//------------------------------// // Chapter 25 // Story: Welcome to the jungle // by Hiver //------------------------------// I slowly woke up with a groan before I slowly blinked my eyes open and raised my head, looking around. “Good evening, My Page,” Luna said from next to me with a smile. I shifted and leaned softly against her side, her wing settling across my back as I leaned my head against her neck, “Evening.” “Feeling better?” she asked a bit playfully. I groaned softly, “Feels like I drank a desert… and don’t remember how I ended up here,” I admitted, “I remember telling stories with Shining, but then things turns a bit fuzzy…” Luna nodded and turned a page in her book, “Not surprised,” she teased. I groaned and shifted a bit closer, “...I’m sorry, I ruined one of our mornings. And this is the last night here.” “Don’t worry about it,” Luna said and gave my ear a small nip with a smile, “I spent the night getting to know Twilight and Sunset better. We talked a lot.” I nodded and then blinked, looking around, “Speaking of Sparks and Sunny, where are they off to?” “Going to spend the night with Celestia and Midnight,” Luna said and rested her head against my mane, “I know my sister has missed them.” “They did too,” I agreed and rolled onto my back to look up at her in the light of her horn, “Are you sure you have to go?” “I’m afraid so, My Page,” Luna said and sighed softly, leaning down to bump her nose against mine before she flinched back slightly. “...I’ll go brush my teeth,” I said and scooted out of bed, rolling onto my hooves and stretching before I blinked as I spread my wings. Celestia, how much did I drink yesterday? Alicorns don’t really get hangovers as a rule, but I was actually feeling all kinds of off. Shaking my head slightly, I left the bedroom to get my teeth brushed and looked into the mirror for a second before I frowned and also gave my mane and coat a quick brushing along with my tail. Shaking my mane back, I blinked at my mirror image. Mane’s getting a bit on the long side. Sunny liked that so that’s not that big of a problem, but my tail could use a picking too. Hmm. Should try to get that done soon. Just because we lived out here didn’t mean I had to look like a barbarian pony. Giving both mane and tail another quick brushing, I put the brush back and returned to the outer room to find Flower Rain on the couch. She looked up when I entered, “Good Evening, Your Majesty,” she said with a small bow and a smile. “Good evening, Flower,” I said and paused to start picking pieces of fruit onto a tray with a pair of glasses of ice tea, “How are things tonight?” “Quiet,” she answered and sat up, closing her notebook, “Nothing that can’t wait until tomorrow night anyway.” “In which case,” I said and flicked my ear, “Why are you here and not out with that colt you like?” Flower blinked, “In case you need me, your highness.” I downed one glass of ice tea before refilling it again and putting it on the tray, “Not tonight, Flower,” I told her with a smile, “Take the night off. In fact, go take that coltfriend out for dinner and have them put it on my tab.” Flower rain shifted a bit uncomfortably, “...Are you sure, sir?” “Do I have to make it a decree?” I teased her and picked the tray up in my magic, “Go have fun, if anypony deserves it, it’s you.” She smiled a bit shyly, “Well, if you put it that way…” she said and put her notebook away in her bag before she jumped off the couch and bowed, wings half spread, “As you command, your majesty.” I looked after her as she left. I have got to start giving that mare more time off. At least one night a week or preferably two. Sadly, I really relied on her to be able to get anything organized and done. Maybe get her an assistant. Not Glimmer, she was an administrator, but I should really look into getting my assistant an assistant. There are assistants all the way down. Grinning at that thought, I headed back to the bedroom and closed the door behind me as I crossed over to Luna again, jumping back onto the bed and setting the tray down, “So…” I asked and nibbled at a piece of an orange, “How soon do you have to go?” Luna sighed softly and smiled sadly, picking a piece of mango from the tray, “We should leave for the train by dawn,” she said and scooted closer, touching her horn softly against mine, “So too short a time.” I nodded and looked up at her, “You know… we may be technically be part of Equestria, but would it cause a diplomatic incident if I took you prisoner and refused to give you back? Or would that just be an insurrection?” Luna smiled playfully, “Really?” I nodded and eyed her, “I have ropes and everything. Equestria would have no choice but to give in to our demands,” I said and rolled onto my back, smiling up at her. “Oh?” Luna asked and settled down, her wing across me as her nose touched mine, “And what are those demands?” “Mmm… can think of some,” I said and flicked one ear as I ran my hoof along her wing, “More Luna time.” “Mhmm,” Luna agreed and gave me a soft kiss. “Free books for everypony.” Luna giggled softly and gave me another small kiss, “Mhmm. Would make Twilight happy.” “And moving the seat of the Princess of the Moon to Nocturnis.” “Hmm,” Luna said and sighed softly, resting her head against my chest, “It’s a nice thought.” I put my forelegs around her, “Yeah… but Sparks has some ideas about shortening the travel time at least. She thinks it’ll take a couple of decades to figure it out, but in time…” “That would be nice,” Luna said quietly, resting against me before she lifted her eyes to look into my eyes again, “I will miss you, My Page.” “I’ll miss you too, My Sky,” I said and pulled her softly into a kiss.