//------------------------------// // Chapter 42 // Story: Repercussions // by Hiver //------------------------------// The dreamscape stretched out infinitely in all directions and I just sat there for a moment, looking at the drifting lights through it. They could easily get a pony lost in here, but I just found them pretty. A night of hunting Nightmares had been fairly productive, I had found a couple of them and absorbed their magic and energy. It didn’t last long, but that last one had been especially big and I felt like I had chugged an energy drink or two. It was still earning morning and if I let myself actually fade into dreamless sleep right now I’d just wake up and then be unable to fall asleep again without sleeping spells which would suck. I thought for a second about visiting Sunset or Luna, but… nopony else on the ship could visit their loved ones. It felt wrong of me doing it when they couldn’t. Yes, it was stupid, but… ...I wouldn’t be able to keep from it indefinitely, I knew that, but still. But that left the question of what to do now… I could still go visit somepony, who would I visit… Haven’t visited Cadance for a while. Then again, her dreams usually had some bit of pink hue to them, some a lot more than others, and as such to be avoided at all cost. I did not want to know what she was into. ...Okay, maybe a little curious considering how many of those kinds of dreams she had, but I wanted to be able to look at her without blushing more than I wanted to know. Besides, it would be wrong. That too. The dream portals shifted around and brought hers up before me. A calm silvery blue, not a hint of pink on it. Getting up, I touched my horn to the silvery surface and stepped into the dream only to find myself in a park. Looking around, I could see the Crystal Castle in the distance and buildings outside of the park, but otherwise there was no sign of anypony else. I moved along the path and quickly spotted Cadance. She was playing in a small sandbox with Flurry Heart. I considered just leaving her to it for a moment, not really wanting to interrupt but then I tapped my hoof against the ground and the dream solidified around us. Cadance quickly looked up, her wings lifting in surprise as she realized the feeling before she turned her head and spotted me. “Page!” she said with a smile before quickly giving Flurry’s mane a quick kiss, “Make mommy a nice castle, love,” she said before she got up and approached me. “Cadance,” I said with a smile, “Just thought I would check in and see how you were doing.” She nodded and then frowned, “...I heard of everything that had happened. Did my letter catch Midnight in time before you left?” “I don’t know, Sorry.” She nodded, “How is she and Twi doing?” she asked with a small worried look. “It differs,” I admitted, “Sparks seems to be doing pretty okay, but it was harder on Midnight. One of the reasons why I asked her for help with the expedition, to get her mind off things for a bit. Seems to be working, the rate of nightmares is down from before.” Not gone however. But I suppose that would be too much to hope for. Cadance nodded and stretched her wings with a thoughtful look on her face, “I think she need somepony to hold at night.” I raised an eyebrow at her, “I know you’re the alicorn of love, but not everything is about getting ponies laid.” “Not what I said,” Cadance said with a smile, “But you’d be surprised on how good of a way to get rid of stress it is.” “Mhmm,” I said, giving her a wary look, “Don’t you have better things to do?” Cadance grinned, “Oh, relax Page. It’s not you I have in mind for her. She’s more into mares anyway, about seventy percent or so. It’s not an exact science.” “You have met her… what, twice? How can you possibly know what?” Cadance simply shot me an amused look and I sighed as I facehooved, “...Right. But that doesn't mean you’re always right.” “No, but I have known Twilight literally her entire life and they aren’t that different, they like the same things.” Cadence said and shifted her wings, “Besides, weren’t I right about you and Sunset?” “...Yes…” I admitted and shifted my wings. She had been right when everypony… okay, just Sunny and I missed it. “Then again, not like it was difficult, even Aunty Celestia could see that,” Cadance said, getting a thoughtful look on her face for a second as she looked at me. I glowered at her for a second before I sighed, “What do you have in mind?” Cadance happily flapped her wings with a smile, “Okay, this is what I want you to do…” she said and went on to give me my instructions. Why did I visit her again? I really should have learned to stay away from her by now. Cadance is nothing but pink trouble.