//------------------------------// // Chapter 20 // Story: Responsibilities // by Hiver //------------------------------// The door closed behind me and I sunk down onto the floor, my head hitting it as I let out a slow breath. Oh Celestia. What in the world was I thinking? She does this every single day? And this was an easy day! Easy!? The entire day was filled with decisions. Deceptions that affect real ponies lives and how in the world did they do this every single day!? If something ever convinced me that I wasn’t cut for ruling anything it would have been today, and I had two weeks of this left! I won’t survive this. I’ll make a mistake and ruin someponies life. An emergency was good, I could do an emergency. Then I had a clear goal, and could focus on getting that done and not have time to think of the consequences. What was I thinking. I’m an idiot. Much, much, stupid. One day down. Thirteen left. I just stayed like that, kind of enjoying the cold stone for a long moment and thought empty panic thoughts for an undetermined time. Finally, I sighed and struggled up, rubbing my forehead and refolding my wings. I needed to go to sleep and find a really, really boring dream of an accountant or something and just hang out. The more bored I get, the longer the night will be and the more time I’ll have until I have to wake up for tomorrow and… oh Luna, tomorrow will be even worse. Fine. Fine, fucking fine. I survived today, I’ll survive tomorrow too. Whatever I fuck up, I’m sure Celestia can fix when she get back. I may have volunteered for this and it may have technically been my suggestion but I’m sure it’s her fault somehow anyway. She’ll deal with the fallout and I’m so glad Equestria don’t have nukes or there might be literal fallout at the end. Struggling up, I stretched my wings and headed for the bedroom. Bit strange really, Luna should be up and about already. Sun is down and Moon is up so she would have needed to have woken up at least. Pushing the door open I froze. Luna smiled, “How was your day, My Page?” She was stretched out on the bed in white stockings and a matching collar around her neck. Oh my. “…Stressful but suddenly a lot better. Wow,” I said and crossed the room to jump onto the bed, “What is this?” “I promised a surprise if you didn’t start a war, didn’t I?” she teased and stole a kiss, “I don’t hear the guard mobilizing.” I nodded, “Made it through it, but it was close a couple of times,” before I flicked my ear, “I don’t know how you do it. I know even less how Celestia does it.” “That bad?” she asked with a small frown. “…In theory, no. But I’m terrified of ruining something,” I admitted and put my wing across her back, “I’m not cut out for this, My Sky.” Luna smiled and nuzzled at my ear, “It’s your own fault.” “It is,” I groaned, “Next time I try to do something this stupid, stop me.” “Page, I’m sure you are doing quite fine. Nothing is on fire yet and there aren’t ponies rioting in the streets,” Luna said with a smile, stretching her wings, “Which is a lot better than when my sister and I took over.” “…Not a peaceful take over?” Luna pursed her lips, “Some parts were. Some not so much, you know that.” I nodded and then eyed her, “True. But I bet that if you wore this at the same time, ponies would have followed you anywhere.” That got a small blush from her, “I got it from Rarity,” she admitted, “I asked for something… popular, provoking and slightly scandalous.” “As I understand it, she certainly succeeded. You look amazing.” Smiling, she stole a small kiss, “Thank you.” “You know, I’m not one for rumors but I can’t help but wonder exactly what secrets that mare knows,” I asked and leaned against her side. That got a giggle from Luna, “Quite a lot I would wager, My Page. Perhaps we should try to recruit her to Equestrian Intelligence.” “Not sure when she would have time for that,” I said and shook my head, “I think that she may be the only pony in Equestria that’s busier than we are right now.” Luna nodded, “Did you hear that she’s opening a store in Canterlot?” she asked and shifted out from beneath my wing, putting her own across mine instead as she held me closer. “Need to remember to stop by at some point… once Equestria has descended into burning anarchy and riots. So sometime early next week,” and then I smiled and kisses her, “But right now, I think I'd rather focus on you.” Maybe these two weeks won’t be that bad?