//------------------------------// // Chapter 12 // Story: Welcome to the jungle // by Hiver //------------------------------// “How do you mean, sir?” Silver Gleam, my guard commander asked. She was a unicorn with white coat and light blue short cut mane and a dagger cutiemark. Usually Moon Glow, the pony in charge of my personal guard attended these meetings, but for this one I had required Silver Gleam to show up in person. “What I mean, is that we’re cutting down on these things,” I said and motioned towards everypony at the meeting, “You know your jobs, you have been doing them for two years. You don’t need me looking over your shoulders and quite frankly it’s time that I get that through my head.” Tight Bit shifted his wings, “In what way specifically?” “Specifically that we’re cutting these meetings way down,” I said, “Quite frankly, we’re holding these every couple of days and we could do them once a month. And we are.” “Once a month?” Hardy Brick asked and then stomped his hoof once, “Excellent!” “Brick?” Tight Bit asked, looking at him in surprise. “Because time spent here is time we can spend doing something actually useful!” “Indeed,” I agreed, “And you all know how to do your jobs. I’m available if you need anything, need to bring anything to my attention or just want to talk, but I’m just going to let you guys get on with it otherwise. Because, let’s be honest, a lot of these could just be a message.” Hesitant nods all around. “So, we’ll step these down to the first each month,” I said and stretched my wings, “If that’s all for today?” With bows, everypony started to file out, but Fluttershy paused and smiled at me, “Congratulations,” she said softly, eyes flicking to the feather. “Thank you,” I told her with a smile. She smiled and bowed slightly before leaving as well. Flower Rain walked over, “Miss Glimmer has arrived.” “Thank you, Flower,” I said with a nod and relaxed slightly on the throne, “So… how did you think that went?” She hesitated, one hoof slightly off the floor, “It went well, I think. Change always makes ponies nervous, but I think it works.” “Works better,” I said and shook my head, “Better send Miss Glimmer inside. And… maybe some tea?” “Of course,” Flower Rain agreed with a smile and a small bow before walking out. A couple of minutes later, a maid delivered a tray of ice tea and retreated before the door opened again and a very nervous looking Starlight Glimmer entered. She slowly crossed the throne room and bowed deeply, “You wished to see me, your highness?” I flicked one ear and looked at her for a moment. No, no she wasn’t nervous. She was outright terrified. I poured a pair of glasses of ice tea, “Interesting,” I said and floated one over to her. She took it automatically in her magic, “Interesting?” she said and stood up, glancing up at me. “Mostly only thestrals call me that,” I said and sipped my tea, “Most other ponies simply say Prince Page or even just sir.” “I… thought that it wouldn’t hurt to be extra polite,” Starlight admitted and swallowed, “Considering that you rule this village and… hate me.” I frowned at her, “Hate you?” “I hurt the ponies that you love,” she said quietly and glanced down at her tea. “So has many others,” I said and sighed, “Starlight, I don’t hate you. I don’t like you, but I don’t know you enough to dislike you.” “I…” “What you did, I would hardly call good,” I said, “You could have ended the world.” Starlight flinched slightly, but I continued. “But I have forgiven more in the past,” I said and sighed, “Hell, I married Luna and I do want marry Sunset in the future,” I told her, “And I’m on okay terms with Chrysalis. Discord… well, being friendly would be stretching things a bit, but we can stand each other. What you did was bad, yes, but not enough for me to hate you. Or even dislike you.” Starlight flicked one ear, looking like she was about to say something before she paused and glanced at me, “So why did you wish to see me?” “You ran a village, for...three years was it?” I asked instead, ignoring her question. “Almost four.” “I assume you, even with your removing of cutiemarks, you had quite a bit of administration to keep things working,” I said and sipped my tea while observing her, “Gathering reports, getting ponies moving in the same direction, smoothing things over… correct?” Starlight flinched slightly when I mentioned cutiemarks, but she nodded, “Yes sir.” “Want a job?” Starlight blinked at me in surprise, “A job?” “Yes,” I agreed, “I find myself in need of an administrator. This isn’t an order, Starlight. Nor is it part of your work-release with Princess Twilight. It’s a job offer and you would be paid fairly in Bits, just like everypony else.” “I see,” she said, sounding thoughtful. I nodded, “Take a couple of days to think about it.” Sipping her ice tea in thought, she nodded, “Of course, Your Highness,” she said and bowed at the dismissal before leaving. Flower Rain walked up with a clipboard, her ears drooping slightly, “Next on the agend-” “Flower,” I said gently, “I’m not replacing you.” She blinked and looked up at me in surprise, “Your Highness?” “That’s what you were thinking. The job I offered… it was part of your duties.” “...Yes…” she answered and looked down. I sighed and jumped off the throne and moved up to her, touching my hoof to her cheek and getting her to look at me, “Flower, you are the one pony in the village that works more than I do. I know you put in hours both before and after I went to bed, preparing and getting things ready. Didn’t you?” “...Yes…” I shook my head, “Flower… I’m not giving her your job, I could not do any of this without you. You got it all wrong.” She blinked up at me in surprise, “What?” I smiled at her, “Flower, I’m giving you a promotion. If she takes the job, getting everything ready and prepared as well as gathering all those reports would be her duties. Then she’d report to you. She’s working for you!” “O-oh!” I nodded, “See?” before I smiled teasingly, “Besides, wouldn’t it be nice to get some more time to spend with that colt you liked? He works at the train station, doesn't he?” Flower blushed softly but nodded.