//------------------------------// // Chapter 75 // Story: Welcome to the jungle // by Hiver //------------------------------// I looked up from my book as Luna walked inside. I smiled before I frowned, she was looking… annoyed. She crossed over and jumped onto the couch, laying down next to me with a sigh. “What’s wrong?” I asked with a frown, “Didn’t you have a meeting with Sunshine?” “I did,” Luna grumbled, “She is infuriatingly stubborn.” I smiled and closed my book, rolling onto my back to look up at her, “Sunshine? Stubborn? One of the two mares that united Ponies from separate tribes and city states into a unified empire and then held it together for thousands of years by willpower alone? Stubborn? Nah, don’t see it.” Luna rolled her eyes and laid down, resting her head on my chest, “It’s just… ugh. She just refuses to listen, even if there is something that’s for her own good.” “Family.” “Mmmm,” Luna agreed with a small sigh before she frowned and looked around, “No Sunset and Twilight?” she asked. I shook my head, “Sparks is spending the evening with her friends, I think they’re at Sparks place here in Canterlot. Sunset tagged along.” Luna frowned, “Not you?” I smiled and stroked her mane, “It would cut into my Luna time. Something I have way less of that I like.” She smiled and shifted her wing, settling it across me, “It’s not forever, My Page.” “...No, but it has been almost two years,” I said and sighed softly, “It’s… a long time.” She sighed softly and rested her head against me again, “I would prefer you here with me. But it’s only been a few years. I have spoken with Twilight and reviewed her findings on possible permanent portals. It may indeed be possible and would revolutionize long distance travel across Equus.” “In thirty years at best,” I grumbled, “That’s longer than I ever want to be away from you. Two years is longer than I want in any way.” “It may feel as such, but even thirty years isn’t that long,” Luna pointed out, “We don’t grow old.” “Doesn't mean I don’t miss this every day. Being away from somepony you love isn’t easy.” “Me as well,” Luna said, “I don-” she started to say before she froze, frowning. “What?” I asked running my hoof along her shifting mane, the stars shimmering where I brushed across them. Luna shook her head, “Nothing, I simply believe that I just figured something out.” “Oh?” She smiled and shook her head again, “Nothing about getting us more time, sadly. But… we can visit each other more often. It is only a week travel each way.” “True,” I said, “At least twice a year each.” “Mmm.” “Of course, there is another option,” I said and smirked, holding her tighter, “Nocturnis can annonce independence from Equestria. Would solve the entire ‘owe you money’ problem too.” Looking down at me, Luna raised an eyebrow, “And how exactly would that solve our problem of not having enough time together?” “Because Equestria would need to send somepony to negotiate and for something this important, it would be one of the royal sisters. And who better than my wonderful wife?” I asked with a smile, “I could drag those negotiations out for… years. Decades. Maybe even take you hostage… I have rope and everything.” Luna grinned, “Page, you silly pony. That would never work.” “Give me one reason why?” “We have plenty of practice crushing rebellions,” Luna said and bumped her nose against mine, “You would not be the first pony to try in the history of Equestria.” “Hmm.” No doubt about that. Celestia alone was a complete menace. “Could just ponynap you,” I pointed out. “Hmm, or perhaps I could do that instead,” Luna teased and raised herself, putting her hoof on me, pushing me down against the couch with a smirk, “you are in the middle of our stronghold already.” I laid back, looking up at her, “There is that…” She leaned in and kissed me before relaxing again, settling down with her wing across me, “I miss you.” “I miss you too.” “Two more nights before you have to go,” she said quietly and fluffed her wings, “I have rescheduled all my duties until after you depart.” “We should make the most of the time we have until then.” “Mmm,” Luna said and then raised her head, “But we do have dinner tomorrow with my sister. That includes Twilight and Sunset.” “What time?” “Just after sunset. Breakfast for me, lunch for you, Twilight and Sunset and late dinner for my sister.” I couldn’t help but chuckle, “It's so easy to juggle three sleep schedules at once.” “Hmm, indeed,” Luna agreed before she smiled and shifted closer, her hoof resting on my chest, “But for tonight, I do believe I have a captive to interrogate.” “I’ll never talk.” “We’ll see about that, rogue.”