//------------------------------// // Chapter 13 // Story: Looking Glass // by Hiver //------------------------------// I sat down across from her and settled an illusion across myself, my thestral traits fading into those of a pegasus. I looked at her with a small smile before letting them fade away again. Fluttershy seemed to shrink in on herself, taking up as little space as possible in her throne but her illusion faded away as well as she hid behind her mane. Seeing her like this… It was honestly agonizing. Lighting my horn, my headache increased but I ignored it as I cast a bubble of sound and sight around the entire room. “There,” I finally said, “Now nopony can hear us. Anyone looking in, will just see us talking normally” She just nodded slightly. I took a deep breath, “I know the you in the other world,” I told her quietly but seriously, “And so does Midn- Twilight.” “S-she… k-knows?” “She knows,” I confirmed, “And she doesn't care. You can talk to her, Fluttershy.” Fluttershy closed her eyes tightly, taking deep breaths before she let them out again and nodded, “I-I understand.” Thestrals lived like this here still. Afraid of discovery. It made me… Furious. More than furious. “No pony else knows here,” I said, “Well… Spike knows, but you can trust him to keep it a secret until you want it known.” Fluttershy’s eyes went wide. “Not that you have to unless you want to,” I quickly said and stepped up, putting my hoof on her throne, looking up at her, “Fluttershy, you’re not alone. There are thousands of batponies in Equestria.” That really got her attention and she met my eyes for the first time, “T-thousands?” “Thousands,” I told her seriously, “Where I’m from, we have joined together and formed a village. Nocturnis. A place where batponies can live in peace, without needing to hide.” Fluttershy swallowed and looked down at her hooves again, “That… sounds nice,” she said quietly. “I can also tell you that the Fluttershy I know there, all her friends know. None of them care either,” I told her gently, “I don’t think they would here, either.” Fluttershys illusion instantly went back up. …Fluttershy… I took a small step back, “Just… know you’re not alone, Fluttershy,” I told her, “remember that. And that you can trust your friends with anything.” Then I turned to walk out. “P-Prince Page?” I looked back at her at the sound of her quiet voice, “Yes?” “A-an entire village?” I nodded, “An entire village,” I confirmed, “We created one. Gathered every thestral that wanted to come. Thousands did.” Fluttershy swallowed and nodded, “T-thank you.” I smiled at her and then I left the bubble, canceling it as I did before pushing the door open to see everypony but Pinkie waiting there. I paused and then shook my head, “Relax, I just let her look at me until she calmed down and answered any questions she had,” I told them with a smile, “I know I can look scary.” “Oh,” Rainbow said, “Why didn’t you just say so!” and then trotted past me back inside. Applejack and Rarity followed her but Midnight paused as she watched me, “Go on girls, “she said, “I’ll catch up in a minute.” As they returned inside, Midnight wrapped us into a bubble of silence, “Are you okay?” she asked softly, putting her hoof on my shoulder.. I shook my head, “Not sure I am. Seeing her like that again… it hurts.” “I know,” Midnight admitted, “I had gotten used to how she is at ho-” She broke off and shook her head, “...When did I start thinking about it as home…” “I’d say when you and Tempest became a thing,” I told her quietly. “Tempest,” she said quietly and sniffed slightly, “She must be so worried.” I pulled her into a hug. ### I looked out over Ponyville in the light of the moon, watching from a balcony facing the small village. I was in a different universe. It was just starting to sink in. This was… actually not a new experience for me, but this time there was a chance for me to go back so I didn’t panic. I trust Midnight. I trust Midnight. I trust Midnight to find a way back because I sure as hell couldn't do it on my own. I trust Midnight. I closed my eyes tight. I trust Midnight. I’ll see everypony again. I’ll get back home. I’ll get back home. I trust Midnight. “Prince Page?” Blinking my eyes open, I turned to look back to see Princess Celestia approach across the room. A pair of guards stopped outside as the door closed behind her. It was… so strange. She was Celestia. She looked identical to Sunshine. But she wasn’t. It was the eyes. She didn’t look at me like Sunshine did. “Princess Celestia,” I greeted her in turn, turning go give her a small bow, “I didn’t think you were still in Ponyville.” “I was not, I returned just before sunset,” Celestia said, “I wanted to meet you in person. When you are lucid.” I nodded and smiled up at her, “It’s night,” I said, “I would have expected Princess Luna.” Celestia smiled back sadly, “We decided I would meet you. Considering what Twilight said, meeting me would be easier for you than my sister. You are married to her in your world?” “I am,” I agreed, “And… you’re right, thank you.” That would have been difficult. This was hard enough as is. Celestia regarded me for a long moment, “...But not as much easier as I expected,” she said quietly, “Your Celestia and you…” “No,” I said and took a deep breath, looking away, “Sunshine and I never… it’s complicated.” “But you love her.” I shifted my wings before I looked up at her again, “It’s complicated. We’re so far apart, she is in Canterlot with Luna, I am in Nocturnis. She is of the day, I am of the night. Being that far away from my Luna is hard enough.” Celestia slowly nodded as she walked up to look out over the village next to me, “Twilight told me of your Thestrals,” she said, “I… had no idea there were so many left. Do you believe there are so many here as well?” “Nothing I’ve seen says otherwise,” I said and turned to look out next to her. She was silent for several long moments, “Is there something we can do to help them?” I didn’t answer for several long moments, putting my hoof on the railing before I looked up at her, “I think… that they may just want to get away from the light. They don’t want your help. All they want is a place to feel safe, a place away from being afraid.” “You blame me.” “No,” I told her, turning to look up at her, “I know you and Luna did everything in your power for everypony in Equestria, Thestrals or not. I don’t even blame other ponies. It’s just their nature to be fearful of those that are different. But I know many of my bats do.” Celestia looked at me for several moments, “Prince Page,” she said a bit firmed this time, “I think you underestimat-” “What would happen if I walked into Ponyville tomorrow?” I asked, cutting her off, meeting her eyes, “I may not know you, Princess, but I Know You. I know that the pony that forged Equestria despite the resistance, through steel, fire and willpower is not deluded enough to think there will be any other result than panic.” Princess Celestia, alicorn of the Sun, actually took a step back, flinching before she looked to the side. I looked up at her. She looked so much like my Sunshine. But she wasn’t. But she had the same chinks in her armor and for my bats, I’d use every single one of them if I had to. Celestia was quiet for several long moments, “...So what would you have us do?” she asked quietly as she turned to look at me again. “Princess Luna,” I told her, “Have her find them, talk to them. They tolerate her, if it’s because she’s of the night or because she was my wife, I don’t know for certain, but it’s the best I can suggest. Don’t tell them what to do, ask them what they want. Find the strongest unicorns of the land, have Twilight teach them the decursing spells. Give them somewhere to live, not just somewhere to survive. They have been surviving so far. Living, not so much for most of them.” Celesita looked down at the floor, letting a small sigh out before she nodded, “I need to discuss matters with my sister.” “I understand,” I said and then let my breath out, “...I’m sorry,” I said, “I didn’t mean to sound like I blamed you for any of it.” “But you should. It was my… mine and my sister’s responsibility to see to the safety of all ponies in Equestria. And we have failed the thestrals,” she said before she regarded me for several long moments, “I came here to see you, to get an idea of who you were. Twilight said you never wanted to be a prince, that you did all you could to avoid it actually. But that my counterpart made you one anyway… and I think I understand why now.” I scowled at her, “It was necessary at the time and now I’m stuck with it.” Celestia smiled sadly, “So are we all.”