, their anc-"

    "Would Fluttershy? Pepper? Flower?" Twilight continued, cutting me off once more to stab my chest with her hoof, "So you be quiet and listen to me!"

    I cringed again and glanced down at my hooves.

    Twilight ducked down and met my eyes, "Are you listening?"

    "...Yes, Sparks."

    "Good," she said and stood up, using a hoof to guide my muzzle up until I looked into her eyes, "You, Page, are a good pony. A good Prince. Some things you have done, you and I both wish didn't have to be done. But they still had to be done. The world is not always a good place filled with nice creatures. And sometimes even good ponies have to do bad things to stop worse things from happening," she said before taking half a step forward and brushing her lips against mine, "And you, my bat, is a good pony."

    I gave her a soft kiss back before I nodded, "Can I speak now?"

    Twilight nodded.

    "I would argue that you are somewhat biased," I told her gently before raising a hoof to forestall another assault, "But I may be beating myself up a bit too much about things. It's just that everypony is looking up to me, especially in Nocturnis. Like... like they think I have all the answers. And I don't and I know I will never measure up to what they think I am."

    Twilight shook her head with a small sigh before rubbing her cheek against mine, "You don't have to. Just be you, it has worked pretty well so far."

    "I guess," I admitted and then shook my head, "I'm just afraid to disappoint them. Disappoint you. Everypony puts so much trust in me and I want to live up to it."

    Twilight smiled softly at me, "Do you know why?"

    I shook my head and she smiled wider, reaching up to touch my cheek with her wing,

    "Because you are a good pony, you stupid bat," she said and shifted around, pressing her side against mine as her wing rested across my back. I was a bit taller still, so she had to stretch a little for it.

    I leaned softly against her side, burying my nose in her warm mane.

    I still wasn't too sure about being a good pony, but maybe I could be a good Prince and... maybe that had to be enough.

    Because thinking about the Neighsay incident and what followed... if things had been different and it had been one of my girls that were attacked... attacking me was one thing. But attacking somepony I loved...

    I knew that if somepony hurt somepony I love, I would do bad things.
     
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    • Well let's see if the Twilights speech sticks or if it bounces. Wee might see in this story but most likely the next one.
     
    Hiver said:
    "So you stop that right now! Would I be in love with a bad pony? An evil pony?"



    "Would Luna marry one?"



    "Would Celestia? Sunset?" she continued, taking another step forward, "Would the thestrals of Nocturnis follow a bad pony?"



    "Would Fluttershy? Pepper? Flower?" Twilight continued, cutting me off once more to stab my chest with her hoof, "So you be quiet and listen to me!"
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    Yes, on all counts. It's not Page's fault ponykind is bad enough at being Competently Evil they lack examples of Page's fears.
     
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    • "I thought you wanted me to study?" I asked, smiling up at Celestia, laying on my back next to her on the soft grass beneath the wide branches of a large and old looking tree, the sun shining through the leaves.

    One of the few breaks from realism I had done is to make it so light wasn't quite such an annoyance for a bat. It was still very bright, but it didn't outright hurt my eyes. Nor make me sleepy.

    Celestias nose touched mine once more as she smiled, "Well… somepony is refusing to create books or even paper, so our options are limited."

    I brushed my hoof along her wing, "Well… I have some ideas. How about… alicorn anatomy?"

    "Mmm," Celestia said with a small smirk, "Still no books… so it would have to be light on theory."

    "Are you suggesting a practical lesson?"

    "Perhaps I am," Celestia murmured, her lips brushing against mine again, "Think you can handle that?"

    I smiled, "Why wouldn't I?"

    "Well, it can be a hard lesson," Celestia teased, looking into my eyes.

    I smirked, "Well, I'm sure you would have it well in hoof with your experience."

    Celestia laughed softly, "Perhaps I should," she said before she pulled back, "But as we are in a forest, perhaps we should do something more productive."

    I let out a sigh and rolled onto my hooves, "You, my sunshine, are teasing me."

    She smirked, "Oh, you have no idea how much yet," she said as she got up, wings stretching high, spread feathers almost shimmering in the sunlight.

    …Oh yeah, I'm dead.

    Before, Celestia had limits on how far she would go with these things. Now, not so much.

    Taking several slow, deep breaths, I then got onto my hooves and looked up at her, "And I was accused of corrupting you."

    Laughing softly, Celestia smiled and brushed her wing across my back, "Not sure what you mean, Prince Page," she teased before she turned and walked off, flicking her tail to have the tip just about brush past my nose.

    Taking a deep breath, I then followed, taking wing for a second to catch up before landing to walk next to her, "So… what did you have in mind for today?"

    "Considering the current events," Celestis said as we walked through the forest, "I thought we should discuss politics and political theory."

    "...Can we do the other thing instead?"

    Celestia eyed me playfully, "Maybe a little… if you are a good colt."

    Yay.

    I grinned as I followed along, "What do you want to discuss?"

    "The balance of power between the common council, the nobility and the royalty," Celestia said and ducked beneath a low branch.

    Suppressing a groan, I followed her easily, the branch passing way above me, "Current or historical?"

    "A bit of both," Celestia said with a smile, "Assuming you can pay attention for that long?"

    I eyed her suspiciously, "Sunshine, did you start like that to get me to sit through this lesson?"

    She looked at me innocently, "Of course not, Page!" she said in surprise, "Like I would do such a thing!"

    I looked at her before I sighed, "...Fine, where do we start?"

    "Tell me what you know already," Celestia said and then shifted course to avoid thicker brush growth.

    Considering it for a moment, I shrugged my wings, easily slipping through between a pair of trees before I answered, "Well, while the royalty of alicorns rule equestria, a lot of the laws come from the council of commons and have to be approved by the nobility before being presented to the royalty for approval. Usually the head of each noble house or a representative, and it has to get a majority vote. The day to day running of equestria is handled in majority by the bureaucracy whose senior members, such as mayors of major cities and judges, are assigned by the royalty but can be voted out by the common council or the nobility. However, that vote can be vetoed by the royalty in an emergency."

    "And the balance of power among royalty?" Celestia asked with a small smile.

    "Come on, you know I hate this stuff," I groaned as we entered a section that held pappels. Peach apples with the best qualities of both.

    Celestia smiled, "I know. But it is important to some people and you need to understand how they think."

    I sighed before I nodded at her, "While we are all alicorns and royalty, until very recently the only two main princesses were you and my wife. Cadence, Twilight, Midnight, Flurry and myself were considered vassal alicorns according to old law. Even before I became a prince and was just a lord, I was still above the rest of the nobility because of it, especially with my old title of herald because I was married to Luna. The combination actually putting me above the rest by borrowing your and Luna's authority."

    She nodded, "And now?"

    I grinned, "By giving that up and becoming a Prince, I actually went down in authority at first."

    "And?"

    "I am now placed above Midnight and Twilight once more," I said and shrugged, "Because I am also assigned what can be considered a duchy even if I am technically not a duke, but a prince. Because all of that is academic anyway. Beneath Twilight and Midnight are Cadance as she is ruling an Equestrian protectorate. Bringing up the tail is little Flurry as the heir of a protectorate."

    Smiling, Celestia gave my ear a small kiss, "Good colt. Now the nobility?"

    I groaned, "I'm not going to recite the noble houses of Equestria," I protested, "Buck that. But in short, the number varies depending on how they are splitting and joining and forming alliances this week. And while the common council represent the common ponies fairly well, the nobility has less use than a sand salespony in the middle of Saddle Arabia."

    "Page, the nobility exist for a reason."

    "Yeah, to make everypony else look good in comparison."

    Celestia looked amused and then ducked beneath another branch, her wings fluffing up in annoyance, "You could not have made these trees a bit taller?"

    "They are plenty tall," I said and trotted along next to her, passing easily beneath it, "You were the one that chose to walk through the forest."

    "Continue, please."

    I sighed before continuing in a monotone like I was reciting from a school book during a reading out loud section, "The equestrian noble houses were formed by the ruling classes of the old allied tribes that formed Equestria under the benevolent rule of the alicorns. The warrior houses of the pegasi, the knights of the earth ponies and the wise unicorns. While the original noble houses still mostly exist, the majority have been formed since then by ponies that were awarded nobility for exceptional service to the crown."

    "And their purpose?"

    "A balancing force against the common council or merchants and commoners short term interests while being more in touch with the world than the immortal alicorns leading Equestria," I said, rolling my eyes, "As well as assisting and guiding the lands they have been given to caretake. Such as collecting taxes and assisting in funding public work and institutions.."

    "All of which, while the powers of the royalty are wide ranging," Celestia said, "If the nobility get too upset in numbers, they can make things very difficult for us."

    "Bunch of bucking parasites that should be taught their place."

    Celestia smiled and slipped her wing across my back, "Their consolidation of power has gone a bit far," she agreed, "And with the downfall of Neighsay, it gave me a wedge to do so. There are a few things in motion that will make it easier in the future. And now is the time to do it as they are currently distracted by upheaval among the factions. The progressives are furious about the attack and the isolationist group were always crown royalists and are falling over each other to show they had nothing to do with it. The rest are scrambling to catch up and try to consolidate their own power structures in turn."

    "Which will let you slip through some reforms," I agreed and leaned against her warm side, "Anything especially in mind?"

    "Perhaps, but I am not certain yet," Celestia said and then shook her head, "Some that will only bear fruit in a few years. But it should also be possible to use it to push through additional anti discrimination laws and increase trade with our neighbors."

    "So… how did I do?"

    Celestia smiled, "You did very well. But we aren't done yet. We still have to go into details on the formation of the nobility and the common council."

    I suppressed a groan, trying to keep possible rewards in mind.

    "And I hope you are paying attention as there will be a test."

    Now I did groan.
     
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    • As there are 4 or 5 parts left, next week we start a brand new story!

    It's a rather simple concept. Dragon in star trek.

    There are some adjustments made to star trek as well, the largest one being the removal of transporters and that's done exclusively because they ruin so many good story lines if you don't tie yourself in knots around them. It's like giving the characters a time machine, you constantly have to come up with reasons of 'why don't they just go back and change things' is a bad idea.

    The title will be 'Always be yourself...' after the saying 'Always be yourself. Unless you can be a dragon, then be a dragon.'
     
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    • It looked like stars had fallen.

    It was the first part I saw of Nocturnis. Lights shimmering in the forest far ahead and below. Luna nosed at my ear softly before going back to look out over the forest outside the forward window.

    "It's beautiful," she said quietly.

    "It is," I agreed, leaning softly against her with a small sigh before I glanced up at her, "How long can you stay?"

    Luna smiled sadly, "A couple of days at most."

    I nodded and shifted a bit closer, resting my head against her shoulder.

    Luna nosed at my ear but we stayed like that for a while, her wing draped around me before she spoke up, "How are things in Canterlot?"

    "...Sunshine says she has things in control," I said and glanced up at her, "Thinks she can use the upsurge of support to get some useful laws through."

    "That's good," Luna said and smiled a bit, "...she always was better at that sort of thing than I was. But I do hope you two talked more than politics in your lessons."

    "Some," I agreed.

    Luna smirked slightly, "Or is it perhaps dates and not lessons?"

    I glowered at her before I grumbled and leaned against her again.

    "What was that, My Page?" Luna teased.

    I sighed, "I said, I don't know. It's a date and a lesson, I think."

    "Well," Luna said with a small smile, "That is the best way to get you to learn things you don't want to learn."

    "Wait, did she get the idea from you!?" I asked, looking up at her in surprise.

    Luna smirked, "It worked when I was teaching you."

    I looked at her suspiciously, "...Did you tell her about that?" I asked, leaning slightly to the side to look up at her.

    "I may have mentioned it," Luna answered with a wider smile, "My sister and I do talk, you know."

    Gulp.

    It made sense, but always made me feel outnumbered. Which, in addition to being outgunned, was not a good tactical position to be in.

    I felt my ears turn a bit warm.

    "...I miss those times," I admitted, changing the subject slightly and smiled a bit sadly up at her, "A lot."

    Luna lowered her head, giving me a small kiss before she smiled back softly, "So do I, My Page. But one of the things that you learn when living for a long time is that times change… in all ways. We may not be living together right now, but that time will return in the future."

    "You think so?"

    "I know so," Luna told me softly but seriously, "Just like we will be living apart at some other time after that. Time is always moving forward, Page. And with it comes changes."

    "Some we like."

    "And some we don't," Luna said with a small smile, "Things come and go. You know this as much as anypony."

    I sighed, looking out over the approaching Nocturnis, "I suppose I do," I admitted and leaned against her again, "I just miss it."

    "So let's pretend for a few nights," Luna said, pressing her nose between my ears, "That I don't have to leave."

    I glanced up at her, "That sounds nice."

    Luna touched her nose to mine, "How is your side?"

    I smiled and took a step back before trotting in a circle, "I feel almost normal," I said and half spread my wings, posing with my left forehoof off the deck, putting full weight on my right one, "I don't even really feel it most of the time for the last couple of nights."

    "Most?"

    I shrugged my wings, "Pulls a bit when I twist wrong," I admitted, "And then it aches slightly," I said before folding my wings and returning to her again, "...I just wear the bandages to keep the missing patch of coat covered."

    "You could just use an illusion," Luna pointed out, "As long as the doctor has cleared it."

    "I'm up for an examination before we land," I said and leaned softly against her, "I'll be wearing one above the bandages anyway. Don't want my ponies to worry as it looks worse than it is."

    Luna frowned slightly at me before she sighed softly and slipped her wing around me again, resting her head against the top of mine.

    Pressing my nose against her neck, I relaxed, half closing my eyes as I was surrounded by a field of stars.

    My ear flicked back at the sound of hoofsteps against the deck. I recognized the gait however and didn't move.

    Luna however turned her head and I heard a smile in her voice, "Twilight."

    "Luna," Twilight said with a smile of her own, "Page," she then added and moved up along my other side, "Steady Beat were looking for you."

    Shifting, I kissed her cheek before I scooted back out from beneath Luna's wing, "And that's my cue to exit stage left, I suppose. Might as well get it done before he tracks me down on his own. All it would do would be to give me an earful."

    Twilight grinned, "He can be a bit like that, yes. So it may be safest."

    I nodded, "Yeah, don't want to be looked at disapprovingly today. Going to be a long night as is," I agreed with a smile and bowed, "My Ladies."

    Luna smiled, "See you by landing, My Page," as Twilight slipped into my previous spot beneath her wing.

    Oh yeah, those two are definitely getting to be a thing.

    Smiling to myself, I headed back inside in search of the doctor. Honestly, getting approval to remove these bandages would be so nice.
     
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    • WCSII said:
    😐 😑😐 *stares in deadpan at Hiver's announcement of yet another story to take up their time.* 😐😑😐 Bruh.
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    Hiver dodges writer's block by always having a (different) story he can jump to. It appears to work wonderfully.

    Also I suspect this story may be reaching the final end this time. The story feels like it could wrap up now and be a satisfying conclusion to Page's story.
     
    Hiver said:
    the largest one being the removal of transporters and that's done exclusively because they ruin so many good story lines if you don't tie yourself in knots around them
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    That not on me to tell you what to do in your stories but you could probably go around the problem they pause by letting them stay but making so they need fixed platform to work and can't simply beam up peoples using their badge or lifesign as beacon, you could keep them to ship to ship travel and ship to ground travel on a planet equiped with one and you would still dodge the whole "oh no, i am stuck on an hostile planet with the native that want me dead, just kidding! Beam me up scotty"
     
    Byzantine said:
    Hiver dodges writer's block by always having a (different) story he can jump to. It appears to work wonderfully.
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    I mean, I get that. I really do. But my largest complaint is that in doing so, with each new story added to the rotation, it takes Hiver longer and longer to get back to a readable story that doesn't rely on contrivance or clichés to progress.
    Byzantine said:
    Also I suspect this story may be reaching the final end this time. The story feels like it could wrap up now and be a satisfying conclusion to Page's story.
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    And that would be a true pity. But I do get it. There's only so much/many stories something can share. But all of Hiver's other current stories are not things I'm either interested in, or could look past blatant breaking of the suspension of disbelief.
     
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    • "Your Majesty! Are you alright?!"

    I smiled, "I am fine, Pepper. It wasn't as bad as it might have sounded."

    Flower Rain looked at me with suspicion.

    I smiled at her as well, "Don't look at me like that. I'm here and I'm clearly all better. How's everypony else doing? I saw a crowd on the square outside when we came in for landing."

    Flower nodded, "Everypony was worried for you, Your Majesty."

    It had been a long night and I much rather just go rest. But I really should address this first.

    "What rumors were there?" I asked her with a small frown, "I know how these things usually go."

    She hesitated so Pepper spoke up, "The usual you are thinking of. Mostly ponies were angry and worried. We... they thought we might have lost you."

    I nodded to them, "I best go address everypony then," I said with a small smile and headed for the balcony, making sure not to show even a hint of being injured. It was easy, because the most I got was a slight ache where I had been hit.

    As I walked out, the ponies beneath grew quiet, looking up towards me.

    I smiled out at them, "Hello, everypony. It's good to be back home again. As you all can see, the reports of my horrible injuries may have been a bit exaggerated."

    Nopony spoke.

    I continued, "No need to look so disappointed!" I said with a grin.

    That did get a reaction of soft laughter.

    "I feel like I should tell you all that happened," I then continued, "As I'm sure news will arrive from Canterlot soon anyway, likely just as accurate as the ones that reported my horrible mangling in a wagon accident."

    More laughter.

    I shifted my wings, "What happened was a pony shot me with a crossbow in the middle of the street in Canterlot while I was on my way to visit a friend."

    Silence again. But not just silence this time.

    This time it was the kind of silence that spread through a crowd just before something got violent.

    So I continued, "My guard drove them to escape and stopped my bleeding, getting me to the hospital with assistance from the Solar guard to get my wound tended to. After an investigation, the pony in question was caught. He was ill, seeing conspiracies and evil everywhere. He was sent to the hospital where he will remain until he stops being a danger to himself and others."

    "So he's just getting away with it?!" a voice somewhere in the crowd yelled.

    I shook my head, "I was the one to suggest it over the regular punishment for such a crime," I said firmly, "This pony is ill and deserves our pity and compassion, not our scorn. Because it was lucky it was me he hit."

    Shocked silence.

    I shook my head, "Because I could take a hit like that. If it had not been me, it could have been a poor griff or 'ling. Or a minotaur. Or if none of those had been available, maybe a pegasus or earth pony."

    "What about next time?!"

    A different voice.

    "There may be a next time," I admitted, "Alicorns live for a long time. But I doubt it will be anytime soon. There is no grand conspiracy, it was a single ill pony who's delusions latched onto me because of what I represented in his mind. If I could do everything again, I would not change anything.. well, almost anything. I would admittedly likely have used a shield."

    That did raise the mood a little I felt.

    "So instead of focusing on the pony that did it," I continued and glanced back over my shoulder, "Let's instead focus on the ponies that drove him away. Shade Leaf and Leaf Shade, come out here."

    Shade and Leaf both looked at me with wide eyes.

    I smiled at them and motioned for them with a wing to join me.

    Visibly swallowing, they shared a look before walking slowly out onto the balcony to join me as the crowd cheered for them.

    I waited until they stood next to me and the crowd quieted down before I smiled, "Some of you know these ponies. Shade Leaf and Leaf Shade. Or rather some of you knew them, now you all know them. But there is something you don't know yet," I continued and looked out over the crowd, "I expect the news to arrive in a couple of days or so. But I wanted you all to know that Shade Leaf and Leaf Shade have both been awarded the Star of Equestria. The first recipients in well over a century."

    The crowd started quiet. Then it grew. Those that knew what that meant filling the ponies around them in on it.

    Soon I had to press my ears against my head from the cheering.

    "So tonight we don't spend it in anger over a pony that needs our compassion!" I yelled, one hoof on the railing, using a spell to make myself heard, "Tonight we celebrate the ponies that deserve it! So break out the barbeques and the drinks! Because tonight we will celebrate the Night of Shadows!"

    As usual when food and drink were mentioned, ponies cheered even louder.

    Shade and Lead looked slightly pale. I smiled and spoke to them beneath my breath, "Just smile and wave, girls. Smile and wave."

    They hesitantly did and the cheering renewed.



    ##############


    The sun was almost at zenith before the celebrations started to calm down.

    Luna and Twilight were being adorable talking quietly on the couch. Sunset was already in the bedroom. Yawning, I slipped off the chair I draped myself across and headed into the bedroom.

    Sunset was stretched out on the bed, reading a book. When I entered, she glanced up before smiling, "Giving up?"

    I nodded and climbed onto the bed, sinking down with a small sigh to lay next to her, "It's getting very late," I admitted and rolled onto my side to look at her.

    "Mmm," Sunset said just as sleepily with a small smile, "Luna and Twi still looking as adorable as when I went to bed?"

    I couldn't help but grin, "Very much so. I know they liked each other for a while, but this is pretty new. Assume it developed while I was having my nap. Do they know?"

    Sunset smiled, "Luna does. Twi, I'm not too sure yet. But it's nice to see."

    They were being very cute. While selfishly I may have preferred more Luna time, I'd more than happily give some of it to Sparks if she kept My Sky looking that cute and happy. After all, admiring her was almost as much fun after all.

    Also, the effect it had on Sparks was just as clear and made me just as happy.

    …And admittedly, it was also a very enjoyable visual. Smiling to myself, I closed my eyes and started to slowly drift off to sleep.

    "Mmm…. Page?" Sunset mumbled quietly.

    "Mhmm?" I asked, more than half asleep.

    "I want foals."

    My eyes snapped open and I suddenly didn't feel sleepy at all as I looked into her eyes, "huh?" I asked intelligently.

    "I want foals."

    "...With me?"

    Sunset gave me a d'uh look, "No, Shining Armor. Yes, of course you!"

    "Oh," I said quietly and swallowed.

    "So?" Sunset asked and bumped her nose against mine, looking into my eyes, "What do you think?"

    I hesitated, "Sunset… I-I'm not sure it's a good idea…"

    She pulled back, looking hurt, "What? Why?"

    I cringed slightly, "Sunset, It's…" I started before I sighed and shook my head, "Sunset, we don't even know if it's possible. And if it is, the foal usually takes after the tribe of the mother."

    "And?"

    "And I don't want to watch them grow old and die!" I exclaimed, rolling onto my stomach and raising my head to look at her.

    Sunset glared at me, "So I suppose I best just get out too, huh?"

    "What, no! Suns-"

    "Buck off," she snarled and jumped off the bed, drying tears away with one hoof.

    Before I could say anything else, the door slammed closed behind her, leaving me staring at it. What the buck just happened?

    The door opened again and Luna slipped inside, closing the door behind her before she looked at me, "What did you do?" she asked in a not quite accusing tone, "Sunset just stormed in and is crying her eyes out against Twilight's shoulder."

    I cringed and sighed, "I… could have handled that better," I admitted quietly and pushed myself up to sit, rubbing my hoof at my forehead, "Sunset brought up that she wanted foals. Just kinda sprung it at me. I told her it wasn't a good idea as I didn't want to watch them grow old and die."

    Luna shook her head, "Oh Page, please tell me you didn't put it like that."

    "...Think it may have been worse actually," I admitted and sighed, "I should talk to her."

    "No," Luna told me firmly, shifting to stand before the door, "I will talk to her. Before you put your hooves even further into your mouth."

    "Luna, I think-"

    She glared at me and I trailed off before I sighed and nodded, "Okay," I admitted, "You three take the bedroom. I'll find somewhere else to sleep," I said and slipped out of the bed.

    Luna sighed softly and walked over to me, brushing her lips against mine, "Page, you are a good stallion, but sometimes you need to think before you talk."

    "I know," I admitted and sighed softly, "...I'm sorry."

    Luna smiled faintly and touched my side with her wing, "Go get some sleep, I'll talk with Sunset. We'll all talk tomorrow."

    "Are you sure I shou-"

    "Yes."

    Sighing, I nodded, "Sweet dreams, Luna."

    "Sweet dreams, Page."

    With that I left through the balcony. Spreading my wings in the sunlight, I took to the air. I didn't fly far though, just rounding the small palace and pulled up to the throneroom. I banked in through one of the openings and pulled up hard. I turned it into a flip and wrapped my tail around one of the supports of the roof.

    Using my wings to stop the worst of the swinging, I then pulled my legs to myself and wrapped my wings around myself, closing my eyes, trying to sleep.

    I felt like a dick.
     
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    • The other downside of immortality. Seeing your family slowly die.

    I remember a part of a vampire movie where a vampire had a big carving of a family tree of all her mortal descendants. It was actually very touching.
     
    Dur'id the Druid said:
    The other downside of immortality. Seeing your family slowly die.

    I remember a part of a vampire movie where a vampire had a big carving of a family tree of all her mortal descendants. It was actually very touching.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    I remember something like that in Interview with a vampire series, a woman every so ofter married off a man and a woman from different branches if her family to bring them closer. Or something. It was at least 10 years since I've read it.
     
    56
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    • My ear flicked at the sound of hoofsteps against the wooden floor, pulling me from my barely asleep state. I wasn't sure how long it had been, but I could feel sunlight through my closed eyes, so it couldn't have been all day.

    I recognized those hoofsteps.

    They stopped not quite beneath me. "Hey," Sunset said quietly.

    "Hey," I answered without moving.

    "...Could you come down here, please?"

    I forced my eyes open and blinked down at her in the piercing bright light. Sunset looked tired, and I could tell she had been crying. But the sun shimmered in her slightly mussed mane and on her coat.

    She didn't look angry, just tired.

    Wrapping myself in a teleport field, I deposited myself standing in front of her.

    "That's new," she said quietly. "Changing your position when teleporting is kinda advanced."

    "I did learn some stuff while away with Celestia; it wasn't quite just flirting," I admitted, eyes half-closed against the glare of the sun. "Refining my teleporting was one of them. My range and speed still aren't the best as I can't dump enough power into it."

    Sunset nodded and then glanced around before her horn lit, and a dome of darkness covered us. Not a full one, only leaving us in semi-darkness even to a Day Pony, but it allowed me to open my eyes fully.

    "Thanks," I told her before I sighed. "Sunset, look, I'm-"

    She raised her hoof and put it against my lips. "Page, please. Let me say what I want to say first."

    I swallowed and nodded, trying not to show exactly how much that sentence terrified me.

    Sunset sat down and looked into my eyes. "It hurt me, Page," she said quietly. I swallowed again and sat down as well.

    "But I also understand what you mean," she continued softly. "Especially after having talked it through with Luna and Twilight. I don't blame you for feeling like that."

    I shook my head. "I-I'm sorry, Sunset. I should have put that so much better."

    She actually gave me a slight smile. "I did kinda spring it on you, didn't I?"

    "A bit. But still."

    Sunset shook her head slightly and then moved a bit closer, looking into my eyes. "Page. One day… you will lose me."

    "No."

    She put her hoof against my chest. "Yes, you will," she said gently but firmly, eyes not leaving mine. "You are an alicorn. I'm a unicorn. I know it will hurt; I know exactly how much it will hurt because when I found out you had been hit, it felt like the arrow had pierced me and not you."

    I clenched my jaw and looked at her seriously. "No, Sunset. I will not. No matter what, I wo-"

    She looked into my eyes, and I broke off, finding that I could no longer speak. Nor see, really, as everything was shifting colors through tears.

    Sunset shifted closer, resting her head against my neck, and I clung to her. Likely too tightly, but she didn't protest.

    "You will," she repeated softly against my neck. "It's what ponies do. Even alicorns, eventually. We have seen proof of that."

    I just clung to her for a long time before I slowly let go to look into her eyes, trying to blink mine clear. Sunset reached up to gently brush her hoof across my eyes. "Luna explained things," she told me gently. "The fear of losing me was folded into the foals."

    "...In that case, I suppose she knew me better than I did," I admitted. "She's likely right though. I… Oh, Luna… losing you, Sunset… or Celestia or Luna or Twilight, it would… buck, it would destroy me."

    Sunset's hoof touched my cheek gently, and she brushed her lips against mine. "And me as well," she said softly. "Like when I lost my parents. But after it all, I'm still here."

    I stroked her side with my wing. "I'm sorry I hurt you. I never wanted to make you cry."

    Sunset smiled softly. "I know. I could have handled that a lot better as well."

    "...Had this talk with Twilight yet?" I asked after a moment.

    She sighed softly and then nodded. "We did. It went… slightly better. Before you and I got together."

    "Well, Sparks always was the smarter of us," I admitted.

    Sunset smiled a bit and bumped my nose with hers. "Only slightly better."

    I nodded and hugged her tightly again, nosing at her ear. "...On the subject of foals…"

    Sunset broke the hug and looked up at me. "I won't do that to you," she told me seriously. "Nor to Twi, who it would hit just as hard."

    "But you still want foals."

    "I do," Sunset agreed with a small smile. "But just as my foals would have been just as much Twi's, Twi's foals will also be mine."

    "Oh."

    Sunset smiled. "As an added upside, it would let me skip the more unpleasant parts, which… is not an unattractive idea, if I'm to be completely honest," she admitted.

    I slowly nodded. "...Now?"

    Sunset smiled and shook her head. "Twi says she isn't ready yet. But I could tell that she was thinking seriously about it, and you know how she is."

    "I do," I admitted, nosing at her mane. "Lists, research, and checklists."

    "Exactly," Sunset said with a small grin against my neck as I held her.

    I stroked her coat for several moments before I spoke up quietly again. "...You know it might not even be possible, right? I mean, we have been careful, but not that careful."

    "I know," Sunset said with a small sigh. "And even if Cadance helps with spells, it might not be possible still. Flurry might just have been because Cadance is Cadance. If that's reality, then that's how it is."

    I nodded and looked down at her.

    Sunset looked up at me in turn. "And you should realize that just because it's Twi, Luna, or even Celestia, it would not guarantee an alicorn. Even earth ponies with no other tribes mixed in for generations can have unicorns or pegasus foals."

    I swallowed and then nodded. "I know. But if it works, the odds are a lot better."

    Sunset nodded in turn and gave me a small nuzzle. "Come back to bed, Page. It's so late, and I think all of us have an early evening."

    I nodded and gave her a small kiss. "I'm sorry for hurting you, Sunny. I never wanted to do that."

    "I forgive you, you silly bat," Sunset laughed softly and gave me a small kiss back. "Let's go to bed."





    AN// And that's it for now! I think it's time we leave Page for now before he tries to cram more hooves into his mouth. Next story will start soon and it's a new one with a semi new premise.

    Dragon in star trek and it has the title of 'Always be yourself...'. Link to it will of course be posted in this thread.

    So hope you enjoyed this for now and thank you for reading!
     
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