//------------------------------// // Chapter 50 // Story: Consequences // by Hiver //------------------------------// I carefully closed the door behind me and looked down on Fern, “Come on, let's go and leave them to it,” I said to the little plant. His leaf tongue lolled out and he looked quite happy as he padded along in the lead, looking around next to me. I left Skitter with Celestia, hopefully she will be able to help her get that kind of Princessly thing. I mean, if there was anyone that had that kind of experience it would be Celestia. Of course, she didn't let me leave before I promised to stay in the Castle until she could return to me again. I was actually a bit worried I wouldn't be able to go anywhere without three or four changelings constantly following me in the future when she couldn't do it herself. Skitter took her duties, self assigned or otherwise, very seriously. It's almost like she thought I would do something stupid the moment she turned her back. Taking a left, I paused with my fronthoof just off the floor as I looked into the throneroom for the first time since the fight. Crafts ponies were swarming the place, working the stone and colors. They needed to do repairs anyway and it turned out that Celestia and Luna decided to redecorate the entire thing early to match both their colors instead of just Celestia's. Where Tirek fell, the ground was... I wouldn't call it a crater, but I would say that the marble floor was almost melted in a inverse bubble. Damn. I slowly entered the throneroom, allowing Fern a longer length of leash so he could nose around as I moved over to look down on the spot. The stone looked like it had kinda melted. If the power had not gone through me... shit, it might have blown up the castle. We were so, so very lucky. “Lord Page. Can we help you?” an earth pony in a hard hat asked as he bowed to me. I shook my head, “No, please, don't allow us to get in your way,” I said and guided Fern closer to me with the lead. “I was just looking,” I said and turned to leave. “Lord Page... thank you. For what you did.” I paused and looked back at him before I nodded and left. What the hell do you even say to that? I didn't do it for him or any of the others. I did it for Luna... and I suppose Celestia and Skitter. My friends. I didn't want to kill Tirek, but what choice did I have? I had to do something and it was the only thing I could think of and even that was so far odds that I wouldn't have bet on me. I got so lucky, even ignoring my new dust busters. Exiting the throneroom with Fern happily bouncing along next to me, I almost ran straight into Sunset Shimmer, “Oh... Sunset.” “Page,” she said as she stopped before she let out a breath and stepped close, pressing her shoulder against mine, “I'm glad I was wrong.” “Not as happy as I was,” I answered, “How did things go? Did you get out of the castle?” Sunset pulled back and shook her head, “No, not before the wave hit. I had never felt anything like that. What happened exactly? They say you were hurt.” I hesitated for a split second and glanced down at Fern. I wanted to keep things quiet and I wasn't sure I trusted Sunset. But she had been involved, she deserved to know, didn't she? She was going to be rewarded at the ceremony anyway. I motioned back the hallway, “Come on and I'll tell you all about it.” Moved through the castle as I told her about the fight step by step, answering her questions on the way. By the time we reached the end of the stairs of the Tower, reached the end of it. I nodded to the guards and pulled the door open, allowing her inside. Sunset paused for a second before she moved past me and into the outer room as she looked around. She had never been there before from what I knew. Following her inside, I untied Fern's leash and checked his bowls before I sighed, “There were consequences however,” I finished before I dropped the illusion and half spread my wings as Sunset looked over at me, freezing at the sight. I didn't say anything, instead I just slowly refolded my wings again. “...You... You're an Alicorn,” Sunset slowly managed to say, “An Alicorn stallion.” “I am now,” I said as I sat down with a nod, “When I killed Tirek... something happened. Luna tried to explain it, but I'm not sure she knew either exactly how it happened. Maybe it was fulfilling some kind of destiny, maybe it was being at the center of a magical detonation that should have cut Canterlot Mountain in half. Maybe it was something completely different.” “That's how you become an Alicorn!? You do something so stupidly suicidal that the universe just kinda has to make you one for sheer balls!?” Sunset exclaimed as she stared at me before she sighed and just kinda shrunk down on herself, “...Forget it. Celestia was right, I'm never going to be an Alicorn.” I wasn't sure what to answer, instead I just frowned and shook my head, “There might still be a chance. How about the next stupidly powerful dangerous evil overlord shows up, you get him?” She rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out at me, “Thank you, but I'll just settle for being a unicorn, thank you very much,” she said before she sighed and shook her head, moving closer, “Spread your wings again?” I raised an eyebrow at her but did as she said. Sunset sat down and shook her head at the sight, “I'm seeing it but I can't believe it. So... when is the coronation?” “It's not,” I said and folded my wings again, “I don't want it and I actually want to keep this quiet. I don't want the status and I certainly don't want the responsibilities.” I had enough attention as it was, thank you very much. Sunset frowned at me, “There are times I'm not sure if you are one of the brightest ponies I know or the dumbest.” “Half a dozen of one, six of the other? Why pick one?” Sighing, Sunset shook her head, “So... what is it like? Compared to being an Unicorn, I mean?” “...Impossible to find a comfortable position to sleep in and feathers are ticklish.” I admitted, “Other than that, less than you would think.”