I looked at the ponies in the cell, my jaw dropping, “I… I didn’t expect all of you to show…”
There were five thestrals I knew of in Canterlot not including Fluttershy. They were now all inside the cell before me.
Cloud Flash shook his head, the chain from his collar jingling slightly, “Your highness…” he said before he paused and glanced to his sister, the pegasus that hoof delivered her letter to me, and then to his mother, “We talked things through,” he said, “You’re the only pony that are doing anything to help us. If this was the only thing we could do to assist... we couldn’t turn it down.”
I looked at Moon Beam and her father.
She nodded in agreement, “It’s true, my Prince. You’re doing so much, trying so hard to make things right and… if this was the only thing we could do to help, then this is what we had to do.”
These ponies…
...They looked up to me now. They… they had volunteered to be turned into blood drinking vamponies because they believed I could make things better. Not one or two.
Every single thestral I told of it had volunteered.
I looked across them, “You’ll be free to leave in a day or so when we’re sure everypony has themselves under control. You’ll still have guards to make sure everything is safe, but you can leave this place at least.”
Cloud Flash nodded, “Of course, your highness.”
“Everything is set up for when you’re let out of here too,” I told them, “I personally inspected the living quarters before coming here, if you rather stay there,” I said before I sighed softly and scraped my hoof against the stone floor, spreading my wings, “We’ll break the blood magic soon, the two smartest ponies in Equestria is on the job. But until then, I want you to be safe and comfortable.”
Before my… before my deal with Discord, I never knew. No, that’s not true. I knew of Fluttershy, I just never put one and one together.
I didn’t see it.
I never even looked. They look up to me, but… they shouldn’t. Before it affected me, I didn’t even give it a second thought.
Just went on with my life.
“We’re fine, your highness,” Cloud Flash said with a small smile, “We have books until then and we have each other.”
I gave them a nod, “I will see what the Princesses Sparkle have to say so far,” I said and turned to leave.
I didn’t deserve the way they looked at me, but… they deserved for me to try to live up to it. They needed me to be the one they wanted me to be. They deserved for me to be.
So that’s just what I had to do. Be the pony they needed me to be.
I moved out into the bright sunshine and blinked against the bright light reflected from the sparkling snow.
“You okay, sir?” Iron Shine asked as she stepped away from the door.
I nodded, “I’m fine, it’s just bright,” I said and closed my eyes, rubbing them with a hoof as I took a deep breath of the crystal cold air, “We should get to the lab.”
Shaking my head, I opened my eyes again and blinked at the bright light before pushing on and starting towards Sparks and Midnights place. They were still working from their living room after all.
Wrapping myself in another warming spell, I wished the walk would have been shorter. Because the more time I had to walk, the more time I had to think. Right now, thinking was the last thing I wanted to do.
Knocking on the door, waited for Sunset to open the door. She blinked at me when she saw me, “Page! You don’t need to knock, come in!” she said.
”Yeah, sorry,” I said and sighed as I stepped in past her, giving her a quick nuzzle on the way inside.
Iron Shine nodded her head in a small bow to Sunset and took position outside the door.
Sunset closed the door and frowned at me, “Are you okay?”
“Honestly,” I said quietly, “Not really.”
Sunset nodded, “You saw it then.”
I blinked at her, “Saw what?”
She hesitated and shifted slightly, “Oh. Page, you know how things-”
“Sunset, saw what?” I asked, interrupting her.
Sunset tensed slightly before she sighed and her horn lit up, floating a newspaper over to me and I grabbed it, opening it to the frontpage of my own image.
‘Blank Page, husband of Princess Luna has been stripped of his noble title and position of herald of the crown after a number of accusations from prominent members of the rest of Equestrian Nobility and then was elevated to full Prince in a private ceremony with only the Princesses. While he denied the accusations and stepped down voluntarily from those titles, this reporter can only wonder exactly why that is if he really is innocent? With his sudden transformation of that of a vampony, we can only speculate of exactly what dark magi he used to conv-’
I folded the paper again, putting it to the side, “Hence why I no longer read the papers,” I said and sighed.
I should have considered that. Why didn’t I? The optics weren't good, were they? Why didn’t I catch it?
We rushed it.
Buck me.
I’ll have to check what Celestia thinks we can do about the media later. It’s just one bucking thing after another, isn’t there? But they needed me to handle this. I just had to buckle down and get to it.
“We’ll deal with this later,” I said and shook my head, giving Sunset a small hug with my wing, “Don’t worry,” I said and then moved on inside the living room, finding Sparks and Midnight working on a equation on one of the three blackboards, the other two already filled with symbols, “How are we doing?”
Sparks blinked and then looked back towards me, “Page!” she said and grinned, “We’re making progress! The new data is really helping!”
“Good,” I said, “I’ll leave you to it, then let me know if there is anything I can do to help.”
I needed to talk to Celestia.
Here's hoping they do break the blood magic soon. And Blank Page you do deserve their adoration even if the chain of events was forced on you by Discord using your deal for good ends.
My this was a surprisingly early chapter... Not that i'm complaining of course, just surprised.
Page: "The newspaper are trash talking me again!"
Celestia: "Page, you could save a burning orphanage and they would still insult you and question your motives."
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"It is a matter of perspective really..."
10505972
I do believe laws about libel and slander are kept on the books for this kind of situation
10506083
In the US, Libel and Slander are actually damn near impossible to prove. The burden of proof is on the victim for proving that the comments were made with the intention of doing damage.
10506083
Yep, unlike the news article in earlier books which was technically true, the claims in this article (dark magic use, being a vampony) are provably false.
10505695
Heh. You're not the only one to go through something like that.
Well *Sips Tea* time for counter propaganda?
10506134
This is Equestria though and they got a diarchy instead of whatever the US has.
Luna: Heard you was talking shit 'bout my husband in your gossip rag.
Newspaper Pony: But Your Highness--
Luna: GUILTY!
Newspaper Pony: Please, be--
Luna: WE HAVE DELIVERED OUR JUDGMENT!
Progress is one step forward and four steps back. Especially when you've showed up the nobles for their pettiness and at times pissed off the press.
Some reporters are about to get a royal convocation...
Oof
Well Page has allowed Hot Scoop and others to fester without being addressed. Though he has a clear recourse, call the dude out as the frivolous reporter he is, lay into his motives, and even hit that the reporter is paid off by malcontents in the nobility who are angry that their ability to abuse threstals is being curtailed.
10506340
Indeed.
10506160
they're a pentarchy now, which the closest analogue we have might be the roman tetrarchy minus all the literal backstabbing
I can see the setup. The media think page is using dark magic, if news were to get out about him turning ponies into vamponies, the media would twist the story to make it look like he is a villain, and then investigations on the land he owns will reveal the bat statue. Result? The media and elite will believe he is some sort of dark malevolent bat pony demon trying to convert an army unto his will. Doesnt look good for page. The dominoes are starting to fall, a masterful setup for sure if I'm right.
10506444
Agreed. Its indeed very likely.
Alternativ here a Counterstory that might actualy be true:
There are original 3 Tribes. Earth, Unicorn and Thestral. The Unicorn forced the Earthponys into submission with magic to attack Thestral. Reason? Magic allowed weather work/manipulation. To exterminate Thestral would make Unicorns untouchable since Earthponys cant do mutch against Unicorns alone. As result Thestrals use blood magic to even the odds against two Tribes/sub races. Unicorns were losing and there for created a cure that shifted the Thestral nature so hard that the Pegasus are created. Its easyer to terminate Pegasus ones Thestrals are extinct.
Now Page will undo the damage to the Thestrals and in doing so, stops this antic evil unicorn plot for dominance and we have 2 flying pony subraces instead of one ♡
Er, wuth! i think i read something like this before? or dreamt it? something or other.
The bat pony was kidnaped because sompony was thinking he had bespelled/forced/blood magic the princess's to take his side or something, against the citizens of equestria.
Is there really no law against printing slanderous works about royalty? Isn't there a law against printing straight up lies? I know that in many countries press can get away with printing almost anything but this is still equestria with a diarchy. Like could you badmouth the queen of England in a newspaper printed in England? I feel in a country where herd mentality is very much a thing that there would be laws about that stuff.
Well, whatever laws regarding libel, slander and whatnot specifically Hiver’s Equestria has is for him to know and eventually share as appropriate. If the press is supposed to be at least somewhat free, then even the Princesses can’t just dictate to the papers; that said, I don’t at the moment see anything that would prevent them from privately pointing Page at the best and most trustworthy lawyer they know if he were to decide to simply sue the bastards.
i cant wait till he gets turned and goes back in time. :P
Honestly Page should have an interview with a reporter. The misinformation and speculation comes from the fact that the newspapers are only getting the story from one source: Page's enemies. He needs to go out into that spotlight and charm the hell out of them!
“Buck it! Sunny get your Grass skirt and pack our mare friend, we are starting a kingdom in the south. Midnight? You are now Twilight, with all that implies.”
“Actually, I’m...yes my Prince.” Sweet Celestia he’s so foreful!
10506777
Anypony know a good spindocter we can psych on that case?
10506777
Page should remember that he has Celestia as his and Luna's ally.
In addition to her centuries as a Grand Master in the Long Game, she's also a known Grand Master chess player.
The ponies in the press corpse might think they're doing well in capturing one of her bishops, but the truth is they already lost five moves before they even started playing her. After all, the nobles just learned that lesson the hard way a couple days ago.
Celestia: "You work on the Thestrals and don't worry, Page. I've got this."
Page *two weeks later and half his mane turned white from worry*: "Good God, Celestia! What you did to them--that--that was brutal! Why didn't you tell me what you had planned!? "
Celestia: "I told you you shouldn't worry. But since I knew you wouldn't stop, I was expecting you to be so fearful. I have to say, you are rather dashing looking with all that grey, now. It's just like I knew it would turn out. "
Page: "You knew it would be such a massacre!?"
Celestia: "Oh, not that. Yeah, that was a bit of overkill on my part. But they're easily replaced. They breed fast, you know. No, I was talking about how your mane and tail look now. You're even more handsome than ever! "
10507382
Neat
10506154
"Oh that is despicable. (Evil laugh) I LOVE IT!"
10507173
s.hdnux.com/photos/10/41/35/2234216/5/rawImage.jpg
Yeah! This is DJ Proessor K, baby, the master of mayhem! Here to show you the truth behind the madness, you know what I'm sayin'. Bringing you a Trot-okyo underground pirate radio broadcast from "Jet Set Radio!" (Not to be confused with the Canterlot noble and his wife Upper Crust, unless the author wants.)
I'm gonna bust into your head through your cute lil' ears, and blow your mind with my sexy voice and out-of-sight sounds! Those of you prone to nosebleeds should keep those tissues handy, suckas!
Thestrals everywhere are bein' oppressed by the Noble Group, a mega-elitist group headed by Chancellor Neighsay a unicorn leading the Equestrian Education Association to boot. The Noble Group is using their money and influence to mess with everything Thestral: History, culture, and even their existence; if they can do it quietly. And they've even got their eyes set on the Law!
Lately, Noble Group's been shaking down the government, pressin' their "Noble's Obligation" crap, and even buying off the press department. These proposals ain't nothing but garbage. It's just a bunch of self-entitled little punk's way of trying to show they're a bigger deal than they are. Neighsay and his gang are tryin' to stomp out Thestral culture left and right. They don't give a rip about the Thestral's rights; all they care about is who they think Equestrian Society should include! In their eyes, there's no room for Thestrals. And some spineless fools have already become flunkies in their diabolical scheme. You better believe they're listening in on this broadcast...
But even in all this turmoil, there's a group of ponies who've been tearin' up the past, looking to a better future... I'm talking about the Royals. These ponies have set out to bury the past in understanding. Rumor has it that the best minds are already trying to puzzle out some bad juju from way back when. But now the Royals are all caught up in a bunch of territorial tug-of-wars between themselves, the Nobles , and the Press. Slowin down progress and forcing them to deal with damage control from all The Noble's shenanigans and The Press' slander.
The hottest team supporting the Royals at the moment is the GG's. There's Blueblood, a guy who will blow your mind with his silver tongue and rapier wit; and Fleur, a real cool lady who leaves a trail of broken hearts (or bones if it's called for) wherever she goes; and let's not forget their leader, a self-styled genius who goes by the name of Fancy Pants. These three ain't your garden-variety of nobles, you know what I'm sayin'?!
Lately, Thestral research has been on one baad trip. The storm crash of the expedition to the southern wildlands, the newly discovered Rexasaurus' prowling the jungle trees, low-lifes spreading vicious rumors at home, the mysterious blackout on 99th Street...
...and who should be following them around but the Noble Group's spindoctor in the Canterlot Newspaper, Hot Scoop! With new discoveries just around the corner, the accusations and fearmongering are only getting more desperate and devious.
My heart ain't pounded like this since, since... my first date! I was so nervous, you know what I'm sayin', I forgot to wear my underpants baby!
This ain't the time to be sitting around sippin' afternoon tea. The show's already stared, and y'all gotta be the ones making the plays.
Now, some of you might be asking yourself, "Why is this creature the one telling you all this?" Well, it was either DJ Professor K, or Discord and Princess Cadence. I may be the Master of Mayhem, but that dude's the KING, baby! No doubt. And Princess Cady? Ohhhhh, if that sexiness got on the air raw and unfiltered like this, WATCH OUT! Ain't nobody walking right tomorrow, know what I'm sayin? Hahahahahaha!
And speaking of the Princess of Love, we both know that to get a better future all we gotta do is Understand. So here's a message for you, listeners, from my world in honor of her. HIT IT!
Wow, that last one took me a while. How'd I do?
10517742
If I didn't seriously doubt my ability to properly convey the "DJ" vibe of this guy, I'd do a recording because I'm so fucking tempted to do that... :D It was good.
Honestly, I would have grabbed a bag of popcorn and handed Luna an axe by this point.
Not every Thestral got their blood combat magic removed and formed the 'Bloody Illuminaty'.
It was a time where many lived to take a walk when ever enemies of the nations appeared ~♤
Well it's not that hard of a fix... One QnA open to the media could fix it if he keeps calm
The return of the Thestral!
camo.fimfiction.net/OJIWDHNyS6bB5Ij1aKgRs1P9NaKe09CSIgetAWUSTqc?url=https%3A%2F%2Fencrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com%2Fimages%3Fq%3Dtbn%253AANd9GcQvbHXwA976JVtdYfW2xYLYHCwoVpqqAh2bwIZOfLdyEaBdQLTv
Meanwhile everypony else that can't stand the cuteness.
camo.fimfiction.net/P6nZMDtjmT1dHjqLo3VDIy7rfcVbaRXr8-V4owHKCYI?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.unleashthefanboy.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2013%2F12%2Fbats.png
The easy solution:
camo.fimfiction.net/Z_Mep4wuXchM5bVOqz_cinZueaSPh3Eogd6nk7clW6I?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.tenor.com%2F2QAgkXx1d94AAAAi%2Fchrysalis-mlp.gif
Because noone is allowed to threaten the beloved seed provider of the future.