//------------------------------//
// Chapter 17 
// Story: Looking Glass 
// by Hiver 
//------------------------------//

Everypony was asleep, the castle was quiet and the village below dark beneath the light of the half moon.

I moved on quiet hooves, exploring the halls.

Most guards had left with Celestia, but some remained, apparently assigned to Midnight and they were doing patrols, but none of them had any chance of spotting me.

Just keep out of the light, don't let my eyes reflect and when necessary, go to the rafters.

None of them had a clue I was even there.

Not that I had seen any of them for over an hour. Seriously, this place has to be bigger on the inside or something, I could have sworn I went through more corridors than could possibly fit inside by now.

From time to time I let out a small chirp of echolocation. It really was a very useful sense and so far, it had paid off.

I had found two hidden doors by the fact that that part of the wall sounded hollow. Both leading to fairly boring empty rooms, but the fact that this place had them kept me looking.

Because come on, who doesn't like hidden passageways?

A sound made my right ear perk up. Something scraping against crystal.

I heard it again. Not a hoofstep. Something sharp. Claws? A claw? Didn't sound like metal.

I let out another chirp, listening hard at the echoes around the corner.

Small shape, moving.

Small, moving, claws against stone. Two legs, not quadruped which limited things quite a lot unless we had been invaded by ostriches.

Talon.

I walked around the corner, "Shouldn't you be asleep?" I asked the small dragon as he got closer.

He blinked in surprise, his eyes slightly luminous in the dark. He didn't have as good night vision as a bat, but he could see better than a day pony.

"Page... yeah, I couldn't sleep," he admitted and crossed his arms and sighed, “It’s… not bright enough. And it’s too quiet and too loud at the same time. And my bed feels too strange.”

"I get that," I agreed and fell in beside him as he walked on, "Not an easy thing to do to turn things back around."

"Yeah, I guess."

I looked at him, "You're not glad to be back. I know it's tough, but-"

"Neither is Midnight," he said and stopped to look up at me, "...She cries, you know. When she think nopony sees."

I sighed and looked towards the side, "It's tough for both of you."

Talon was quiet for a long moment before he spoke up again, "When you leave, I'm going back with you."

I looked at him, "Talon, I'm not sure that's a good idea. I know you are getting to know a filly back home, but you may come to regret going in the future. And there might not be a way back here then, I have no idea how many times you can do that trip."

"Page, Nocturnis is my home," he said firmly, "Yes, I missed everypony here. I'm happy to see everypony again, especially Midnight's parents. But this is no longer where I belong."

The worst thing?

He wasn't wrong. Yes, it wasn't his original world, but he had helped build Nocturnis as much as any pony. He had any right to live there, just like anypony else.

Sighing, I nodded, "Even so, I think you should discuss it with Midnight. And her parents."

"I will. But this is my choice, Page," he said seriously.

"It is," I agreed before smiling at him, "When did you start to grow up?"

"I am over the age of majority for a pony," Talon pointed out.

"Fair,” I sighed, “But for a dragon that's not that old."

Talon shrugged, "I grew up among ponies," he said, "And spent the last years in Nocturnis."

I nodded. I didn't like it, but foals in Nocturnis learned very quickly that there were times to mess around and times where you didn't. And even when arriving, Talon had not been a foal. Young for a dragon yes, but not a hatchling.

"So what are your plans now?" I asked him, "I mean, tonight."

Talon shrugged, "Don't know. Might go for a walk, I need to think."

"Sounds good," I agreed, "I think I might take a flight too."