//------------------------------// // Chapter 6 // Story: Repercussions // by Hiver //------------------------------// While the outside of the castle was cold enough that even pegasi were starting to seriously bundle up, the inside of the Castle was comparably warm. Sadly, comparily warm in this case just meant 'above freezing'. Even with magic, it simply wasn't worth trying to keep something this big and made from stone at full temperature. At least outside of key areas, such as living quarters, kitchens(Those mostly produced their own heat anyway), the throne room and a dozen other places such as that. Pulling my cloak a bit tighter around myself, I passed the guard standing by the door, pushing it open and then letting it close behind me as I felt the warmth pressing in against me. "Seriously, Sunshine. Would it kill you to bring that big ball of fire a bit closer?" I asked as I looked over at Celestia where she was sitting by the desk close to the window, a stack of papers three hooves tall sitting on it next to a steaming cup of tea. "It's a part of winter, Page," Celestia answered with a smile, "And I try not to mess with the weather schedule, it's calculated by professionals for a reason. We were overdue for a really cold winter actually, it’s been decades since we had one this cold." "Easy for you to say, you're not only have to actively try not to set things on fire, but you're an alicorn, you don't get cold," I said and swept my cloak off, dropping it over the back of a chair as I moved to claim a cup of steaming hot tea, "Not everypony else is as resistant." Celestia frowned a bit at me and put her papers down before she rounded the desk to join me, "You're not?" "Used to be," I admitted and shifted my wings before spreading my right one to show it off, "Before this, I was close to Luna when it came to that, not like you. Now, it's closer to a pegasus I think. Maybe a bit worse than those too to be honest, at least in the wing parts." "I'm sorry." "Eh," I said and shrugged my wings, sipping at my tea, "You know what? In the end, I think it may be coming out ahead. Not only did I get Tempest healed, but even this," I said and shifted my wings again, "is not all bad. While I may get cold easier, I also see waaay better in the dark and flying isn't really any worse now when I'm used to it and quieter at that. And I think my hearing is better too… and like you said, not like we get winters like this every year." Celestia frowned slightly and her ears flicked, "...How's your shoulder." "Only aches when somepony is feeling sorry for herself close to me. Ow." Celestia smiled sadly and gave me a small nuzzle between the ears, "Page. Seriously?" "Seriously, I'm good," I told her and sighed, giving her a nuzzle back, "Every week, I'm feeling better. Another couple of weeks and I'll be fully healed I think. Not bad for somepony getting hit by a sun wielded by a goddess." "It wasn't a sun," Celestia said and shook her head, "You know what spell it was, it was just a variation of a standard kinetic strike." "That also set things on fire," I said and grinned up at her, "I know. But can we call it a sun? It sounds way cooler and more impressive." "Impressive?" Celestia asked, raising an eyebrow. "Yeah, I know how you like impressive things," I told her with a grin, "Big, warm, impressive things." Princess Celestia, Princess of the Sun, the eldest of all alicorns, ruler of Equestria acted her age and stuck her tongue out at me. Well, if she was acting like that, she was feeling better at least. She had been acting a bit strange since she hit me with her spe- sun. I think she was feeling guilty about it, despite it being completely my fault. Because, seriously? Sneaking up and doing a jumpscare on an alicorn just after an invasion? That's a clear darwin award winning move and it was nothing but luck and the skill of the doctors that made sure it wasn't. And Amber. Amber caught me enough to slow me down before I hit the ground in what really would have been terminal velocity. That bug deserved all love I could possibly give her and more. Still, if she let me get that one in without returning fire, maybe she wasn't fully o- "Then again," she said and shifted her wings innocently, "Maybe we should call it a sun. Make sure you have something big and impressive to talk about." Did she just... I raised an eyebrow at her, "I suppose you would be the expert of big and impressive, wouldn't you?" She smiled and spread her wings, "Of course. What about you? Aren't you a bit small for an alicorn?" I looked at her for a couple of seconds before I started to laugh. She joined me a second later before she moved up and slipped a wing and a foreleg around me in a hug. I hugged back for several long seconds before I smiled up at her, "I'm good, Sunshine. I promise." It still didn’t feel the same, it was almost like she was forcing it. Not like the same… she still felt guilty. But it was getting better I think. I hugged her tighter and gave her neck a small nuzzle. "I'm glad," she answered and sighed softly before letting go to look down at me, "So what can I help you with?" "Oh, just curious about the dinner tomorrow with the minotaurs you invited me to, if there is anything I need to know? I have been a bit out of the loop for a couple of months." Celestia shook her head, "Nothing specific really, it's just a welcome reception for their new ambassador to Equestria. The old one is retiring an..." ##################### The sun was setting in the distance as I overlooked the lands beneath Canterlot. It was freezing cold, but a warming spell, a thick cloak and an unicorn beneath my left wing helped a lot against it. Sunset pulled the cloak a bit tighter around us with her magic as she leaned against my sidet me, “So how was your day?” she asked. “Mostly meetings, legion, still dealing with some of the Storm King’s ships. You?” “Mostly the same actually,” she admitted, “Then practice with Tempest. Never met a unicorn that physically tough. Seriously, she’s ripped, it’s like trying to fight an earth pony!” “Well, she did spend most of her life without really using her magic,” I said, “How’s that going for her.” “...Better,” Sunset answered after a second of thought, “She’s having trouble with fine control and precision spells, but for anything she can just pour on the power on? She’s golden. I think she might actually be stronger than me.” “There is something to be said for just pure power,” I admitted, running my wing softly along her back, ”Speaking of which, want to come to the diplomatic reception tomorrow?” Sunset gave me a strange look, “What kind of segway is that? Anyway, that’s the minotaur one, right?” “Yeah.” “Sure. I’d appreciate a bit more time next time though, a day isn’t exactly a lot of warning.” “It’s a reception, how much warning do you need?” Sunset rolled her eyes before she stretched a bit, “Luna coming too?” I shook my head, “Way too early for her for something that’s not critical.” She nodded, “Sure, I’ll come. But why did you accept anyway, you hate those things? And it’s your first ‘public appearance’ since the entire bat thing?” “...Yeah,” I admitted and sighed softly, “But I couldn’t really say no when Celestia invited me. She’s been feeling bad and if I don’t go, she’ll be the only alicorn there dealing with the ambulatory beef today.” “No she wouldn’t,” Sunset said, suppressing a small grin, “We both know that if you declined, she’d invite Twilight instead if she really didn’t want to deal with them herself.” I eyed her, “Maybe I should have declined then… I bet Twi would have wanted some Kitten cuddles after all that diplo-GAHHH!!” I shied away from her and ripped my cloak off, shaking it as I shook myself to get the snow away from the back of my neck where Sunset had stuffed some with her magic. Glowering at the giggling unicorn, I lit my own horn and gathered a hoofful of snow, quickie compressing it into a sphere and then launching it at her. The powdery sphere exploded against her chest and she squeaked, “Hey!” and then quickly returned fire.