I opened my eyes and raised my head, stretching and spreading my wings. I had contacted the five thestrals I knew were in Canterlot and explained the situation, to see if they wanted to volunteer.
But I understood if they didn’t want to.
Getting scanned was one thing. This was… completely different.
I glanced towards the window and the moon shining brightly outside through the crystal clear and freezing cold winter night.
I looked over towards the door, there was a slight light glowing from the edges. Luna was in the outer room working on something and I was alone in bed, Sunset staying with Sparks tonight. Fern was likely still asleep where I saw him last, curled up in his basket in the other room.
It was winter so the woofspirit was very sleepy.
I felt very tired in a way that had very little to do with needing sleep. After everything that’s been going on…
I needed a vacation or something. But that’s not happening, is it? Buck, Luna and I never even got a real honeymoon, just a couple of days.
Rolling onto my hooves, I jumped off the bed and walked up to the window, looking out over the castle, over towards a lit window across the castle from our tower.
Celestia's private quarters, she was still awake then.
I felt responsible for a single tribe of ponies and a bunch of bugs. She had shouldered the entirety of Equestria for a thousand years and before that, she and Luna shared it.
Two ponies bringing together the most ancient singular empíre I had ever even heard of against all threats.
I… I knew my limits.
I would never have been able to do something like that, not even if I could do what Celestia or Luna could do.
I could barely handle standing next to Luna on official functions and smiling.
How did they do it?
Speaking of which…
I frowned towards the light. I had not seen Celestia in the dream realm and it’s late at night. What is she even doing awake still?
It wasn’t any of my business really, but…
I moved to push the door to the balcony open, stepping out in the razor sharp winter wind. I quickly wrapped myself in a warming spell.
It helped slightly, turning the ear ripping cold to just bone biting. But I better make good time on my way over there before I turn into a batsicle.
Spreading my wings, I took to the air while thoroughly wishing I could teleport half as good as Midnight or Sparks, then I could just pop over there. Maybe I could talk one of them into giving me lessons when my horn could handle it again… and they weren’t busy saving an entire tribe.
I winged my way over towards the tower, working against the ice cold wind buffeting at me before landing at the balcony slightly clumsily on the ice slick stone. Getting my hooves beneath myself I moved over to the door and knocked before waiting nicely despite the cold biting at my wings and ears.
I had no intention of a repeat performance from startling her again.
There were several moments before the door opened and Celestia poked her head out before blinking in surprise, “Page!” she said, her ears flicking once in surprise, “What are you doing out here?”
“Saw your light was on,” I admitted and shifted my wings, “Got curious about why you’re still awake, it’s well after midnight.”
She smiled and shook her head, “Come in,” she said and quickly ushered me inside, “You look like you’re about to freeze solid.”
“That’s only because I am,” I admitted and shook my head as the warmth of the roaring fire in the fireplace hit me and I spread my wings a bit to catch more of it, “Sorry for bothering you.”
“It’s never a bother,” Celestia said and spread one wing to put against mine and I could feel her warmth against them, “I was just reading.”
“...Then I really am sorry for bothering you,” I said and gave her a smile, “You get too little free time as is.”
She folded her wing again and gave me a quick hug, “And I told you, it’s never a bother, Page,” before she let go, “Now, you look like you could use a cup of tea.”
“Thanks,” I said and jumped onto one of the comfy chairs, looking around her room as I laid down sideways across it as I enjoyed the warmth from her fireplace. I always liked how she decorated her private rooms, it felt… open and inviting. It was less cluttered than mine and Luna’s and with less bookshelves. Instead Sunshine went for more wall hangings and comfortable furniture.
I floated another couple of small logs into the large fireplace and then took the teacup as she floated it over to me, “Thanks,” I said and took a sip before I blinked at it, “...Hey, I know that blend.”
“It is yours,” Celestia said with a smile, “The spices make it rather perfect to winter nights. After you introduced it to me, I sent for a supply from the teahouse you like.”
I grinned and nodded, “Well, I hope Silver has a ‘Royal Supplier’ sign up or something, she deserves it. But then again, she doesn't need the publicity, the place is always packed.”
“Well deserved, I would say,” Celestia agreed and sipped her tea and settled down on her couch again by her book.
“So what are you reading?”
Celestia pushed the book beneath a pillow, “Oh, nothing interesting.”
“Ah, trashy romance novel,” I said with a grin.
Celestia smirked at me, “Less romance, more trashy,” she said, “Why, want to read it with me?”
Oh, is that the game now, huh? Well, I’m not backing down this time, Princess.
“Sure, why not,” I said and jumped off the chair and rounded the small table to jump onto the couch next to her, putting my cup down on the table as I looked up at her challenge.
“Very well,” she said and pulled the book out, “Why don’t we take turns reading? You first,” she said innocently and opened it at her bookmark.
I eyed her and then turned to the book, “Starstreak looked up at him as he moved closer to her, her breath catching in her throat as he-”
Oh.
Oh this was a mistake.
“Well?” Celestia asked with an innocent smile as she looked at me, her wing gently brushing my back.
I cleared my throat, “M-maybe I should leave you to read this on your own,” I said and closed the book again.
“Are you blushing? Is it a bit raunchy for you?” she teased, brushing her wing across my back.
“No!” I said firmly and shook my head, “I am definitely not blushing, It’s just not very good. I thought you had a better taste in books, that’s all.”
Celestia smirked, “And you think you could do better?”
“Of course I can, I have how many best sellers now? Writing something better than that would be easy,” I said, quickly latching on to that thread of conversation instead.
“I bet you can’t,” she countered with a teasing grin.
“You’re on.”
“Deal.”
...Wait a second…
She got him good
“And that’s when I wrote Fifty Shades of Hay.”
A smut novel written by an Alicorn Prince. That's gonna be a best selling novel, regardless of quality.
Well.... At least he is going to have an excuse for plenty of "Research" *Sips Tea*
Oh Page, you done messed up good.
And yet you keep calling for it. Stop taking bets man! Lol!
By this point it's painful to watch. Really? Dumb male being easily played by female? Again?
Welp! Time to visit the Princess of Food and see what goes on in her dreams for Inspiration.
An entire comment of only emotes would be considered spam wouldn’t it?
Those two really manage to make a troll move out of something really heartfelt and caring.
I absolutely love there interaction.
And Page is now going to write Twilight. (Might need a different Name)
Thestrals vs Weretimberwolfs? 😂
line hook and sinker, nice one
Oh Celestia ,Page for sure read enough fanfictions with sex, porn tag to know how to do it
10504176
To be fair, she has a few thousand years of experience at manipulating ponies to draw on and Celestia knows Page very well.
Wonder if he'll publish it under his own name or a different one? Also, wonder if he'd give it to Twilight for proofreading and editting and what her reaction would be.
10504114
Haha, my thoughts exactly!
Trollestia strike again... PRICELESS ♡
Love how the mares dominate Page in stuff like that...
Damn! Need to buy that book if Page is writing it
Sooo... I wonder how the book was named? 101 how to seduce your mare or 101 from moist to dripping wet in less than 60 seconds
A very fine read indeed
You’d think after however many years they’ve known each other he wouldn’t fall face first into these traps so easily anymore. Silly page.
10504176
Flustered Male being played by Very.... Experienced.... Female.
Celestia has had millennia to figure out what makes Ponies tick, and sure, while Page isn't your average Pone, he is still a Male.
Bamboozle him with boobies, and then strike while he's Distracted!
...Page... When will you ever learn not to take a sucker bet from a Master Manipulator?
I wonder if they already have a 50 shades of Grey ponified version yet in Equestria?
10504114
YUP!, Not alone on that thougth
SITLL...it's gonna be a GOOD BOOK!
Insert hoof here. Then regret life choices.
Only your current limits
10504209
I bet you're a skank
BITCH I EAT PONIES
Another point for Trollestia
So Page is now going to write 50 shades of Hay right?
Page: Sunset! Wake up! I need your help. We need to use the mirror and go to the human world.
Twilight: What th--PAGE! It is the middle of the night! Plus it is MY turn right now with Sunset! GO HOME!
Sunset: *yawn* Wait wait...human world? Is somepony attacking it?
Page: No but I made a bet with Celestia and I need to plagiarize a good romance novel in order to win! My pride is at stake!
Sunset: ...
Twilight: ...
Page: ...
*Twilight teleports Page into the local water fountain*
Page: AHHH! COLD! TOO COLD!
I think that Celestia just gave Blank Page exactly what he needed. He is a writer first and foremost, dream walker, prince, threstal second. I think this would be a great opportunity for him to branch out. After all, it's not that he need volunteers. Those are nice but they arent the real problem. He needs the ponies of Equestria to knock it the hell off and grow the hell up. They are still skittish and terrified of the changelings after years, that guise he took was actively harassed by the guard (even though no pony has seen or heard of threstals in a 1000 years).
And he now has a perfect way to do it. A story, a love story. Not just a love story, but one that has permission to go into graphic detail. I think he needs to sit down and write. Blank Page's 'Dracula'. Set it in the time of that ancient war. Have an immortal threstal searching again and again for his love who was lost in the war, the changes that were forced on him, and the hate and pain he now has to endure. Put the reader through the wringer and make them cry for wrongs that have been allowed to fester for all these year. Add in some Van Helsing Hate Crimes just to really hammer it home. Or go the other way 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' and repaint the threstal as the victims of bad luck.
But Page, my man. Take advantage of this. And be sure to note that it was written explicitly for Celestia. That would make it almost required reading wouldn't it?
Oh and do ask Luna before you let Celestia pull you into bed? Ya know..... incase she wants to join?
10504737
If he does write that.... l will bet my soul that Luna and/or Sunset will want to try some of that...or have some VERY awkward questions for him.
10504178
I wonder if they can manage to make Celestia blush if they team up.
Page flew into that harder than a pegasi into a cleaned sliding glass door
I guess Fern isn't an Everfree Evergreen, then?
I'll go.
Played like a cheap kazoo.
"Attention Prince Page Fanclub Members, Page's next work will be a 400 page tome about two mares sensually eating mangos."
".......YEEEEEAAAAAAHHHH"
Say it with me. 50 Shades of Page.
Lmao you dummy when are you gonna learn?
... Hopefully never.
Oh Page, the only thing you had to do is to keep reading. How could you buck this up so hard that you have to write it now? And something tells me you will end up reading it together with Celly anyway.
10505210
50 Pages of Hay
Yeeeah, you goofed up. Your lovers are going to laugh about this, Page.
Wait a minute..... blood magic.... smut novel...... oh geez.
Don’t tell me the the thestral problem will be solved because of Page writing “Twilight” with maybe some borrowed elements from Fifty Shades of Grey which itself came from Twilight Fanfiction.
Just... this story never ceases to surprise me.
God...damnit, Page...
10505480
...nah. As much as I would LOVE trashy romance novels to save the world, I still say the School of Friendship is going to be the big push at the end. Educating the next generation will not only help with the treatment of non-ponies all over Equestria overall but it would also help with Midnight's mental health.
And long term...
It has been so long ago that unless you blanket the entire pony population with the cure cursed bats will keep poping up for centuries if not over a thousand years. Hmm... would a dormant version of the curse appear in regular ponies?
And after leaving Celestia's chamber to walk the long way--because of the freaking cold outside--Page got to his and Luna's chamber, only to be confronted with a new problem:
Guard: "Sorry, sir, but I can't let you inside. Orders from Princess Luna that Prince Page is not to be disturbed."
Page: "You--do--know--? I AM Prince Page. "
Guard: "Yes, sir, you are."
Page: "Then 'Prince Page' won't be disturbed by me going inside because 'Prince Page' isn't sleeping in there..."
Guard: "I know that, sir."
Page: "So, I'm going in..."
Guard: "No, sir. We can't let you inside. We have our orders directly from Princess Luna that Prince Page is not to be disturbed."
Page: ""
Downstairs, Celestia and Luna were laughing their asses off watching through their scrying spell. Just as Page had left her room, Celestia had teleported to Luna in the Throne Room and very shortly after that, Luna had teleported to instruct the guards before teleporting back to watch the fun.
10505689
Actually ran into that at work once. I was disconnected from a call with the manager at a place and when I called back I got the receptionist that wouldn't connect me because the manager was in an important call with IT. No matter what I said. I had to email him to tell her to connect me.
I can see it now, Blank Pag's new novel, "Canterlot Castle, Behind Bedroom Doors". She asked for it and got more than she barganed for.
Here we go again
... Page?
You really are dumb sometimes. No jokes, this is my serious face. Equestrian females can pull one over you, around you, through you, and tie you up like a piece of meat - all in one go.
Frankly, this is embarrassing, and I hate to do this to you, but... the guys and I had a meeting last night. You have to hand in your Man Card. It's going on permanent record.
I'm sorry, boy, but get a grip.
You can reapply in three months. Sign here... I suggest you take one of the supplementary courses, too - they're free. Details on the board outside my office. Good day.
Wow page just voluntarily agreed to write a raunchy novel
And he falls for it again xd
10528898
"When the Sun Goes Down" :D
I'd never gven much thought to dying, though id had reason enough in the last few months, but even if I had, I wouldnt have imagined it like this.
I stared across the long room, into the dark eyes of the huntress, and she stared pleasantly back at me.
At least it was a good way to die, in the place of someone else, someone I loved. Noble, even. That ought to count for something.
I knew if I'd never gone to Spoons, I wouldn't be about to die now. But, terrified as I was, I couldn't bring myself to regret my decision. When life offers you a dream so far beyond any of your expectations, it's not feasible to grieve when it comes to an end.
The huntress smiled in a friendly way as she sauntered forward to kill me.
In the town of Spoons, Coltsfield it rains more than in any other place in Equestria....