//------------------------------//
// Chapter 98 
// Story: Repercussions 
// by Hiver 
//------------------------------//

The door at the end of the corridor opened and a member of my legion entered. The pegasus quickly crossed over to me and handed me a scroll without a word before she bowed and retreated from the room.

I unwrapped the scroll and eyed through it before I sighed and looked towards Fluttershy, "Celestia need to see me," I explained to her curious look, "I'll ask somepony else to come and keep you company while I'm gone if that's okay?"

Fluttershy hesitated, "You don't need to be here," she said softly, "I'm sure you have important things to do."

"This is important, you are important," I told her seriously as I got up, "As soon as the meeting is over, I'll be back here, okay?"

"Oh. Okay."

I smiled at her, "Don't worry, I'll be right back. Besides, you can leave here soon too. It seems safe enough, I'll talk it through with Sparks, okay?"

Fluttershy nodded and I retreated from the chamber, stopping by my guard outside as the door closed, "Anypony mind going and keeping her company until I get back?" I asked when the door was closed.

"I'll do it," a blue pegasus said and gave me a smile. Red Heart was one of the medics in the legion and was here in case of an emergency.

I gave her a nod, "Thank you," I said and then continued towards the exit, "I should be back within a couple of hours."

It had been well over a day now, I needed to talk with Sparks and Midnight. It seemed safe enough and we couldn't keep her locked up like that much longer.

Stepping out into the freezing cold, I wrapped myself in a heating spell for the quick crossing to the rest of the castle and entering into the relative warmth of the inside.

Was what we were doing right?

Maybe. Maybe not. But thestrals were dying out, something about the curse or the blood magic or a mix between them was causing thestrals to have a majority pegasus foals. If nothing was done...

In another thousand years, there may be no more thestrals at all.

That could not be allowed to happen.

Besides, it was Fluttershy. Worst case, Discord would fix it by doing the same thing he did to me.

...And whatever he demanded in payment, I'd pay. Because it was my responsibility.

Reaching a pair of guards, I gave them a nod, "Is she available?"

The right one nodded, "You can enter, your highness."

I gave him another nod and pushed the door open and walked inside the much warmer room, letting the door close behind me with a click. This was one of my favorite rooms. It had a fireplace and several comfortable looking couches, the walls mostly made up of bookshelves other than one that was a window towards one of the private gardens.

It was one of Celestia's private rooms.

The alicorn looked up from the book she was reading on one of the couches when I entered and smiled at me, "Page. Welcome."

"Hey Sunshine," I said and crossed over to her.

"How's Lady Fluttershy?" Celestia asked gently.

I sighed, "As expected. She's..." I said and then I shook my head, "She has to seriously be one of the bravest ponies I know. You'd never think it just by seeing her, but..."

Celestia nodded, "Bravery isn't not being afraid. It's being terrified and doing it anyway."

"Yeah," I agreed and jumped up next to her, "You wanted to talk to me? I should get back to her."

Celestia sighed softly, "I got word this morning. They are going to try to push through the petition tomorrow during day court. It seems like we have less time than we thought to get a handle on it."

"It never rains, but it bucking pours," I sighed and groaned, closing my eyes and resting my head against her shoulder for a moment, "Fucking bucking damn it!"

Her warm wing settled across my back, "We can handle this, Page. Worst case, I block them cold."

I sighed without moving, "How much political capital would that cost us?"

"Some," Celestia admitted, "Mostly when it comes to the tax rates I suspect. And possibly in the general population when the media get a hold of it. But ponies like you so that won't hurt much."

"You mean, ponies liked me before this," I said and shifted my wings against hers, "Would this entire thing even have happened without it?"

Celestia didn't answer. She didn't need to, I already knew the answer.

Finally raising my head, I nodded, "Okay. That's just not acceptable. We need as much tax as we can get from those leeches as is. If we allow it to pass, how much do you think we can force through in return? And how can we turn it around on them to make a point that acting like this is not acceptable."

"That depends," Celestia admitted, "I have been refreshing my memory by going through the books on the subject," she said and motioned towards the thick book before her, "And I have some ideas, but I want to discuss them with you and my sister first. I want it to be an acceptable outcome for you, Page, and I already know you won’t like parts of it. If it's not acceptable, then I block it and they can buck off. "

I grinned, "Such language from the Perfect Pretty Pony Princess. What would the ponies say if they knew you spoke like that?"

Funny, Celestia's eye roll looks almost identical to Lunas.