I moved out of the way as Talon walked across his room, lighting my horn to catch a fallen comic, "Are you sure you need all this?" I asked, "I'm not sure if Midnight has a weight limit or not, but at least the comics I know Spike has to have a copy of."
Talon paused and smiled a bit sheepishly and put the tall stack down, "I guess you're right," he admitted before he looked around his room.
Flipping through the comic, I then closed it and put it at the top of the stack.
"I'll miss this place," Talon said and sighed as he looked around.
"The place or the ponies?" I asked with a small smile.
"...Both," he said and turned to me, "How much do you think we can pack?"
I shrugged my wings, "No clue, have to check with Midnight. But if it's a portal sucking us into the air like last time, it did lift two alicorns and a dragon right off the ground without problem, so... I can only assume one large bag each would be fine?"
He nodded and reached beneath his bed, digging around before pulling out a large bag, "Makes sense."
"You can pack a bag for me to carry too if you run out of space," I offered, "I don't have anything here to bring but some letters for some ponies."
"Thanks Page," he said and put his bag on the bed before he looked around, "...But I guess I don't have that much stuff either. Just..."
He walked over to his bedside table and opened it before picking out a gem, looking at it, "As long as I get to bring this."
He wrapped it up in a thick cloth and put it in his pack before he turned to me, "It was a gift."
I just nodded, "Those are important," I said and reached up to feathers by my ear.
Talon smiled and jumped up to sit on his bed, "...Page, have you thought any about me joining the guard?"
I shifted my wings and considered it while glancing up to make sure no new portals arrived, "I'm not sure, Talon," I said before raising my hoof to intercept his protest, "I know that by age, you are old enough to start training," I told him seriously, "But that's for ponies. Dragons age differently and for a dragon, you are still very young."
"I can do it."
"I know you can," I told him, "What concerns me isn't if you can do it but if it's fair to make you do it."
Talon frowned, "What do you mean?"
Sighing, I shook my head, "Talon, I have no worries about your capabilities. You're strong and tough and can handle at least as much as any earth pony. But what the guard does, especially in Nocturnis, is dangerous."
"I can handle it."
I smiled at him, "I know. And if it was just that, I would have no problem. But it's not what they do, but what they experience," before I sighed again, "Ponies, creatures getting hurt. Dying. Sometimes messily. Talon, I'm not worried about you getting hurt, as a dragon you’re tougher than any earth pony, yet alone a thestral. I'm worried about you seeing others get hurt.”
Talon seemed to get a bit thrown by that, "...Oh..." he said quietly.
"I saw how it hit Sunny finding those train engineers, and so did you," I told him quietly, "I don't want that to happen to you too. Even more, what if you happen to somehow get hurt? You are physically tougher than almost any pony but things happen. But what do you think that would do to Midnight?"
Talon looked down at his claws, nodding slightly, "I guess you're right," he said, "Didn't think of that."
Young dragon indeed.
"That said," I continued, "I am willing to allow it on some conditions."
Talon looked at me again, "What conditions?"
"That it's limited to part time training until you are old enough," I said and sat down on the floor, "No patrols outside the barrier until you are older. And that Midnight sign off that she is okay with this because if something happens to you, she'll kill me."
He considered that for several long moments before he nodded, "I guess that's fair," he finally said.
I smirked, "Don't be too happy about it. Because you know that Sunset is the pony in charge of the guard training. I’ve seen her run earth ponies into the ground, I'm fairly sure she'll take a dragon as a challenge."
"I can do it!" Talon said with a grin and jumped off the bed, "Thanks Page!"
"Don't forget that Midnight needs to sign off first," I said and then stood up, giving him a salute, "Trainee."
Talon got to something approaching attention and saluted me, "Your Majesty!"
I held it for a second before I smiled and dropped it, "Get to finish packing, the goodbye party is going to start soon. Don't want to miss it."
Tomorrow. Leaving tomorrow.
Talon quickly nodded.
What would be the name of Page and Lunas first Foal?
BatmanSundown, Lunar Page, Wona, Nightstallion Moon?So glad Page is there to give Spike these man to man talks. Reminds me of the chat my own father (who is prior service and retired for a couple of years) gave me when I decided to join the military.
He can do it, but will he do it?
I wonder if his filly friend will be fine with it...
Leaving will be painful for Midnight & Talon, but more so for Page. All his Waifus and one angry Cuddlebug Bodyguard will come after him returning...
Predicted next chapter:
1. - Discord stops Midnight & Talon from leaving.
Fluttershy made him do it.
2. - Discord stops Midnight & Talon from leaving.
Because Page didn't do Fluttershy
3. - Discord stops Midnight & Talon from leaving, but sucks Tempest to their side.
4. Something derails there goodbye.
One thing has majorly bothered me big time about this fic. They are fully aware of the mirror portal to one alternate Equestria, why has there not been a single mention at all about making one to connect these two? When such an obvious solution to a problem is staring you in the face there should at least be some acknowledgement of it. Even if it is just a mention of why it won't work.
Sooo... No danger of 'Dahaka' or 'Cthulhu' messing things up?
*Twilight opens Portal*
Cthulhu: "Got you now!"
Discord: "Finally! You still own me a date! Why didn't you give me a call?!
Cthulhu: "O no! I left the oven on"
*Cthulhu closes portal*
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Maybe multi-verse and multi-timeline don't mix well.
11356296
We're talking divergent timelines, not alternate worlds. Interdimensional travel is one thing, but time travel is something else.
11356315
A agree, yet what is the multi verse if not alternatively running pasts if they are similar.
We lost a true Queen today, can we get a Queen Luna/Night-Waifu-MareMoon special?
Thanks for chapter!
Have a good day!
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Perhaps not Sundown.
great chapter
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Wait....
No complaints from Hiver for your spoilers???
11356435
Unless they are not
Probably something so far of left field noone expect it coming like... :
Page of another timeline comes to stop this Page, because the Multiverse agrees that Flutterbat foals sired by Page are to cute not to exist!
You mean
...FEW MONTHS LATER...
Talon: Ma'am. I was hoping for something more...exciting for my first solo mission?
Sunset: Trainee! I just gave you one of the most IMPORTANT duties. The fate of Nocturnis depends on it! This is a sign of how much I trust you!
Talon:
Sunset: I'll be back in a few hours. I'm counting on you Trainee! *Sunset trots away*
*Talon glares down at the cage he's sitting on*
Talon: Fairly sure I'm only here so that her lunch date with Page is not ruined..
Angel Bunny: *evil gibberish*
Talon: Yeah yeah. World domination. Blah blah blah.
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"Dang it Page, I'm tired of these D-rank missions. Give me something cool to do old man! "
Is it just me or are others disappointed too that they didnt even mention the posibilty of making a permanent portal even tho they could copy homework form a mage that did it literally a 1000+ years ago?
Like, magic HAD to advance at least a bit in that time right?
Cant be harder than picking a random ass universe in the infinite multiverse.
Worst things worst, you build your side of the portal and send Page home with instructions on how to build the other side and turn it on ...
Sorry for the rant, just feels like plothole
Feels like it should be at least adressed with some pseudo-magic bs about how its not possible?
11356602
I just want to state tho ... Love the series
Bth this being first problem for a ... What is this? 11th story in the series? If that doesnt speak about how good it is, idk what does
Keep up the good work
11356602
random is a lot easier, the smaller your target the harder it is because the margin of error also gets smaller. And yeah, beardy made a permanent portal but he hasn't been freed yet in this fic, IIRC. and his notes on it might not have been found.
11356559
OMG someone needs to write that spin-off!
11356690
I can think of a story or two...
Nice
*Midnight and Co, stepping out of the Portal*
".... and here we are, back.... in.... Nocturnis?"
"Uh, Midnight, not that I'm doubting, but.... I'm starting to DOUBT HERE!!!"
"Don't worry Page, we must just be off coordinates by a little. I didn't think the Time Reversion Matrix would shift us this far Geographically though"
"..... Midnight. What. Time. REVERSION. MATRIX?!?"
"oh... uh.... well, you see, I didn't want Tempest to worry that we had been gone.... so I may have.... tinkered.... just a little... for Science?"
*And so begins the Darth Page in Pre-Celestial Equestria Arc*
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Midnight, they made a statue of me! look at it, that's not what I look like at all!
don't worry about it page, we just need this for timeline stability, now sit still and allow me to make a blood curse for the thestrals
WHAT!?!
11357053
*Back in present time Nocturnis*
Everypony is panicking over Page, Midnight and Talon disappearing into the portal back to Midnight's world when suddenly:
*WHAM!*
The large doors to the throne room slam open to reveal a noticeably older Midnight, Page, and Talon standing there, the latter being more difficult to recognize immediately due to his significant size increase versus the other two but still recognizable due to his purple scales and who he's with.
Sunset reacts first "Page?! Wha-!"
Page then screams out "WEEEE'RE! FINALLY! BUCKING! BACK! NOW GOOD EVENING!" And Page stomps his way past everypony towards his throne only to faceplant into the cushion and start snoring.
Talon doesn't say anything, he just turns into the direction of his room and walks off with a 'completely done with this crud' look on his face.
And Midnight just starts sobbing. When everypony asked her what was wrong, she answers "Starswirl's a pretentious prick!" with quiet despair.
11356602
sometimes there just isn't a magical portal that fixes everything.
Just re-read the entire comment section of the story.
Damn fine laugh
Fell a bit behind thanks to the sorrowful event that happened on the day of release, but finally here. Rather liked the Page-Talon interaction, and Page is absolutely right. Talon might not be particularly easy to hurt physically, but mentally he's still pretty soft.
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11356602
Bear in mind the mirror was made by Starswirl. Thanks to events, he's not around and since there aren't more mirrors, presumably only he knew how to make the one (presumably prototype) that does exist. Therefore messing with it has the risk of both not working and trashing the one they do have. Not a good idea while there are other viable options to try first.
One grammar jackboot today:
as a dragon you’re tougher than any earth pony, let alone a thestral.