Luna sat next to my bed, looking down at me.
I laid on my back, as much weight off my side as possible and I smiled up at her, “Missed you.”
Luna forced a small smile, “Don’t worry me like that, Page,” she said, her nose touching mine before giving me a small soft kiss.
I stroked her mane with my good hoof, “I’m sorry, My Sky. But in my defense, this was not my fault for once.”
Sniffing softly, Luna shook her head, “No. No, it wasn’t.”
“But I do promise I will be more careful in the future,” I said, smiling gently up at her, “And I’m fairly sure I won’t have much of a choice in the matter either with Moon Glow on the job. Fairly sure she is going to keep me on a short leash for a while.”
Luna looked amused, “I think you may be correct, My Page,” she answered, one ear flicking.
I carefully scooted to the side, giving more space on the bed and Luna carefully climbed onto it next to me, settling down as her wing covered me protectively.
Celestias wings were nice. Very nice actually.
Okay, they may be softer and thicker and warmer than Lunas, but Lunas were the first ones I had inspected in detail.
I liked Lunas wings.
Not only because they were attached to My Luna either. Then again, I really liked Sparks wings too. Not as big, but just as soft and… well…
Beautiful.
Okay, I may have a thing for wings. Funny, is that biological? Did my form affect my mind? Of course it did. Chemicals, brain shape and everything had to affect what was running on it.
I’m clearly at the very least using pony firmware. And pony firmware all agreed that wings?
Sexy.
“What are you thinking of?” Luna asked gently as she looked down at me.
“Wings.”
Luna laughed softly, “You do like those, don’t you?” she teased a bit playfully, raising her own high and wide.
“I very much do.”
She smiled, she gave me a small kiss before she looked down at me, her nose touching the bandage across my barrel, “Are you in any pain?”
“A little,” I admitted, “The Doctor has just started me on less powerful meds. On the bright side, I’m not as loopy anymore.”
Luna looked at me doubtfully.
“...Okay, I may be a little loopy still,” I admitted, “I am on some pretty strong stuff.”
Luna nodded and folded one wing, the other settling protecting across me. I smiled and ran my hoof along the soft feathers before I looked at her,
“I’m sorry for worrying you.”
She shook her head, “I… when I heard I was so afraid,” she said softly, meeting my eyes, “I…I thought I would lose you.”
“I’m sorry,” I repeated softly as I looked into her eyes, “Is there any leads yet?”
Luna let out a frustrated sigh, “The guard is investigating, but… no. Not so far. They are trying to track down who’s crossbow it is, who it was assigned to, but they are not numbered.”
That seems like a bit of an oversight.
…Then again, I don’t think they are in Nocturnis either. We really should be doing that, it seemed like a reasonable thing to do.
“I see,” I said and frowned, “Which means they may try again.”
“...Yes,” Luna confirmed quietly.
I sighed softly, “Which means that the safest thing is to return to Nocturnis as soon as I can travel,” I said, “Of course, trying again may expose them…”
“Absolutely not!” Luna thundered, looking furious, “Thou are no-”
I booped her nose with my hoof as I smiled, “I’m not,” I reassured her, “But maybe we can figure out a way to make it seem like I am. But let’s think about that when I’m not completely distracted.”
Luna settled down again with a small sigh, shaking her head, “My sister has turned you into a flirt,” she said with a small playful scowl.
I smiled up at her, “Only by the means of getting better at it. I’m not quite as obvious as I was when you literally cornered me on a picnic.”
Luna looked amused, “Well, I suppose you have gotten a bit better. From self preservation if nothing else.”
I just stroked her wing softly with a small smile. Luna shifted, gently and carefully resting her head against my chest as I did so, causing me to suppress a wince.
Apparently I didn't do a good job as she instantly raised her head, “Did it hurt?”
“...A little,” I admitted.
She shifted to lay down next to me instead and I carefully rolled to face her.
“This isn’t ba-gah!” I said as I got a muzzle full of ethereal mane.
Luna burst into soft laughter as she brushed it to flow in a different direction, “Did the bad mane eat you again?”
I stuck my tongue out at her, “And Sunshine wonders why I want a different kind of magic regulatory spell. Not exactly manly, is it?”
Luna grinned and looked me over, “I don’t know, I think you may look good with a flowing mane.”
I glowered at her, “Aren’t you a bit under dressed for a nurse?”
She smiled a bit playfully as she met my eyes and bumped her nose against mine, “And perhaps we can do something about that when you get better.”
Oh.
Now that was a mental image. I should get shot more often.
We settled down again as I looked into her eyes, “Luna,” I finally said, “...I’m not afraid, you know. Last time was a free shot. Now I know they are coming.”
“I know,” she answered quietly, “And that’s what scares me.”
You remember that commercial for Geico Insurance with the guy dangling a dollar on the end of a fishing rod going "Ooh! You almost had it!"?
Yeah, that's the author everytime the perfect opportunity to bring Skitter or Chrysalis into the story happens.
Nice.
I bet it was nobal #39. That pony is always untrustworthy
I suppose that, if we are wanting to pretend a fast trip to Nocturnus, we need a body double to play Page. "GEE WIZ SKitter, where can we find a body double on short notice?"....
Maybe we can make it look like…
Well isn’t there a hive full of cuddlebugs that, do shapeshifting. So decoy changeling?
To be fair, if old age is no factor than any other death cause is likely. Assassination is unfortunately higher than falling of a ladder, dying due to snu-snu in heat season of dehydration or poisend food/drinks.
Things they could improve:
- Identification for weapons and armor assigned and counter signed upon receiving prior to duty start and regular checking accounts of what was used by whom and when stuff was used.
- Limiting weapon owning, a civilian should have no military weapons for range use for example.
- Any food and drink get scanned prior to leaving kitchen and upon arrival.
- Changeling Guards patrols, pretty sure murderous intend has a feeling or flavor to it.
- Perhaps enchanted necklaces/ bracelet against range weapons, any layer of protection to overcome lowers lethality in general.
Not only professional assassin come after immortals after all.
- Maid stuff is always with 1 or 2 overseeing personal in royal rooms when cleaning!
That way noone can enter and place poisons, bombs etc etc.
Thanks for the chapter!
What about illusions? Make the assassin shoot at nothing but air? Do the populace at large know about his talents with those?
Have a great day!
Hive is attending a meeting called by Skitter, while Chrysalis is investigating who tried to murder the biggest benefactor to Changeling- Pony relationships.
Queen in training Skitter:
"Greeting subjects of the Canterlot Hive, please keep up the good work and stay vigilant during your duty hours.
As you know someone short sighted tried to pull of a assassination on Prince Blank Page, benefactor of Changelings and Ponies, this is unacceptable! Especially since the future egg donations to the swarm are a essential part of our plans to take over the world one snuggelbug at a time.
But until we rule the world with snuggeling and nuzzeling, we shall do what we do best,
WE - WILL LING THE SHIT OUT OF COMPETITION!
Listen up, the underworld dealings of any nation is uncontrolled and we are in a perfect position to take over.
Thorax will alongside Princess of Food control the lust and love Industry, from pleasure houses to hearts and hooves industry, dating services etc etc.
Pharynx will lead the black markets for services provided like assassination contracts, so we will start systematically the termination of non Lings.
Until only Lings are employed as assassins.
If somecreature want somecreature else dead, they come to our prepared disguised agents.
A Queen will than evaluate if the target or the hiring hoove will be disposed off.
Next is Kevin, we still don't know how is natural ability works to look like anyone we want to see in him, ponies see him as pony, Minotaurs see him as Minatour and so on.
Yes, we have checked, he is a Ling and not Pinkie Pie pulling pranks. Again... Let's not talk about the great pink.one again for abylings sanity...
Anyway Kevin will hoove the outer species relations.
And the last point of the agenda today:
Love ration distribution!
Yes I know we finally have sufficient love for anyling and have something extra given out for moral purposes, but whoever organized the hive love orgy one day before the assassination attempt on future swarm egg daddy, don't give out love for on duty security personnel!
It isn't professional to have quickies on duty and got my future larve daddy in danger!
Besides the response ponies getting sentenced to death by snu-snu, the next time someling screw up, the responsibility of the ling will be punished with snu-snu clean up duty!
You have been warned!
For the Swarm, the Hive and future swarm daddy!" Did Skitter shouted to her citizenship of Lings & Kevin.
While the Lings assembly and Kevin shouted back:
"For Queen and Hive and future larve daddy!"
Well, there is this Hive of changelings that are probably out for blood right now
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a state's ability to maintain a monopoly on violence is gonna be a bit challenged in a land where at least a quarter of the population has boomsticks attached to their heads, a third can drop things from high altitudes, and the rest are pretty damn strong
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Reason enough to not allow artefical weapons, since they have impressive natural ones!
...CANTERLOT RESIDENTS' EYES FOLLOWING THE MASSIVE BALL OF BUBBLE WRAP BEING ROLLED BY THE MOON PRINCESS...
Luna: Don't mind me! Just taking a normal walk to the train station. Completely normal day!
Page: mffnph MFFGUGPTA!
Luna: Ignore any bubble wrap noises. Totally doesn't sound like a pony prone to injury during travel!
Page:
Remember the last time page hat the time to prepare himself?
Tirek happened. A very very very thoroughly dead Tirek. And Rainbows cause Rainbows!
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Seriously, I already mentioned changeling body doubles back when the topic of Celestia taking a vacation came up. The only more obvious use case for them is, shall we say, making love.
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And the accompanying ascension to alicornhood. Very funny that his wing fetish didn't come up until now, long after he gained a pair of his own.
Why does this make it sound like she is concerned for the safety of the Assassin as well as Page?
Ideas for a body double are as follows: Changelings are an obvious choice but could result in endangering the changeling. Isn't Paige's Illusions so powerful they become tactile?
I would use two illusions. One false Page (bait) and one covering the real page disguised as one of the non-Nocturnis guards (less likely to be targeted themselves). This plan still has a lot of holes in it like the culprit easily finding out which guard is Page and the culprit not caring about collateral and attacking Page and the guards this time (bomb)
You would think that they would have had a serial number on the weapons and armor
Well, page is absolutely going to insist on adding serial numbers to guard weapons just like he insisted on higher security for magical artifacts and Discord.
On a more hypothetical note, if Page's angriest causes the dream world to overlap reality, what's stopping him form, I don't know, spawning in an invincibility star from mario and using it? Or a projectile reflector like the Star fox characters in Smash Bros?
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It probably takes considerable magic power to bring dream items into reality. He is a newly created alicorn Celestia and Luna had literal centuries to grow there reserves.
Great chapter
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Love this
Alicorn of Stories wants to lure somepony into a trap? Sounds like he’s just the pony to do it.
Glad Amber and Skitter are still around!
Blank Pages guide on how to have sex with your wife:
Step 1: Almost die
Step 2: Profit
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At least it skips the ubiquitous Ferengi "Step (N-1): ???"
I've never been in the military, but I know that if it has a serial number, make sure you know where it is at every waking and sleeping second. If anything serialized, be it a rifle, night vision equipment, an LAM, radio equipment, or anything else goes missing, the entire base goes onto lockdown until it's found. All hands on deck, no stone unturned. And then, whoever it was assigned to is going to get severe disciplinary action, up to and including a dishonorable discharge.
And if he doesn't get discharged, soldiers have very creative punishments.