I waited outside the door as the guard checked before holding it open for me, allowing me inside.
It was dark outside, the room lit by a fireplace and a multitude of candles while the doors opened to the small park outside kept it from getting too hot.
Not that the occupant would have cared about the heat.
Celestia was laying on one of her large pillows, a book resting before her as she read in the light of the fire.
She looked relaxed, her usual regalia missing. Likely getting polished.
She looked up from her book and smiled when she spotted me, “Page,” she said, “Would you like something to drink?”
“That would be nice, thank you,” I admitted and slowly walked over to her.
Celestia ignited her horn and pulled a bottle down from a shelf, followed by a pair of glasses floating along behind it, “I think you may enjoy this.”
“What is it?” I asked a bit hesitantly.
She smiled at me and shifted to the side on the pillow so I moved to lay down next to her. Celestia poured some of the liquor in one of the glasses before floating it to me.
I took it in my magic and gave it a careful sniff. It didn’t smell like anything, not even water. It was almost completely clear, but with a slight hint of amber through it, “What is it?” I asked and took a careful sip.
The drink didn’t hit me. It was a lot more subtle than that. More like it flirted with you, pressed up close, smelling of summer warm apples and flowers and then shanked you in the liver with an icepick.
It was incredibly smooth, but it still burned in a way I had not experienced before. It didn’t go through my throat like liquid fire, it was more like it went from the tips of my ears down.
I coughed slightly, “Bucking hell.”
Celestia smiled playfully, “Like it?”
I looked into my glass, “...What the buck is it?” I asked and then took another careful sip.
“Technically it counts as a potion, but it’s really alicorn strength alcohol,” Celestia explained, “I got into brewing when it started to really be wide spread and then got bored a while back and invented it.”
“...How strong?”
“About as for us as normal alcohol is for normal ponies.”
Oof.
I glanced at the small amount in my glass. This much alone might put anypony but maybe a large earth pony down for the count. Might actually kill them. Or possibly melt them.
“It’s good,” I said and took another careful sip, looking down at the glass.
“What did you want to talk to me about?” Celestia prodded after a second.
“Hmmh?” I asked, looking at her.
“You came to talk to me about something,” she said and her wing touched mine, “I can tell.”
I nodded, “We’re leaving tomorrow,” I said, “As soon as the airship is ready. I… did needed to talk to you before we left. About what happened while I was in the other world.”
“Is there anything you haven’t told me already?” she asked and sipped her own drink.
I shifted and then sighed, “Not as much… the events, as how I did what I did. And I feel like I have to tell you, especially as it involves… you. Well, the other you.”
Taking a drink, I waited until she refilled my glass before I started to talk. From the beginning this time, and this time I didn’t skim over anything.
I told her about the way I manipulated her and Luna. How I trapped the changelings instead of going the safe path of just calling in the cavalry.
How I most likely ruined Spice Peppers and Fluttershy's lives, knowing that it would kick over a hornets nest on their heads. Knowing I wouldn’t stay behind to deal with it.
Celestia's warm wing settled across my back, “Page, you did what you had to.”
“No,” I said and sighed, “I did what I thought would be most useful,” I told her, “There is a strong difference. I lied, I twisted, I manipulated and…” and I then sighed, “I’m not a good pony. I’m sorry if I disap-”
“You did exactly what you should have,” Celestia said gently, her nose touching my mane, “Exactly what I taught you to do. You thought like a ruler, like a Prince. You did what you thought would help the most ponies, or changelings in the long run.”
I glanced at her before I sighed and shifted to lean against her warm side, resting my head against her neck, “I feel bad about it.”
“And that’s what makes you a good pony,” Celestia said and rested her head on top of mine, “I know you hate your role, Page,” she said softly before she continued quieter, “But sometimes there are those we need to play, despite our personal feelings. For the good of the ponies around us, for Equestria.”
“And I’m too dumb not to just stand by and do nothing.”
Celestia shifted and smiled softly at me, “Noble, the word you were looking for was noble.”
“Synonyms in my book.”
Celestia laughed and stuck her tongue out at me, “That one was clever.”
“Thank you, Sunshine” I said with a small smile and sipped my drink, “And… Thank you. It’s still not right the way I did it, but it had to be done and I do think it was for the best.”
She refilled our glasses, “Page, she knew what you were doing,” she said with a small teasing smile, “You’re good, but you’re not good enough to fool me. Either version of me.”
I shifted and rolled onto my back, looking up at her with a small smile, stretching out a bit, the drink giving me a slight comfortable buzz, “Is that so, Sunshine?”
Celestia nodded, “I can’t be certain,” she then admitted after a second and looked down at me next to her, “You can be rather sneaky when you wish to. But I do have a bit of experience.”
Smirking, I ran my hoof along her soft feathers, “You do have a lot of experience.”
Celestia smiled playfully and leaned in, I could feel her breath as her eyes met mine, her nose almost touching mine, “More than you know.”
“I can imagine.”
“Do you?” she asked and shifted a bit, resting a forehoof on my chest, her soft and strong wing settling across me.
“Mmm. Often,” I said as I looked up into her beautiful eyes. Her nose almost touched mine and I could feel her hot breath against mine.
Then Celestia sucked in a breath and shifted to the side, looking away, “...Perhaps that’s enough drinks for today,” she said softly, putting the cork back in the bottle.
“Agreed,” I said quietly and rolled over, resting my side against hers, “...Is it safe to drink that stuff this close to an open flame anyway?”
That drew a small smile from her and she glanced at me, “Depends, how fireproof are you?”
“Probably a lot less now,” I admitted and rested my head against her shoulder, “...Sleepy.”
“Still not caught up?” Celestia asked, her wing settling across me again with a small curious frown.
“Midnight said I'll start to synchronize in a couple more nights,” I mumbled against her coat, suppressing a yawn, feeling myself starting to slip off.
Stupid interdimentional jetlag. Though admittedly the drinks had not exactly helped.
“Sleep, Page,” she said quietly and ran her wing along mine, “you don’t need to go anywhere. Stay with me.”
I let my eyes slip closed, “Wish I could,” I mumbled as I drifted off to sleep.
They really do need to fuck. At least 3 times. Anyways nice
The princesses really need to get to family making considering with a male alicorn the odds of them not having kids is bad. Plus the more royals the more the people will feel secure in their leaders knowing that there are plenty to take the reins in an emergency.
Makes sense that the other celestia would know instantly what he was doing, and probably who taught him to do it.
Great chapter
Yes Page, it's all for the greater good...
"the needs of the many, out weigh the needs of the few" - Spock
the end of wrath of khan was really a hard hitting scene
Make each other happier, do it. At least in dream. I liked that dream you and Luna gave her and commentary afterwards.
It takes understanding and will to see manipulation and go not against it but with it.
P.s. would we got a glimpse of what are in those letters, especially of Celestia to Sunshine?
11371622
It's reaching critical point tho, it won't be long now...or until Cadance reach her limit, wharever comes first.
Cadence is currently screaming in Rage and does not know why but knows it Involves her Aunt and Page
Celestia: Awww he's so cute when he's aslee---. Guards. Can you come in here please?
*Two guards walk in and salute*
Guard 1: Yes Your Highness?
Celestia: What are you all doing?
Guard 2: We uhhh don't know what you mean, Your Highness?
Celestia: You think I didn't notice the fire extinguishers and the water spells at the ready & pointing towards ths room?
Guard 1: Its...precautions, Your Highness. Reasonable considering the fireplace..the candles..the company..
Celestia: IT WAS A MONTH AGO! I won't burn down another room! I SWEAR!
Guard 2: Your Highness...the floor under your hoof is smoking.
Celestia: Ummm...that is just dust specks in the light??
Guard 1&2:
You know Cadence's senses are going overboard yet again when those two are close and flirting. You could almost hear her scream in the RCV: JUST BUCK ALREADY!!!!!!
just kiss already you two! 0.0
Kings cannot be saints.
11371716
MEANWHILE IN CRYSTAL EMPIRE...
Cadance&Sunburst: NOOOO!!! Shining! No fair!
*Shining holding two VERY familiar looking dolls out of reach*
Shining: We are NOT going send Page to the hospital...AGAIN! When I said no more voodoo dolls, I MEANT IT!
Sunburst: But we were thiiiiiis close!
Cadance: Please! My Shiny Boy! Please!
Shining: Don't "Shiny Boy" me! Repeat after me: Shippers don't cheat!
Cadance&Sunburst: ...shippers don't cheat...
11371773
So does this mean Shining Armor is gonna use the fuzzy hoofcuffs and paddle Cadence & Sunburst's plots for cheating?
11371778
Of course not, they would enjoy that far too much.
I think it will happen some day. Celestia has been alone for a long time, he has friends, but no one to love. Don't get me wrong, Luna a her friends still counts, I mean in a more romantic way.
If she was married, I don't think it was something common. She is immortal and saw them age and die. Page is the only person she could love trough eternity.
11371778
Oh no...Shining is going to make them suffer.
The two of them are forced to attend...
THE CRYSTAL EMPIRE BUDGET MEETING!
*cue dramatic thunder and lightning*
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*And for the next 8 hours of eyeball bleeding monotone budget proposals and lazy pie charts...*
...Bet both wished for a Twilight lecture.
11371773
And it would turn to be that they actually were about to step up their relationship and it was his action woodooed them apart.
i.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/mobile/000/025/375/ergeofgreat.jpg
In all seriousness though, the increasing intimacy of Celestia and Page's relationship is cute and wholesome. Celestia won't cross the line because she respects her sister and Paige a great deal, and the same with Page towards Celestia and Luna.
It will be interesting to see if Luna will give her blessing or not.
11371833
Blessing? Luna will probably wind up sewing the two of them into bed together and not letting them out until they’ve admitted what’s obvious for all else to see to each other.
11371833
I’d love if that were the case soon. I mean he’s one of the only one who’d still be around in the next 200 plus years so it’d do all of em some good to have someone that is long lived like em to be together.
Time to give his mare little Pages to fill their Blank life's
Every Foal will create a story to add the Blank Page of the Alicorn race
Now, imagine just how pissed Cadance would be if she was outside the door
It's a shame, but it really does make perfect sense why they're still dancing around each other.
Still, frustrating and amusing in equal measure.
Should make the payoff excellent, however.
Celestia: "So, what is it you want to show us out here in the Badlands, Page? "
Page: "You know that drink you gave me the other night? It got me to thinking. "
Twilight Sparkle: "Dangerous. "
Luna and Chrysalis: "You've got that so right! "
Page: "What was that? "
Luna, Chrysalis, and Twilight: "Nothing! "
Rainbow Dash: "So, what's under the tarp? "
*Page pulls tarp off a replica of a Model-T*
Page: "Ta-da-a-a-a! "
Celestia/Twilight/Luna/Rainbow/Chrysalis: "uh? "
Page: "It's a car! It uses your drink as fuel! "
Celestia/Twilight/Luna/Rainbow/Chrysalis: "uh? "
Page: "Hold on, I'll show you. "
*Page starts the engine, lets off the brake, touches the gas pedal, and breaks the sound barrier*
Rainbow: "HEY, buster! GET BACK HERE! " *chases after*
Page: "Whoo hoo! Rainbow's getting left behind! I'm now officially the fastest pony in Eque---uh---steer! steer! Steer! STEER~! "
*the Model-T crashes and explodes*
Celestia/Luna/Twilight/Chrysalis: "..."
Twilight: "Well--there goes your hive. "
Chrysalis: "Meh. Let it burn. Upkeep was getting too expensive with it unoccupied. Besides, it's insured. "
Luna: "Oh! Poor Rainbow Dash! Now, she can't claim to still be the fastest pony in Equestria. "
Celestia: "Technically, she still is. We aren't in Equestria. The border is fifty trots back behind us. "
11372265
Reminds me of rocket car tests.
Some killed their driver even without exploding...
11372265
you wouldn't even need a modelT, there's some gnarly early race cars that could do 100 mph on basically any fuel. the Beast of Turin comes to mind being capable of at least 131 mph in 1913 and only ever reved to like 400 rpms because the engine had a stupid amount of displacement
11372688
True, but I chose the Model-T because it was one of the least aerodynamic cars ever made--but still breaks the sound barrier because of Celestia's booze.
Within a decade and he bags 3/4th if the Alicorn population, my boi Page is a stud!
11373116
And 99.999999999% of the Changelings, if Chrysalis and Skitter have any say in the matter.
Bob is excluded, because he's Bob!
JUST KISS ALREADY GOD DAMMIT
Fell a bit behind for various reasons, but time to start catching up again! Goodness, I love the maturity of Hiver's Celestia, including the immaturity, since only those supremely confident of being very grown up can (deliberately) be so childish.
11371626
Within reason. Succession crises throughout the years are all too often the result of pretenders.
11371772
Tell that to Edward the Confessor!
Grammar jackboots:
I… needed to talk to you before
ruined Spice Pepper's
Wow that was a SPICY chapter
It's so platonic, bro.
Three-Oh-Seven Ale, me lads, Three-Oh-Seven Ale,
The finest drink that any bar has ever had for sale,
It'll lay your whole damn world to waste, it'll make you fit and hale,
There's nothing that you'll ever taste like Three-Oh-Seven Ale, me lads,
Three-Oh-Seven Ale.
Oh my God Page, just fuck already! The sexual tension is strong we all can feel it before we see it.
11614979
Agreed, but it's amusing to read
11614979
Honestly I'd need an axe to cut the tension