Looking Glass

by Hiver

Chapter 4

I slowly slipped out of the peace of sleep at the movement next to me. I grumbled and tightened the hold with my wing.

"Page... need to go..." Sunset said softly and stirred again.

"...Stay. Early..."

She sighed softly against my neck before she carefully untangled herself and slipped out of the bed. I forced an eye open to look after her. Just in time for Sparks to scoot into the place Sunny had evacuated and my entire vision was filled with mane.

I closed my eye again, relaxing. It was early. Luna was deep asleep behind me still.

Twilight sleepily rolled over with a small groan of protest, shifting until her nose was beneath my chin before she settled down again, already back asleep.

But I couldn't fall asleep again. Tonight was the night.

The night we change Nocturnis.

But the sun was still well above the horizon, light filtering in through the bubble of darkness over the bed. Enough to keep it from waking Sunset or Twilight, but I could still see it.

Hours until Luna would get up. Way too early.

Slipping my wing across Twilight’s, I held her tighter, pressed my nose against her mane and slowly started to return to the dream realm.

Sparkles shimmered through the dream realm and Luna smiled at me as I returned to it, "What happened?" she asked.

I smiled and stretched my wings, "Sunny got out of bed, woke me up," I said, "She works too hard."

Luna raised an eyebrow at me.

"I know, I know. But things are about to get better for everypony. And I may just ban Sunny from her position leading the guard to get her to slow down."

Luna smiled and shook her head, "Sunset would not appreciate that."

"...No," I admitted and sighed, "And I wouldn't do that. And admittedly it has been crazy with all the preparations for the activation of the shield. I may have been the least busy pony actually, all I did was write a speech."

That got a wider smile from her and she bumped her nose against mine, "Welcome to politics."

"Poly-Tics. Multiple bloodsucking insects," I said, "Yeah, that seems about right."

Luna laughed and moved up next to me, slipping her wing across my back in a hug, "I see you are familiar with the noble and venerable houses of Equestria."

I sighed and leaned against her, "Indeed. How are things on that front anyway? Your sister says everything is fine, but..."

"In reality, it is," Luna admitted, "Nothing they find overly upsetting has been happening lately so matters have calmed down to the usual simmer."

"That's good I suppose," I said with a small frown.

Luna nodded, "Especially after they started to calm down from the second changeling invasion."

I grinned at that, "They actually call it that? Overdramatic much?"

"Very," Luna agreed, "But it did calm down fairly quickly."

Changelings joining the Canterlot workforce.

I had spent special time squashing nightmares. Or if I had the time, turning them around to be nice ones during the first couple of weeks of the Canterlot hive 'invading' canterlot. It had definitely been an adaptation period for everypony involved. Ponies or Changelings.

But apparently it was difficult to keep being nervous around beings that make you coffee.

“I was glad to hear that,” I said and rested my head against her neck, “But I suspect we may stir things up a little soon.”

Luna shifted her head to look down at me, “What do you have planned?” she asked suspiciously.

I smiled at her innocently, “What? Me?”

Luna tickled a feather along my side and I grinned,

“Nothing planned, just natural consequences,” I admitted, “With the shield up, we will be able to stop just surviving down here. We’ll start farming for real. Exporting exotic fruits, wines. We found some spices similar to pepper that some of us think may become popular. It is going to mess with the market in the rest of Equestria. Some ponies won’t be happy.”

“That always happens,” Luna admitted, “Markets are always shifting and ponies are always unhappy about it.”

I nodded, “I know, and I’m mostly worried about the villages close to the edge of the jungle. They have traditionally been the source of these kinds of things. We’re about to be in a position to outcompete them with both quality and quantity. That will cause resentment and that will spread.”

Luna flicked one ear and then touched her nose against mine, “Work with them.”

“I plan to try.”

If nothing else, having a bunch of friendly ponies to help interface with the rest of Equestria would be very useful. Even if they only did it from greed.

Comments

[FoxyLove]

And so the plans keep coming while we wait to see if the dome works or if Sgt. Murphy decides to interfere...

[Barbaric_Bob]

11280701
Page:... Twilight?
Twi: Yes?
Page: why is the DOME a CUBE?
Twi: *reads notes again*... I have no bucking clue
Discord: *constant muttering* All these spheres make a cube
Page: is... is he okay?
Luna: he had a gallon of LSD instead of a gallon of chocolate milk
Page: ah, that explains a lot. chaos being chaotic?
Luna: Probably

[Asolem2]

"Poly-Tics. Multiple bloodsucking insects," I said, "Yeah, that seems about right."

Hah, nice

If nothing else, having a bunch of friendly ponies to help interface with the rest of Equestria would be very useful. Even if they only did it from greed.

At least then you know what they're up to

[windy_prance]

..DURING THE FIRST DAY OF CHANGELING INTEGRATION..

Pharynx: Ok every-ling! This is our Hive's first high-profile job for Canterlot: street cleaners. We will perform this task professionally with discipline!

Thorax: And remember. Its a common part of pony culture to sing while working as a group. So sing loud and proud to give the ponies our best 1st impression!

Changelings: *lifting brooms up* SIR! YES! SIR!

*Two dozen Changelings march and sweep down the street in military formation*

Changelings: ♬SWEEP! CLEAN! WE CLEANSE THESE STREETS! ON HAPPY FEET! WE DEMAND YOUR SMILES! ♬

*Canterlot citizens starts screaming and running in panic*

Pharynx: ...that pink pony lied to us.

Thorax: I swear I saw her doing this and everypony loved it..I think next time we'll bring cake!

[Black--Soul]

Economics in chaos... Discord find it to orderly probably...

Dawww morning snuggeling

Canterlot Nobels would make a great decoy for Jungle beasts... Just saying

[Black--Soul]

11280814
Absolutly priceless humor

[The Great Scribbly One]

Nice chapter, nothing can possibly go wrong!

No grammar jackboot moments to report, good work.

[SRY]

"Poly-Tics. Multiple bloodsucking insects," I said, "Yeah, that seems about right."

Flavors of Piers Anthony there.....

[Black--Soul]

11280762

Nice referances ♡

[A.P.O.N.I.]

11281527
Thank you for the explanatory video!

[Kevin Lee]

11281527
"All the world is an analogue stage, and digital circuits only play bit parts."--Anonymous
...of course, that was before Planck's contributions to Quantum Theory proved the universe really was digital....

[Mr Good Guy]

11280762
Shouldn't that be all these CUBES make a DOME, though?

[Zepher]

11342681
Don't question the Chaos.
Embrace it!

[AliCentaur Br0ny]

11281463
Oh no! They escaped into Equestria!

[44burn]

If nothing else, having a bunch of friendly ponies to help interface with the rest of Equestria would be very useful. Even if they only did it from greed.