I love griffons.
They were serving sushi. Or something very similar. Sunset and Twilight had been served more Equestrian food, but my plate was filled with fish, rice and dipping sauces.
Happy batty. What more, the bat thing had completely fixed the problem my body had with too much meat before!
“It’s good to see that you have recovered so fast, Prince Page,” Princess Silverlining said from across the table, “I was worried at the arena, you were bleeding.”
“Looked worse than it was,” I said and shrugged my wings, “And alicorns heal well.”
The pain potion and illusion around myself helped of course.
“Who were those griffons that were cheering by the way?” Twilight asked after finishing a piece of tomato, “They seemed to be on Pages side.”
“Ah,” King Darkfeather said, “Those were some of the more active members of the Temple.”
Twilight frowned, “The temple?”
He nodded, “Temple of the Sisters. Alicorn worshippers.”
Ah. Well, that made some level of sense I suppose. Moving the sun and moon were certainly godlike. Thinking about it, I’m actually a bit surprised it’s not more common.
Twilight nodded, “I have read about that,” she said, “Is it common among griffons?”
Princess Silverlining shrugged slightly, “It’s not uncommon. Most don’t go to quite those levels, but it’s far from uncommon. Alicorns are gods after all.”
Twilight shifted slightly uncomfortably, “Oh.”
“It happens in Equestria too,” Sunset pointed out, looking at her, “It’s not really encouraged by Princess Celestia, but… It happens. Even in Canterlot.”
“I know,” Twilight said, “It just feels odd. And I didn’t know it happened among non-ponies.”
Darkfeather nodded, “Like my daughter said, tt’s not uncommon,” he said before he looked at me, “You are still planning on spending a few days seeing the land?”
I nodded, “Of course. No reason not to. I’m fine after all,” I said before I grinned, “Besides, I don’t plan to do a lot of running around. Maybe we’ll study some local wildlife.”
That got a chuckle from him, “I see.”
I grinned before I frowned and sipped my wine, “Have you heard back from your troops?”
Darkfeather made a small grumbling sound and sipped his own drink, “Not so far, but I don’t expect word back for another few days at the very least.”
“I hope nopony else has gotten hurt meanwhile,” Twilight said with a small frown.
Darkfeather shook his head with a small frown, “I very doubtful that this will be resolved without anyone getting hurt, Princess. Best we can do is to make sure it is the rebels.”
“Surely there has to be a way to talk to them?”
“If they are rebels, we certainly intend to try,” Darkfeather told her, “But so far, it seems unlikely. Right now, the best chance we have for that is for them to surrender and be taken prisoner.”
“If they are rebels, father?” Silverlining asked with a frown.
“If they are rebels,” he confirmed, “It may still be a ploy to have us pull our forces away from that part of the border.”
I slowly shook my head, “I don’t think so. Agnelia wasn't lying. If they aren’t rebels, then she doesn't know about it. She at the very least thought what she was saying was the truth.”
Darkfeather looked at me, “You are certain?”
“As certain as I can be,” I agreed.
It’s not perfect, but I have gotten pretty good at spotting lies.
#######
“I want to see it,” Twilight said as we entered our quarters, “Before we leave tomorrow.”
“See what?” Sunset asked and stretched with a small groan.
“The Temple,” Twilight clarified, “The temple of the Sisters. I want to see it.”
Sunset paused and frowned at her, “Are you sure that’s a good idea, Twi?”
“...No,” Twilight admitted, “But I want to see it,” before she looked at me, “Page?”
I hesitated and shifted my wings uncertainty, “We should have time, not like we’re leaving at first light,” I admitted, “But I don’t think we should go as ourselves.”
“Griffons?” Sunset asked.
I nodded, “If we’re going. I’m fairly sure that going as ourselves it would cause somewhat of a… scene.”
Sunset snorted in amusement, “No really, wingboy? You think so? Two alicorns showing up at a temple for alicorn worshippers? That’d cause a scene? No…”
Twilight shot her a look and then sighed, “I… I just need to see it.”
I nodded again, “We go under illusions.”
Nice
Twilight you of all ponies should know better than making assumptions. With your hero worship of Celestia you may be shocked at what you see at the temple...
Are you absolutely sure
Be prepared to feel... awkward? disturbed? Not sure what word to use but I don't think Twilight will enjoy the trip tomorrow
I wonder how they'd react to the thestral Alicorn statue that dates back even further than Luna and Celestia
You know, this is something that's rarely touched on in the other stories I have read thus far... Usually when it comes to alicorn worship its always ponies that are mentioned, completely ignoring the fact that there are other species on the planet that may have their own zealots.
I like that touch.
Cut to tomorrow.
“Page I thought you illusion was solid.”
“It’s was! Then I sneezed, and popped a stitch!”
“Brothers and sisters we are fortunate that two Alicorns have come to us in our time of need. And now as foretold, we will bare witness to the consummation of an Alicorn foal.”
“That is not happening Father Bad Touch! Prophecies are bullshit!”
“…actually…”
“…you can’t be serious you want to do this? In front of them?”
“No! Of course not! I just…need to tell you something…”
Great... Now im hungry!
Lovely chapter. Nice worldbuilding.
Damn... Being a god can be strange...
Hiver why dont you use Fimfictions:
["hr"] without the "
11001129
Always
11001140
One worthshipper: "All hail sunbutt! No butt is sunny'er "
Another worthshipper: " If everything get tits up we go for Moonflanks! "
Some other worthshipper: " What about the Princess of food...? Em Love! "
Some beside Page and Twilight in disguise:
" I think i rather go for the new Friendship one! There is even two of em for some reason!"
*Everyone talking to eatch other*
Disguised Page: " All hail purple smart of friendship "
*A small croud follows disguised Page hails*
For some reason a Unicorn is glowing red in embarassment beside the leader of the Hails for Purple smarts butt...
11001187
Because I know some readers use reading software and I enjoy the mental image of it going EXEXEXEXEX or POUNDPOUNDPOUNDPOUND
11001153
Mares and Hens: " I would totaly go for this flanks "
11001154
Wonder if there are Worthshippers of Discord or Breezee?
11001172
Yesss ♡♡♡♡♡
One worthshipper: "All hail sunbutt! No butt is sunny'er "
Another worthshipper: " If everything get tits up we go for Moonflanks! "
Some other worthshipper: " What about the Princess of food...? Em Love! "
Some beside Page and Twilight in disguise:
" I think i rather go for the new Friendship one! There is even two of em for some reason!"
*Everyone talking to eatch other*
Disguised Page: " All hail purple smart of friendship "
*A small croud follows disguised Page hails*
For some reason a Unicorn is glowing red in embarassment beside the leader of the Hails for Purple smarts butt...
11001202
It drives me crazy when i have to Manual skip this part with the autoread function
Nice 👍
Oh dear... Much as such a misconception is good for the national image, it's a high pedestal to topple from when things inevitably go wrong at some point. Not that denial will help either, since that's just begging for things to go full Life of Brian.
Also, I loved Sunset channelling Sergeant Wilson there, especially since I read Page with John Le Mesurier's voice.
11001172
Awkward and somewhat ironic, given the speculation just before Darkfeathers was coronated...
Grammar and spelling jackboots today:
Missing an apostrophe: seemed to be on Page's side.
said, it’s not uncommon
nice
"Man-Emperor of Mankind"
it's hard to stop religion from cropping up
It’s either here or the changeling hive plot line later on where it all goes wrong
11001147
i wonder how many are worshipping the royal plot lol
FEW HOURS LATER...PAGE AND HIS MARES VISIT THE TEMPLE OF THE SISTERS...
Page: Okay our disguises all set. Lets look around and talk to the...ummm
Sunset: Hmm..this building sure has a lot of tiny tapestries on the walls.
Page: Wait. Those are NOT tapestries. What. The. BUCK?!
Twilight: Those are body pillows of Celestia and Luna...hung all over the walls!!! WHY?!
Worshiper: Welcome new visitors~! Please feel free to fly up and take a pray cushion from the wall. Embrace a Sister into your claws and feel her heavenly powers during our group mediation~! If you need of a more...private moment with a Sister, we accommodate a private room in exchange for a generous donation. What will it be?
Page: Uh...sorry! I just realized we are late for a business meeting! So sorry goodbye!
PAGE AND HIS HERD RAN STRAIGHT BACK TO THE AIRSHIP...THIS INCIDENT WAS NEVER DISCUSSED EVER AGAIN...
Makes one wonder how many of those worshippers are even aware that ponies were already moving the sun and the moon before the two sisters entered the picture. Yes, that may have been a team effort that took a lot out of the unicorns involved -- but it was a job that could and was being done by ‘mere mortals’ already, no gods required...
11001380
According to Celestia, she is about five thousand years old... That's quite a bit of time for the World at large to forget what came before.
11001415
...except, of course, for the fact that pony culture seems to just love keeping at least a broad strokes version of those events alive and well -- cue Hearth’s Warming & Co.
It’d be a bit odd for anyone in the world to know about and have decided to worship the alicorns without also having picked up on their origin myth(s) over all those same years, is all.
Alicornsss
Alicornsss
Alicornsss
heh
Twilght: "Well, this is totally unexpected. Not at all what they implied. "
Sunset: "I---LIKE IT! "
Twilight: "Yes, I agree. It certainly does have a nice appeal to it. "
Page: "Why in God's name would they ever name it the Temple of the Sisters when the statues of Celestia and my Luna are bowing before that bloody obscene statue of the Thestral Alicorn Stallion!? "
Gilda: "Oh, that's because the King overruled any of us calling it the 'Temple of the Tall Dark Hunky and Handsome Batwing Alicorn Stallion Meat of Mystery'. He said something about a name like that would be hopelessly corrupting young griffon hen minds. Or some such. "
Sunset: "Subtle. "
Page: ""
Twilight: "I think Page is just showing his envy. Why, that statue's appeal is like twice as long as Pa--"
Page: "WE'RE OUTTA HERE!! "
I'm having flashbacks of a movie I saw where Jesus practically went crazy flipping over the tables of the moneychangers at the temple. ┻┻︵ヽ(`Д´)ノ︵┻┻