Chapter Twelve: Warm Words Amid Icy Walls
“No change?” Luna sighed, flopping on a pile of cushions since the ‘delegating chair’ had been long since shoved aside for a more comfortable option.
“It has only been a few hours; I’m sure they’re fine. We still can’t pinpoint their location but we’re getting weak but regular ‘I’m ok’ signals from Celestia,” Shifting reported, reading off a parchment. A new report fizzled into existence causing the unicorn’s eyes to widen. “Uh, Luna?”
“Hmm?”
“What do you know of ‘Luna Bay?’ North-west of Vanhoover?”
Her curiosity piqued, the Alicorn slid off the cushions to sidle towards Shifting.
“It was named after me during one of the first years Celestia and I began to rule together, the moon reflects perfectly off a few natural formations there, as it did a thousand years ago…why?”
Shifting levitated the report over, his eyes slightly narrowed. “Because a strange glowing road just was reported to have ‘appeared’ north of the Bay. Some extreme hikers came across it. It’s underneath the ground; far too deep to get access to without heavy machinery. They say it looks like a golden crystal candy ribbon winding north; perhaps a buried path.”
“What….?”
“There’s more,” Shifting stated, causing his marefriend to glance up from the report. “When the hikers tried to follow it, a blizzard cut off their journey. They reported hearing angry whinnies and seeing ghostly forms in the sky.”
Luna drew a sharp breath in shock, reading over the report to see if there was any additional information. Shifting wrote a few hasty notes of his own, sending the parchments on their way with a magical zip of energy.
“An invasion?”
“Possibly. A road appears just as your Sister and our disease expert vanishes? That’s not a coincidence.”
“Can we spare a squad at least to monitor the situation?”
“I already sent them. I’m standing by with my squad as well as the Legionaries just in case.”
“Ok, Nacreous. How about a serious question now?”
“Hey, I asked your favorite food and you regaled me about how a visiting noble absolutely destroyed an entire cake without using silverware! You said he unhinged his jaw!?”
“I’m not apologizing.”
Nacreous let out a soft ‘snrk,’ then nodding as they continued to walk. They had continued to traverse the glacial maze for an hour after their personal talk, the pair’s topic of conversation shifting to more general things as the illuminated ice around them slowly darkened. Now, however, Nacreous sensed the air of a few more personal topics returning.
“Alright, well I’m open for a more serious question then.”
Celestia gestured to the Paladin, specifically his breastplate. “A few hours ago, just after I sent those mercenaries running, I saw something on your breastplate glow. What was that? It was a symbol, three interlocking circles slightly offset from one another.”
The hippogriff paused, and Celestia couldn’t help but smile as a rather brilliant blush began to color his cheeks.
“Nacreous?”
“I…perhaps it’s better I explain something first. The Paladin of the North isn’t my only title.”
Head tilting in surprise, Celestia sat down as they spoke, the pair munching on some bland but filling snacks. “What other titles do you have? My search didn’t turn up that many Paladins to begin with.”
“What were their names?”
Her brow furrowed, Celestia reciting them as best as she could remember. “It was in the Crystal Empire’s records, not mine. My Niece, Princess Cadence, found a few. Let me see; “Paladin of Hope, the Lost River, Love, and ‘of the Wayward Gods’ are the ones I recall.”
The fact Nacreous suddenly wasn’t able to look at Celestia had her ears perking up in astonishment. “Wait. Are those all you?”
He shook his head, tracing the ground with a claw. “Not the Lost River one.”
Celestia could only stare at the hippogriff in front of her, Nacreous obviously picking up on her eager curiosity. Before he could say anything, the Princess gestured towards his breastplate, her eyes wide in realization.
“Wait a minute. That’s a heart! The three circles. The two main blood entry and exit points, and then the heart itself!” she proclaimed, her words earning a smile and nod from Nacreous.
“Yes, and represents a few of my titles.”
Seeing his increasingly nervous behavior, Celestia scooted a bit closer to the hippogriff, waiting patiently for him to continue.
“The Wayward Gods? Those are my friends; Fori, Gaudi, Iust, and Arbo. I can tell you a bit more about them later actually; they think it’s time you know. Hope? That goes hoof and claw in the other title.”
Celestia’s expression softened, seeing Nacreous’s claws toy with each other nervously. “Love? I am a bit surprised, Nacreous, so please forgive my curiosity.”
“You and me both. You take various tests to determine your title. I got each title twice; except that one.”
“How does the test work?”
Nacreous scrawled a simple rune on the ground, watching as the ancient magic sparked against the suppression field generated by the surrounding metal. “You commune with the Leylines, let the magic flow through you and your mentors. They, and yourself are pulled towards an event, attribute, memory, or something along those lines that determines your title. Fate seemed a cruel thing until now.”
“A Paladin of something you couldn’t have…” Celestia whispered.
“Not within two weeks. Yet the answer stayed the same.”
“How many times did you take the test.”
The returning whisper was too soft for Celestia to hear at first, but it finally reached her ears as he spoke a bit louder.
“Eight,” the hippogriff took a deep breath, voice returning to normal volume. “And so, I learned to love others in the ways I could. Loving life itself, the beauty of the world, defending a parent and child; love is a powerful force in this world and present in so many things. I was a paladin of that force in every way but the personal one.”
The stoic hippogriff’s eyes widened as a hoof reached over to wrap around one of his clawed hands, Celestia letting her shoulder rest against the Paladin’s. “We may just be in the beginnings of our journey, Nacreous, but I am rather eager to change that,” her own voice now dropped to a bare whisper. “You certainly have changed such a thing with me. Perhaps we are both newer to this than I originally thought.”
Nacreous nodded, still not moving his claws away from the Princess’s hoof. “And, I’ll just say this. The armor at times responds to emotion much like your spell apparently,” he paused. “And I have to say, you were positively entrancing when facing that group. I don’t really have words that can capture it, not singularly.”
The adoring expression Celestia sent his way did wonders for Nacreous’s nerves, the hippogriff giving her hoof a squeeze. “And I do mean that, but I’ll save those words for later perhaps.”
Celestia nodded, not seeming to mind that her cheeks seemed to be permanently stuck in a slight blush. “Entrancing?” she managed to ask, only able to recall a few moments anycreature had ever used that term with her, and never so sincerely. “That’s not a word I would have used to describe me when I was about to vaporize a dozen creatures.”
Nacreous appeared to open his beak, then shaking his head as he turned to look at the Princess. “It wasn’t what you were doing but how, if that makes sense,” he replied softly, each word seeming to be carefully thought out. Releasing Celestia’s hoof, he reached up to gently rest a palm against her cheek, the Alicorn’s eyes widening in surprise at the gesture. The fact she immediately pressed back, however, was clue enough as any if it was a positive reaction.
“Having someone jump to my protection so quickly speaks a bit deeper than perhaps I originally could process.”
Two shimmering eyes radiating affection met his own, Celestia not able to resist smiling.
“You know, Nacreous, you’re really not making the whole ‘stay at just hugs’ idea any easier.”
The hippogriff grinned, clearly enjoying the fact Celestia turned to putty at his touch. He reached down to rest his forehead against hers, letting out a soft sight. “Don’t think that only applies to you though,” he whispered. “I’m not about to soil a kiss with circumstance. Both being stressed and in this dismal place? Both of us emotionally compromised at least a tad? No, that won’t do at all.”
Celestia sniffled, wiping a bit of dampness from her eyes as she tried her hardest to glare at him, pulling back slightly. “I want to be mad, but that is one of the most romantic and adoring things someone has ever said to me.”
“Even if it’s totally sappy?” Nacreous asked, ears perking up immediately.
“Because it’s sappy. Romantic words like that may be a negative for some, but for me…” Celestia let out a soft laugh, head shaking briefly. “It has been a hopeful thought for some time. Goodness, Luna wasn’t far off at all with that remark.”
“Hmmm?”
“She wanted to make a point that I’m very passionate about a certain type of romance, and I resisted until Luna brought up the fact she caught me reading a romance novel once…caught me reading one that is,” Celestia admitted. “I could find a bit of comfort in such things, since I wasn’t able to….”
“Oh no you don’t, let’s not go down that depressing path for both of us again. We’re here now,” Nacreous interjected, poking Celestia on the shoulder as they resumed walking.
“I agree, thank you,” the Princess whispered with a smile as his words chased away the encroaching despair and doubt of a thousand years. “Lulu is a romantic in her own way, but much more subtle, I think. I don’t pry too much in her life, but she definitely made her point. Your words only confirmed it to myself I suppose.”
“And I’ll gladly continue to offer more of those words. It’s only right for my maref-” Nacreous’s beak clamped shut, his brow furrowed. “Hmm.”
Now Celestia couldn’t keep back a laugh, the cheery sound echoing off the icy walls surrounding them.
“Nacreous, I think we’re at the point of me being your marefriend, and you my special somegriff, at least if you’d like it to be official.”
“I didn’t want to assume…”
Celestia shoved his shoulder with a smile, gesturing around to the cavern. “It’s not the place I’d prefer to remember the occasion as, but I don’t think a ball is coming up for some time, if that was when you were going to ask like the Commander did for Luna.”
Nacreous’s cheeks and ears now flushed, earning an incredulous gaze from Celestia.
“You were thinking about that?”
“Maybe. Yes. I wasn’t sure how to broach the topic.”
Trotting in front of the hippogriff, Celestia reached up and placed a hoof on his breastplate with a tender but playful smile. “Well then, Nacreous, will you be my special somegiff?”
The Paladin was all smile as he reached up and held her hoof with a nod. “Only if you’ll be my special somepony.”
As a pair of violet eyes widened, Nacreous tilted his head as Celestia’s gaze once again became a bit damp. “Celestia, you’ve been awful teary as of late…I don’t want to ruin the moment, but are you alright?”
Nodding once, Celestia trotted forward to press her head into Nacreous’s shoulder, taking a few deep breaths. “This is the first time in a thousand years I feel safe enough to show all this, to have someone I can open up to. Luna just- there’s things she can’t understand, things I don’t want her to understand,” she whispered.
“Mental challenges that only living thousand years can cause to unfold. I imagine that has built up quite a back log of that, huh?” Nacreous mused, wrapping up his now-official marefriend in a hug. “The same is with me, if I’m being honest. It’s just all still processing, I think. I don’t want you to think I’m completely unscathed by the years,” he paused in thought as Celestia let out an agreeing huff. “Safe…is that why hugs are so nice?”
Celestia nodded, relaxing in Nacreous’s arms. “A millennium of not being able to feel the security of this simple gesture; I can’t explain how incredible it is. It makes me feel less powerful, less the all-mighty image I’ve portrayed. It makes me feel just like me. And knowing someone cares enough…”
The hippogriff hugged the Alicorn a bit tighter, the familiar sensation of Celestia relaxing in his embrace bringing a slow smile to his beak. “I can understand that. To not be able to have this sort of contact from anyone your size for a thousand years; I know it can wear on the mind. Such a simple thing so many would take for granted,” he then let out a soft chuckle. “Like properly-sized doorways.”
Celestia laughed, breaking off the embrace and holding up a hoof, the pair starting to walk once again. “Or cheap horseshoes!”
“Or a true ‘family platter’ of food!”
“Or a normal sized bed!”
“Or a water bottle! Goodness I can down ten of those ‘large’ containers!”
As Nacreous chuckled, Celestia let out a thoughtful breath, glancing over to the hippogriff. “While we are on the topic of ‘us’, what is a thing or two you look for in a special somecreature? I assume I have at least one of them, being your special somepony…” she asked, demeanor becoming rather subdued as the Princess thought.
Nacreous slowed his pace, thinking a few, long moments before replying. “Passionate, and sensitive,” he finally remarked, earning a slightly surprised look from Celestia.
“May I ask why? I like learning about you, and I certainly plan on returning the answer by the way.”
Letting out a sigh, Nacreous paused, sitting down and looking at his claws. “Well, the first one? Passionate? I’ve certainly seen you exude that both towards your ponies and other things. I’m a passionate individual as well; so somecreature who doesn’t have that emotional intensity towards something, even if unrelated, wouldn’t know how to handle it very well.”
“That is a remarkably insightful thought, Nacreous. I honestly never even considered that,” Celestia mused. “If you can’t deal with emotional intensity, it’d be easy to become overwhelmed or smothered.”
“Exactly. As to what I’m passionate about, well, that’s another question for interests and such,” he replied with a grin. The smile then faded, becoming almost unsure. It was rather remarkable to see such a burly hippogriff appear so meek.
“For number two? Sensitive, that aspect works in a similar way,” he admitted, tracing a set of claws across the stone. A sudden quaver entered the hippogriff’s tone, prompting Celestia to stay quiet and scoot a bit closer.
“We all have things hidden from the public eye. You probably have already picked up on it by now, but that is an aspect of myself that is very much present underneath the armor. Having a special someone who appreciates that is extremely important to me.”
Celestia didn’t say anything for a few moments, finally reaching up to press a hoof against Nacreous’s metal breastplate. “I’ve seen a few hints of it, Nacreous. And I’d be lying if I didn’t mention that I’m rather eager to see more than just a glimpse,” she admitted, a smile now playing at her features. “Even if I have to wait a bit, I’d certainly like to see more of the hippogriff under that armor. I…would have to say I likewise find those attributes applicable to my own desires.”
The look Nacreous gave the Alicorn was enough to make Celestia’s heart nearly flutter out of her chest. It was only a glimpse as he looked up, but the genuine affection and simple trust in Nacreous’s blue eyes made the ruler pause. Where his expressions and eyes were usually like a lake, it was as though an ocean had suddenly been viewed from behind a closed door.
And then it was gone, the Paladin taking a visibly shaky breath. His ears perked up as a sly smile meandered across his beak.
“Under my armor, huh?”
Celestia smacked a hoof to her face, letting out a good-natured groan. “Nacreous! Way to ruin the mood!”
“Me?! You’re the one who just said-”
“Figuratively! I was speaking figuratively!”
“Are you suuuuuuuuuure?”
“YES!”
“Totally? Without the slightest hint of literal implication?”
“New topic.”
“Thaaaaaaaat wasn’t an answer to my question….” Nacreous grinned triumphantly, leaving a literal steaming alicorn to trot along at his side as they continued their journey. Adding a bit of a saunter and strut to his gait, the hippogriff was rewarded by Celestia grumbling softly under her breath as she tried to glare rather than gawk.
It was only partially effective however, leaving Nacreous all smiles as he decided to stop teasing, as fun as it was. They paused for a moment, tentatively navigating a portion of unstable stone before continuing. They didn’t really know where they were going, but staying on the move was certainly safer than the alternative. The Paladin let out a soft hum, deciding to continue the conversation from before.
“What about you, Celestia? What are two things you think are important for a special-somecreature?”
“Playful and romantic.”
Her immediate reply made Nacreous almost trip, the hippogriff letting out a surprised huff. “That was fast, but I’m obviously not surprised by the second one.”
“I’ve had a lot of time to think about it,” she then paused, letting out a rather content sigh. “Nacreous, that first date we had but a day or two ago? That silly episode in the kitchen? That was the most me I’ve felt, more than five hundred years of royal court could ever hope to achieve. Having a creature able to act not like I’m a Princess and just have fun encompasses a lot of things of what I look for in someone.”
“That makes sense- hmm, is that why you were nervous asking me about that? Worried I wouldn’t find it fun?” he then paused. “And romantic, huh? I suppose you explained a bit of that just a short time ago.”
Celestia nodded, a slight blush running across her cheeks, the alicorn now having her turn in the embarrassed spotlight. “Yes, that was why I was a bit hesitant. And honestly, it’s hard to explain for that second attribute. I’ve been treated like a Princess, a Goddess for over a thousand years. The idea of being seen and treated as just myself by someone I love holds an appeal I can’t fully articulate.”
Nacreous nodded, deciding to shift the topic of discussion to one he was still rather curious about as they looked around. The icy walls still loomed high above, and the pair stayed quiet for a moment as they navigated over a collapsed section, hooves and claws scrabbling against the frozen chunks.
“So, it’s a generational retirement then?” he asked as they continued, the hippogriff making another mark on a wall.
“Indeed. I’m more than happy to tell you more in-depth details about it, Nacreous, but just not now. It’s a painful topic I’d rather not touch on in this setting, or rather, discuss the reasons. In general, I’ll gladly explain; for all intents and purposes, we are retiring. Ponies in this generation will remember it as such. After that, we will see.”
“I understand, and I won’t press. I simply find it interesting; I can’t imagine you leaving Equestria’s ruling body completely. After a thousand years I can’t imagine simply tossing it aside is an option,” Nacreous mused.
Celestia let out an amused huff, nodding in agreement. “That’s the gist of it. Perhaps return in a lesser capacity, but the public is…fragile. I mean, there was a rogue cheese wheel that once broke free of a cart not but a few months ago. It caused dozens to faint from the shock as it bounced down the street and destroyed various market stalls. The fainting victims included first responders.”
“…I can see how governing and confronting rogue nations may be an issue. Heaven forbid there’s an actual armed conflict that can’t be resolved by the Elements or the like, in whatever form they now take.”
“Precisely. I’ve insulated my ponies from most of the horrors of this world, and that is not by accident. Quite simply, most cannot comprehend let alone deal with the brutality of the area beyond. No, I think Twilight and her friends will do just fine though and perhaps bridge that gap especially between different races where I have been unsuccessful. But in the future? That remains to be seen. I brought this nation literally out of scattered villages, and I’m not about to let it slide backwards.”
Nacreous couldn’t help but chuckle, Celestia’s tone growing rather fierce as she stomped a hoof on the ground. “Sorry. My retirement is a tricky topic with quite a bit of emotion attached.”
“You don’t need to apologize for being emotional. I quite like that part of you,” Nacreous said in reply, then pausing briefly as a rather cheeky smirk slid onto his beak. “One of many parts, as a matter of fact.”
His words got the reward the hippogriff was hoping for- yet another bright blush spreading across Celestia’s cheeks as she let out a slight huff, violet eyes sparkling with mirth.
“Perhaps I should finally answer the question I posed to you those days ago.”
“Hmm?”
“What I want, Nacreous.”
The hippogriff’s eyes widened in surprise, his gaze then softening as Celestia’s own violet orbs refused to meet his own.
“I mean, I’ll answer it as best I can, but I don’t know if I’m able to,” Celestia admitted. “Thinking of personal wants and wishes is a very new thing I’ve had to confront ever since my Sister returned and ruled Equestria at my side. Now, I’m allowing myself to want things, and it’s a very freeing but unsettling mental exercise.”
Nacreous didn’t say anything at first, instead simply nodding in agreement. “Like our previous discussion. Dwelling on what you can supposedly never have would make you go insane. Now that such has changed….”
“Exactly,” she paused both in speech and movement, finally looking over to the ocean-blue eyes that continually radiated an unsaid affection. “I have been thinking about how to phrase it though, ever since I asked you about it. I’ve had to combine any wistful thought or dream I’ve had just to get an idea; but it all has a similar theme.”
Celestia continued, her eyes darting across the cold stone of the cave as she did so. Judging from her hooves that continued to paw at the ground every now and again, she was fighting a mental battle with each word.
“In wanting to find out what I want, I’ve had to find out who I am outside a thousand years of rule. Obviously being a ruler is a part of me, but that’s not everything I am, even if I’m trying to solidify such a thing to myself. It’s that very thought I’ve tried to combat and obviously failed, in terms of the population.”
She grew rather quiet for a moment, the barest hints of a smile making the Princess’s mouth turn up ever so slightly.
“I want to be free, Nacreous. Free to be me. To go zipping through uncharted jungles, exploring mysterious caves, visiting ancient ruins…I want to see this world I’ve been living in with all the excitement that goes with it,” she then halted, the smile growing a bit wider. “Yet after the adrenaline has worn off and my body is sore from climbing a vertical cliff or plunging a thousand feet into an ocean, I’d like nothing more than to read a book in front of a warm fireplace with a cup of hot chocolate. The sound of the waves outside, or perhaps the muffled pitter-patter of snow outside the window. I’d want-”
Simply starting to utter those two words made Celestia pause, the alicorn seeming to wince slightly as though in pain before it passed, her eyes seeming to gain a bit of dampness as she spoke. “I’d want my special somecreature with me every step of the way, be it soaring over a jungle or in front of that fireplace with their arms wrapped around me. And I never t-thought I’d have even a chance at that. I c-couldn’t….”
As her words trailed off, Nacreous only voiced a simple reply of his own, a genuine tenderness behind his eyes. Celestia only caught a glimpse of it before she averted her gaze, not trusting her own emotions to remain in check if she looked too long.
“I think that’s a wonderful thing to want, Celestia.”
As was now more often than not, Celestia’s shoulders let off a bit of the stress threatening to bunch up around the coiled muscles, her wings relaxing in time at the simple reassurance as she continued to speak.
“Yet now I have a different fear, one I’m absolutely terrified of. I’m afraid I’ve pushed Twilight down the same path I was cursed with for a thousand years. Even if her situation is different, to force such a thing on her; did I push her too hard? Did I force her into the same path that…”
“Why not ask her?”
Celestia blinked, staring at the ground as her brow furrowed.
“I….”
“You two are close, right? Why not ask? As soon as we’re out of this cave, write a simple letter if you can’t meet face to face.”
It started as a soft chuckle, then escalated into a full-blown laugh as the tension drained out of Celestia’s shoulders. “Such a simple solution I was terrified of even comprehending. Somehow, having someone else say it makes the idea easier. Thank you, Nacreous. I admit it’s a rather unnerving thought- the answer I may get that is.”
“Like when trying to find out if I was ‘fun loving?”
His reply only further increased Celestia’s smile, the Alicorn letting out a soft giggle at the Paladin’s words. “You’re just too good at defusing me.”
“I mean, technically you have the capacity to be a firebomb.” Nacreous grinned triumphantly as Celestia smacked a hoof to her face with a groan. “So, I guess it’s appropriate to say you’re definitely hot.”
A louder groan sounded from the Alicorn, Nacreous continuing to sport a smug smile across his beak. “Although, to be fair I always disliked that term when referencing a lady. It just seems so unrefined. Hmm. Perhaps blazingly entrancing?”
He stopped as Celestia glared at him, but the blush on her cheeks indicated there was no venom behind her gaze, genuine adoration swimming behind her violet eyes.
“Am I testing the ‘only hugs’ rule?”
“A fair measure.”
“I can be quiet then; I don’t wish to tease.”
“No! I mean, I don’t mind….”
Nacreous had to sit down from laughing as he looked over to Celestia, wiping tears from his eyes and grasping his aching side. “T-that is the most horrible pout I have seen from you yet! Still adorable though….oops. Teasing again?”
Barely able to see through the tears of mirth, Nacreous saw Celestia’s left eye twitched as she shrugged off her packs. Calmly walking over to a wall, the alicorn planted her face on the solid frozen surface and let out a rather frustrated grumble as the ice melted, heat shimmering off the Princess for a few moments.
“Feel better?” Nacreous asked as Celestia turned to look back at him, pulling out a few simple foam bed rolls.
“A bit, but only marginally. I also made some fresh water,” Celestia remarked, gesturing to the hole in the ice wall that now pooled with freshly-melted liquid.
“Huh. So, every time I’m thirsty, I should tease you?”
On seeing Celestia’s eye start to twitch again, Nacreous held up a set of claws as he chuckled, shaking his head.
“Oh…OH! Ok, that wasn’t intentional, I swear!”
Amid much additional grumbling, Celestia helped the Paladin get their ‘camp’ ready for bed. Their unofficial ‘dinner date’ with some rather tasty rations was spent discussing their plans for the next day, as well as their favorite brew of hot chocolate.
Thankfully, both agreed on the point that the richer it was, the better the drink.
The simple meal concluded with Celestia lowering the sun, which she could apparently still sense, much to Nacreous’s interest, the pair then looking around the stony area to ensure they were clear of enemies and somewhat sheltered from the primary path, or at least as much as possible. After casting a few powerful warning spells which would hopefully last the night, Celestia settled on the foam pad, Nacreous an arm’s reach away. The hippogriff walked over, reaching down to gently press his forehead against the Princess’s, much to her surprise.
“Teasing aside, Celestia, I do love your smile,” he whispered, two adoring eyes meeting his own gaze.
“I could get used to such nightly compliments.”
Nacreous grinned, settling down on his own pad with a nod. “Hmm. I’ll have to keep that in mind. Goodnight, Celestia.”
“Goodnight, Nacreous,” the Princess paused, shifting her head to look over at the hippogriff. “And I’m glad you’re here, injuries aside that is. Thank you for that.”
“I’d be quite a horrible date to not accompany you into a scary cave, now wouldn’t I?”
Celestia nodded, dozing off with a smile on her features and the memory of two concerned ocean-blue eyes.
A lovely fluffy chapter with a bit of character development. Ok, a LOT of development! 
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So the way you have put it I am under the impression that Celestia and Lunas retirement is only temporary, at least as far as alicorns go, perhaps a hundred years or so before they go back into government?
I am really enjoying this romance between Nacreous and and I look forward to the next chapter. Also the cheese wheel story perfectly encapsulates how wimpy ponies actually are and it shows how they wouldn’t be able to handle anything we hear on the news such as terrorist attacks and whatnot.
9967301
Correct, that's how I'm interpreting it, since I have the view that Celestia/Luna are the only ageless (or nigh ageless) alicorns. (Twilight/Flurry/Cadence age normally)
I'm glad you're enjoying it! And yeah...there has been very little evidence that ponies would be totally fine self-governing. Ergo, having an Alicorn (or two) at the helm is rather necessary.
That must have been an interesting day
....
As long as you and Luna stay available for advice and assistance they should manage.
But the problem is that Twilight don't exactly comprehend it either given how she reacted to getting attacked in the previous story
You might have... you should probably talk to her about that
9967429
-That is one word I'd use to describe it!
-Yeaaaaaah. And here we see why having ponies self-govern may not be the most appropriate path just yet....
-Twilight is still very innocent. Thus far the threats they've faced have been defeated or reformed by friendship. Very few are genuinely malicious and just want to cause pain. Obviously that's not within the scope of the show (duh,) but she simply hasn't been exposed to that.
-Hence why the letter will definitely be sent.
Well now I want to hear about the paladin of the Lost River.
9967707
I could totally make a Subnautica reference actually....hmmmmmm
Loved this chapter! Can’t wait for the next one!
9968031
So glad to hear it! I'm quite enjoying the injection of fluff (at long last!)
9968032
Hope you have the next chapter up as soon as you can! The fluff is great and they are so cute!
9968035
Current update schedule is every 2 weeks (on the weekend); thus far I can hold to that! (I've done faster updates before with other fics and flirted with burnout...but definitely seeing this one to the end! 
...Do I really have to even say it anymore? You know exactly what I'm going to say.
9968536
No, mind, no! Where are you going?! Stop!
*sigh*
You're excused, mind. It was inevitable.
Wait no I I haven't excused you for that!
Sto—
It's hopeless. Nacreous mocks my efforts!
No, I'm definitely not smiling inside. Nope. Not at all.
Why are you looking at me like that?
9969952
aww this story is progressing along vary strong.
i am liking this sequel.
9970865
I'm glad to hear it!
9969952
This line.
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I loved writing that part.
No-one seems to have caught this one and I do not wish to allow the typo monster to insert this in this story.tracing his claws a set of claws across the stone.
I think that this is most likely the best exploration of the pony inside of Celestia that I have read. Kudzuhaiku does an excellent job In "The Chase" but I think this is more in depth.
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Fixed, thank you! I'm quite happy to hear you enjoy Celestia's character. She's pretty much become a completely different individual, and I love how she's developed!
This... you’re actually a darn decent writer! Needs more views.
I love well written banter and your scene between Celestia and Nacreous is remarkably well done. Enjoyable at every turn.
...and that thirsty comment. Oh my...
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Thank you very much, I'd like to think I am! I still make mistakes though as loyal readers have pointed out. I'm glad you're enjoying it, this has been a fun story to develop/write, especially the dialogue/relationship development.
Okay. Three offset circles, presumably different sizes, arranged to represent the aorta, the vena cava, and the heart...
Is that Mickey Mouse ears!?
Okay, so Nacreous has been a paladin eight times. He's had four titles: North, Hope, Love, and Wayward Gods. If he's had each title exactly twice, except Love, then that means he must have been a paladin either seven times, or nine or more. What am I missing here?
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....Ok maybe not mickey mouse ears. Thankfully not a perfect 3 sets of circles, but one lower and higher on the central one, if that makes sense.
And perhaps I should have clarified Nacreous's tests. He got the results twice. So it wasn't a designation for a few years, then he took it again- it was the result of the tests he took over a few days to see which 'title' was to be his. He got a smattering of results; a few 'minor' titles per say, and the larger one of Love.
Celestia: "Mother of me. I'm trying to abide by that "nothing but hugs" arbitrary rule, and comments like that aren't helping."
It was funny seeing him slowly realize how what he said could be interpreted. Aside from this moment, it's nice seeing Celestia's and Nacreous's relationship progress. That's also an interesting take that the retirement is temporary, which sounds to me like Twilight isn't being taken as one who won't age. I'm wondering with that letter she plans to send though if Twilight would be up for living that kind of like Celestia has lived, even with the consequence of being nearly immortal.
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It was a lot of fun having things progress naturally. Far too often do I think writers have things progress far too quickly for a couple.
And that is correct; as per a tweet and just my own interpretation, Twilight (and potentially Cadence) are different types of Alicorns.