//------------------------------// // Chapter 20 // Story: Eclipse // by Hiver //------------------------------// I entered the dream and spread my wings, gliding down along the air as Io felt around for the dreams inhabitant. Passing along the main bridge in Nocturnis, I banked around before coming in to land on the middle of the main street where Sunset were trying in frustration to move a humongous grape the size of a house sitting in the middle of the square while also warding hungry batponies off as you don’t eat food off the floor. Grinning, I watched in amusement for a couple of moments before tapping my hoof and solidifying the dream. Sunset sank down to sit, “Oh,” she said before she groaned, “It’s a dream!” and then looked up at the gigantic grape, “Why didn’t I ever realize it was a dream!?” I grinned and trotted up to touch my horn to hers, “It’s what dreams do.” “I just figured I’d start to recognize it, not like you haven’t done this enough,” she said and then looked into my eyes with a small smile, “How’s practice?” I smiled at her, “I only blew myself up once.” Sunset leaned back slightly, raising an eyebrow, “You do know that’s once more than you should, right?” I sat down and smiled at her, “Was barely an explosion, just threw me back a bit.” She looked up at me with a small smile, “What were you doing anyway?” “Force spell,” I said and shrugged my wings, “I was meant to make a sphere of force to throw, causing a concussive effect.” She grinned, “Sounds like Starwhirls bombast. That’s pretty advanced actually. Did you forget to throw it?” “No, I lost control before I could,” I admitted, “I'll try again tomorrow, but Sunshine made me quit for the day.” “So one pony there has some sense at least,” Sunset teased and scooted closer. I smiled and bumped my nose against hers, “And how’s things in Nocturnis?” I asked, glancing at the giant grape, “This caused by something.” “Oh, other than needing to herd bats around?” Sunset commented and then shook her head, “No, it’s actually going pretty well. Everypony is just antsy for the rain to stop.” I nodded. More than understandable that. The rest of the year was significantly warmer, but even for non-bats it was easier to deal with that than being confined indoors at all hours of the night. “And the fields?” Sunset frowned at me before she poked my chest, “Don’t you worry about that. You have more important things right now, leave Nocturnis to Twi and me.” I frowned at her in turn before I sighed and shook my head, “...Can’t do anything from where I am anyway,” I admitted and scowled, “I’m not used to being out of the loop.” “I know,” Sunset said, smiling softly up at me, giving my lips a small kiss, “But if Princess Celestia can take time away, so can you. So focus on what’s important right now and let us handle your ponies.” My ponies. I flicked one ear and glanced down before pressing my nose against her mane, pulling her close with a foreleg. Sunset shifted closer, resting her head against my neck. We stayed like that for a while before Sunset shifted back to smile up at me again, “So… you’re dying to eat that grape, aren’t you?” “Oh yeah,” I answered with a toothy grin, “I would love to eat your grape.” Sunset’s cheeks reddened slightly. “Of course,” I then added and nosed at her ear, “I’m not in Nocturnis, so I suppose I have to leave that duty to Sparks too. Make sure she does it properly and thoroughly.” Sunset blushed deeper as she glared a bit up at me, “Stop th-” “I think tha-” Sunset pounced, pushing me over onto my back, her hooves on my chest pinning me down, “Page!” she exclaimed, blushing to the tips of her ears. I grinned up at her, “Yes?” Still blushing, she settled down, “You are impossible,” she said as she slid off me to lay next to me. Smiling, I rolled onto my side to face her, “...And I also want to eat the grape.” “Bat,” she said, rolling her eyes before she sighed and scooted closer. I pulled her close, nosing at her mane. “So how are things really?” I asked softly. “Page!” “Okay, okay!” I agreed and sighed, “No questions. Sparks going to have a nap later as well?” Sunset shook her head, “No,” she admitted and rolled over to face me, touching her horn to mine, “She has court tonight. But she told me to tell you that she’s going to tonight.” “I’ll look for her then,” I said and stroked her mane, “Now go wake up before you won’t be able to sleep this morning.” Sunset nodded and smiled, “Say Hi to Princess Celestia from me and Twi.” “I will.” ################ I wrapped my cloak tighter around myself as I looked out over the forest below, lit by the noon sun before I glanced at Glow as she stood next to me, “How’s everypony doing?” “Everypony is doing well, your majesty.” Glow answered with a nod, “There was some friction with the solar guard during the first couple of days, but things smoothed out soon enough.” I smirked, “Presumably around the time they realized that two thirds of the Nocturnis guards were mares?” Glow looked amused, “Perhaps.” “Is that going to cause trouble?” She hesitated and then shook her head, “No, I don’t think so. Everypony is being professional. Maybe if we stayed longer than a month,” before she grinned briefly, “Besides, privacy is at a premium here.” I thought about my empty chamber in the other tower. The same size as one floor of the barracks holding twenty ponies. Should I share with Celestia? Or maybe we could move some beds over. I ruthlessly stomped that impulse into the ground. They would go for it if I told them to do it, but none of the guards would be comfortable with the arrangement. Not with me in the room anyway… or even if I shared with Sunshine, they would be uncomfortable, feeling like they displaced me. “Not too cold?” Glow shook her head, “It’s a bit chilly, for the bats especially. But the barracks are nice and toasty. Fireplace and ponies make a good amount of heat and we did bring winter gear for the bats,” she said and then shrugged her wings, “Wouldn’t like to be here in the winter though,” she admitted, “I understand the majority of ponies stationed here were earth ponies other than some messenger pegasi.” Which made sense. Pegasi could handle the cold fairly well, but earth ponies were just plain tougher. During a longer period, earth ponies would in general be better at it, if nothing else because they were larger and sturdier and with thicker coats. “Me neither,” I agreed and pulled the cloak a bit tighter against the wind. “We are getting a bit low on wood though,” Glow then said and pointed down towards the village at a distance in the forest, “We’re sending a group down to the village to bring a pair of cart loads back tomorrow. My solar counterpart has already prearranged things.” I nodded, “Sounds good,” before an idea struck me, “You know, I have to check with Celestia, but perhaps we could do tomorrow's lessons down in the forest.” Shouldn’t be cold down there! Down there, it should be just normal summer warmth. I should have thought about this earlier! Glow thought about it for a second, “As long as you bring guards I have no objection, your majesty.” I nodded before I smiled, “...And I think that’s my lunch break over. Back to my studies I think.” “Good luck.” I gave her a nod and a smile before I moved to trot back inside and up to Celestia's chamber. Stopping outside, I raised my hoof to knock. “Enter.” I pushed the door open and slipped inside, closing the door behind me as I slipped my cloak off. After having been outside, the room felt outright hot. “Had a nice walk?” Celestia asked from her place by the fireplace, three books and some papers spread out before her. “I did,” I said with a smile, slipping around to lay down between the sun goddess and the fireplace. Now I was nice and warm, the chill that trickled through my coat while I was out despite the cloak, quickly evaporating into nothing. “Ready to continue?” “Actually,” I said, “Before we do, I talked with Moon Glow while I was out. They are going to do a firewood run tomorrow and I figured we could go down from the mountain as well, have our lesson for the day there?” Celestia nodded, “That’s a good idea,” and then she shifted slightly, “...And I think I should have suggested it earlier, but I noticed that you…” “...Am not comfortable on the forest floor,” I agreed and shifted my wings, “And neither are most of my guards. A hazard from having lived in Nocturnis before the shield went up. And for those that venture outside of it. But it’s something I need to work on as well.” Celestia nodded and settled a wing across my back, “And it will get you away from the cold,” she said with a small smile. “That too,” I said with a small smile, “But it’s not that bad. Honestly, Canterlot is worse in a normal winter. No snow, no moisture. No nobles.” Celestia laughed and shook her head, “No nobles,” she agreed and then touched her nose to my mane, “Just a noble pony.” I shifted my hooves a bit uncomfortably, “So what are we going tomorrow? Anything planned?” “Actually yes,” Celestia said with a smile, “Fire magic. Let’s try again.” I suppressed a groan and sighed, “You know I can’t do that.” “I’m sure you can,” Celestia said and folded her wings again, “There is no reason why you wouldn’t be able to. All you need is practice.” I just sighed miserably, “Shall we return to something I may actually be able to do.” “Spell calculations,” Celestia agreed and slid the paper over to me, “And if they work out, we can try casting it this afternoon.” Now that would be awesome, a custom light spell. My first ever self created spell! If I did it right, it would create a bit of candle light following me around. If I fucked it up, it might set me on fire. Better not fuck it up, setting me on fire was for the schedule for tomorrow, not today.