The band played softly in the background and I could tell that the entire event was ‘ponified’. Vegetarian food, if with a griffon twist laid out on a large table to one side. There were a couple of fish dishes however.
Likely mostly for my benefit.
Sunset rolled her eyes as I moved over to her and Midnight, my plate covered with pieces of fruit and smoked salmon. I had tried a small piece to make sure I could still eat it about half an hour ago and it was just as delicious as I remembered it being.
“What?” I asked her with a toothy grin.
“Carnivore. Just so you know, no kisses today.”
“...Kinda worth it,” I told her and popped a piece of cold smoked salmon into my mouth and it almost melted on my tongue.
Oh fuck yes. I’m emigrating.
Midnight watched with interest before she looked to Sunset, “...You know, I’d think you would be used to it because of you...,” she said and then paused and glanced around at the ponies and griffons through the room, “you know.”
Sunset shook her head, “No thank you. I stayed away from that there too, I just told everyone I was vegetarian.”
“Not even curious?” I asked and offered her my plate.
Sunset glowered at me as a small piece of salmon lifted in a purple/pink cloud of magic and floated over to Midnight who promptly ate it.
Midnight looked thoughtful and chewed as Sunset gaped slightly at her.
“What?” Midnight asked, “I was… there… too for about a week back where I was from. I was curious and not like it’s from anything thinking over there. Fish here is perfectly okay, it’s a cultural thing for ponies, not biological.”
“Mostly,” I told her, “Just don’t have too much or your stomach won’t be happy with you.”
“And you like it?” Sunset asked in surprise.
Midnight shrugged her wings, “Well… didn’t say that. It’s not exactly a favorite, let’s just say. But my time there pretty much cured me of the ‘eww’ reaction most ponies have.”
Sunset shook her head and flicked her ears, “Nooo thank you. I’m perfectly happy with keeping that,” she said and stole a piece of fruit from my plate.
I pulled my plate back and looked between them, causing Sunset to grin and nibble at her apple slice before moving over to the table to get her own plate.
I looked to Midnight, “So… how much of that was to mess with Sunset?”
Midnight blushed slightly, “...Most,” she admitted and did a small full body shiver, “I didn’t lie, but what I didn’t say is that after I tried it, I went vegetarian.”
“Figured.”
She shrugged her wings a bit and sighed, “She’s just been so… she means well. But she’s been hovering over Twi and me since… you know what.”
“She’s worried, can’t blame her for that.”
“I know, I know,” Midnight said, “and she’s my friend and I really do appreciate it. But she just keeps avoiding the subject and… I don’t know.”
“Talk to her.”
“I know, but she means well and…” Midnight sighed and flicked her ears, “Okay, I will. You’re right that I should.”
I nodded and ate another piece of salmon. Midnight shook her head,
“You actually like that?”
“Grew up with it. My tastebuds aren’t that different now and I get it maybe twice a year. I’m going to have as much as they let me.”
“...Didn’t you say that it upset your stomach if you had too much?”
I nodded and had another piece happily, “Yep. What’s your point?”
Midnight grinned and shook her head, moving over to fill her own plate, avoiding the fish. I grinned and adjusted the cloak of my uniform with a flick of my magic as I looked around before making my way over to Ambassador Asbolus.
“Ambassador,” I said In greeting, giving him a small courteous bow.
He bowed back, “Your Highness.”
“Please,” I said with a smile, moving my plate a bit, “Anyone that feeds me fish can call me by name.”
He chuckled at that, “I see that my predecessor's notes weren't exaggerated.”
Neither of us made notice of the idiot that was between him and his actual predecessor. Not sure it even counted if you had the job for like three hours.
I smiled at him and ate a piece of Salmon.
“Lord Page, I must ask,” he continued as he watched me, “Your changes…”
“Not really changes,” I said and shrugged my wings, “Some alicorns take after pegasi and some take after thestrals it seems. Just figured things would be complicated enough with an alicorn stallion without also tossing thestral into the mix. But keeping up the illusion got bothersome,” I explained, going with the cover story we had set up. Because Discord being able to get to even an Alicorn like this would just cause unnecessary panic.
More panic anyway.
He slowly nodded, “I see. I must say, that does explain some things,” he said and glanced down at my plate.
I smiled and ate some more salmon, “This is good, by the way. I must ask for your source.”
“A small group of griffons that set up a fisher village in the south of Equestria, the Embassy purchases all our fish from them for freshness” he said, “I’ll make sure the information gets delivered.”
“Thank you,” I said and then shifted my wings. Well, it couldn't hurt to ask, “When i visited your country before, I was on a hunt. The prey animal there… would it be possible…”
The Ambassador looked thoughtful, “Perhaps,” he said slowly, “I would need to make some inquiries.”
That was a good segue for some seed planting too. Better get working on the entire Changeling thing.
I nodded, “That would be most appreciated. I did enjoy my time visiting your country, but there wasn’t much time to see it. Perhaps in the future it could be arranged for me to tour your country, learn more about your culture?”
“But of course, Prince Page!”
Well well well, looks like someone's learned to be sneaky
For someone who hates politics, Page is really good at politics. And he seems to jump headfirst into them more frequently than expected for a person of that disposition.
It's been a while, what happened with said idiot mentioned here?
10402277
Knowing the Gryphons and their meritocracy? Fired at the least, hanged at the worst.
Glad to see hes getting out there.
10402313
Ah, I meant that I forgot what happened that caused him to immediately lose his position.
10402202
he's really good at the griffon and changeling politics, less so dealing with his own kind or probably any of the more delicate creatures of the world, though that's fine, celestia can easily deal with the overly polite guys any day
10402343
He hit Page, and Celestia nearly went nuclear on him.
(Chapter 11 & 12, Responsibilities)
*Luna opens the door and looks at Sunset dragging a suffering Blank Page*
Luna: Fish huh? Ugh and he smells like one too!
Sunset: I KNOW RIGHT! Even after giving him a bath, the guards were still gagging as we went down the halls!
Page: You...guys...uggggh meanies~! My tummy is in pain! Need cuddles...to cure me please~!
Luna & Sunset: OH TARTARUS NO!
Page: Pleeeeeeease~~!
Luna: *rolls eyes* I can't deal with this! Amber! Give Page ANOTHER bath and have him sleep with you under the bed.
Amber: ...can I invite my Queen and my Princess?
Luna: Bath yes. Bed no. There's not enough bed for all of you to fit.
Amber: ...I believe they will accept these conditions..
Page: My wife and lover...abandoning me...me sad~!
Sunset: Oh hush! You brought this on yourself!
10402417
Amber: “And it’s not like we’d have any problems fitting under there... Well, Prince Page might.”
10402313
Or worse yet: get “promoted” to be the ambassador to Yakyakistan
10402143
While nothing you said is incorrect i feel you don't understand what i am talking about. Let's go back to Whats-her-face (the batpony bartender with troubles with her mother) for a moment. When we last saw her (and i haven't read today's chapter) she was running up to Page. This was happening with Page in attendance. We had a front row seat. Page had a front row seat. She was happy for she received a letter from her mother; obviously some of her troubles have been fixed. We don't know. Chapter done. Door slammed on an unimportant character.
Point of view was never the problem; otherwise i would of mentioned it. And he is using "the mystery box" though you call it a gun. I am not questioning the events he is not aware of; I am questioning the events he is aware of, or even taking center stage with, that we are jerked away from for a short time skip. Then instead of showing us Hiver decides to spend the first few paragraphs telling us what we haven't read by having Page recap in his head or whine to another pony. Assuming we get that much. That is why Midnight's arc was a delight to read; it was an adventure with a proper beginning middle and end. It even had drama.
Your comment is not wrong. I just question how it challenges any of my viewpoints i have spoken of. Hiver is indeed a great author able to make it worth it (i wouldn't still be reading after downvoting if that wasn't the case).
10402313
10402431
Or the Dragonlands; they may not have adapted their policies to the fact that Ember is actually trying diplomacy out, and expected him to be eaten more or less immediately.
10401093
<= see this face?
This is was worried face. Don't i look worried? Why, I'm practically shaking in my fur. Don't you see the shaking? I do!
Nice to see you. How's the new skin?
Damn fine chapter. Page favorit race is Griffons, who will be the lucky future Hen i wonder...
I really would like to know who won the practice match in the cold. Did Page ambush was a success? Did Page 'Lero Lero' Sunset into submission? Did Sunset show Page a magic trick? Making something big and warm disappear and make Trixie proud by her private 'make it disappear' act
10402417
Absolutly PRICELESS ♡
10402434
The encounter with the batpony waitress was what got him involved with wanting to help the Threstals, but Page is smart enough to know he can’t just flip out and have some knee jerk reaction, especially when he’s got confirmation that both Celestia and Luna each tried and failed to fix it.
Right now, he’s trying to find out all he can about how widespread the problem is, as well as the origins and natures of the curses. He’s doing the right thing by enlisting others to help him get that information, but he knows it will take time to get such info.
In the meantime, there are other matters he has to juggle—and that IS the nature of the beast for a nation’s leader (and make no mistake, that IS what he is being groomed for—he just doesn’t know it yet): but you have to know how to manage.
10402450
10402313
Nyah, sending that birdbrain to the Dragonlands would only result in war as the dragons would take it as an insult.
Sending him to Yayakistan will, at most, will get his shit stomped a few times (okay, maybe more than a few times).... They might even declare war over him, but the Yaks won’t actually go to war—they’ll just stomp and smash him (a few more times) until he learns how to behave.
He’ll get straightened out ...
...eventually...
10402856
I'm not sure how to respond to that. I know all that I don't find a problem with any of what you wrote. We go from writing styles and narrative and story building to Page specifically and what he is actually doing. You are still not actually talking about what I am talking about and I am getting slightly offended that you seem to think I am as oblivious or stupid as you imply I am. I think its unintentional. I chose my words carefully; read them. There is nothing left for us to talk about until respect starts going both ways.
10402417
Time for the ritual seed daddy dance:
Every new sequence is a story told
10403397
That awkward moment when you try to upvote something and it goes down because you did it already.
10403397
A man or True culture I see…
Missing Changeling shenanigans, are the Minatours more worth than Griffons?
Than again they strike the future hive seed giver...
The comment section sure made my day ones more.
11609344
Fimfiction and all brony art are truly something to behold ♡
11044501
Yeah, happend to me ones or six times.
I'm gonna eat you, little fishie!
i.pinimg.com/originals/f6/30/a5/f630a5d2456c7bc4c13f143820d2cd5a.jpg