Celestia looked down at me, "So you haven't looked?"
I shook my head, "Not in the dreams and I told the guards to stop giving me reports when we reached fifteen and I haven't checked the square."
She frowned slightly, "Why?"
I sank down to sit, looking at the colourful window of Twilight and the rest of the elements before me, "Because as long as I don't look, there are both enough and not enough ponies that have showed up. As long as the number is not observed, it's not quantifiable and as such, can just as easily be enough. Call it Schrodinger's Thestrals."
Celestia smiled slightly, "I'm not sure it works like that, Page."
I sighed softly and then shrugged my wings before glancing up at her, "No... likely not. But it does allow me to keep my hope up for at least a little longer," I admitted, "I know it's not the right thing to do, I need to know what's going on to make decisions, but..." I said and flicked one ear as she sat down next to me, her large wing settling softly across mine as she watched me, "I just want to pretend I didn't fail completely for a little while longer."
"Page!"
I smiled at her and shook my head, "I know, I know. But if nopony shows, I have wasted over two milion Bits. Sure, some can likely be used for another plan or other purpose, but still," I said and snorted, "I should have planned this better, given it more time. But I just..."
"Just wanted to help as many as quickly as possible," Celestia finished for me as she moved up next to me, her wing settling softly against mine.
"Yeah," I admitted and looked up at the window of Sparks and her friends, "I have to do better next time. They deserve for me to do better next time."
Celestia gave my mane a small nuzzle, "Page, you have already done more than my sister and I ever managed."
"And it's not enough," I said and then looked at her, "How do you do it?"
"Do what?"
I looked at her and then waved a hoof around, "This! All of this! How do you handle ponies looking up to you at all times, how do you handle them expecting you to have all the answers!?" I asked before I sighed and facehooved, "...And now I'm doing it."
Celestia gave me a quick hug with her wing as she grinned before she got serious and pulled her wing back before she looked at me, "Come with me."
I frowned and then moved up next to her, letting her guide me through the castle towards a balcony facing out towards Canterlot. She stopped by the window, thankfully not bringing me out into the cold before she looked at me, "What do you see?"
"The city."
She nodded, "And beyond it?"
"The horizon, clear skies, more of Equestria."
Celestia nodded again, "Do you know what I see?"
I looked at her in question and she smiled,
"I see what you see. But I also see ponies able to go about their lives without fear of being raided by another tribe. Ponies that can sleep calmly in their beds with full stomachs. Ponies that are happy."
"Why you and Luna formed Equestria," I said and nodded as I sat down.
Celestia nodded, "It was," she admitted and then she actually blushed, "Well... actually no."
I blinked at her, "What?"
She actually cringed slightly and shifted her wings as she moved closer, "...Actually, the entire start of it all was because I thought the son of the leader trade delegation from the closest unicorn tribe was cute and I wanted an excuse to see him more often. So I might have worked for closer cooperation between us and things may have gotten a bit out of hoof..."
I looked at her for a long second before I broke down laughing.
Celestia giggled and poked me with her wing, "Let's keep that one out of the history books, shall we?"
Still laughing, I nodded before I smiled up at her, "Kind of snuck up on you, all of this, didn't it?"
She nodded and looked out through the window again, "It did," she admitted, "It's not fair what's being done to you, Page. You are getting all of it at once and because something I and my sister should have taken care of so long ago. I'm sorry."
"Nopony is perfect," I said and shook my head, "Not even a pretty pony princess," I teased and then sighed softly as I got up, "I better check how bucked we are and then get with Sparks and Midnight and see if we can't come up with a better plan and rescue what we can of this mess."
I turned to walk away when Celestia spoke up again,
"Page! I don't want you to g-" she started and broke off. I looked back at her in question.
Don’t say it. Don’t say it or I won’t be able to.
Celestia sighed softly before she continued, "...I don't want you to get hurt," she finished more quietly as she moved up next to her, "Promise me that. That no matter if you stay in Canterlot or head down to the jungle... promise me that you'll stay safe."
I smiled at her and touched her wing with mine, "Nopony can ever promise that. But I promise I'll be careful."
She nodded, "I suppose that's true," she admitted and then smiled, "Want some company?"
"I would love some," I agreed and smiled back as we started through the castle.
Somehow she always did manage to cheer me up. We'll check how many showed up and then get them some rooms in the castle for the night while I pick some larger brains than mine for a new plan.
Pushing the door open, I exited onto the balcony and moved over to the railing before I froze. The square was full of ponies. Wha- did we double book it or something with some other event?
Somepony below pointed towards me and yelled, "It's Prince Page!" and then he bowed as he rippled, changing from a blue pegasus to a dark blue thestral. But he was just the first, it almost moved through the crowd from him, sweeping across the ponies and as they bowed, many shimmered into slightly different colours as they gained bat wings until more than half had changed.
I swallowed, feeling my jaw drop before I glanced to Emerald Sky as she trotted onto the balcony, "Do...do we have a headcount?" I asked her.
She nodded, "Yes, your highness," she said and pulled a scroll from her satchel before checking, "Counting foals and non-thestral family members, we end up at a total of eight hundred and fifty three ponies. Six hundred and twelve of which being thestrals."
Oh buck. We had calculated the food and supplies for six hundred total, including hired ponies.
I spread my wings for the crowd and waved and they erupted in cheers as I asked quietly, "Sunshine?" I asked through my smile as I glanced at Celestia while she stepped up next to me, "Would it be possible to negotiate for a loan?"