As I entered Sanctuary, I instantly threw a shield above myself.
Sadly, instantly was nowhere fast enough apparently because before the shield had even formed, I was soaked. It was so dark it was almost like a night and it was raining hard.
Well, that's what I get for insisting on realistic weather systems I guess. I shook my head to get the worst of the rain out of my mane before starting towards the flickering light I could see over by the edge of the clearing where the shelter had been put up. Just against days or nights like this.
My ears flicked as I picked up familiar voices and I smiled before starting to step on twigs and kick small rocks as not to startle anypony. I moved quietly naturally, but with the rain going, no way they would hear me.
"Hey you two," I said with a smile as I reached the leaning wooden shelter and its flickering fire, "How's Manehattan?"
"Page!" Sunset said with a grin and scooted a bit closer to Twilight to give me room, "Get in here!"
I slipped in only for Twilight's magic to run all over me, gathering the water into a ball and throwing it back outside.
"You know, you have to teach me how to do that," I told her with a smile as I sank down next to Sunny, "That's so practical in Nocturnis."
Sparks smiled and leaned in across Sunset to kiss my cheek, "You already know how."
I raised an eyebrow at her, "Do I now, Miss Sparks?"
"Yes, and I'm not telling you."
I looked to Sunset.
She grinned, "If Twi isn't, neither am I."
I glowered at them both before I shook my head with a sigh, "I'll give it some thought," I said and slipped my wing across Sunsets back, "How's Manehattan? You should have arrived a day or so ago?"
"Last night," Sunset said and shifted position slightly to lean against my side, her head against the side of my neck, "It's so great. You should see our room. Or maybe I should call it a suite. It has two floors!"
Sparks nodded, "It's pretty extravagant," she admitted with a small smile, "But it's nice in a way. I lived at the Canterlot castle before, but this is different."
"Well, you both deserve it a thousand times over," I said and nosed at Sunny's closest ear, "Do anything fun yet?"
"We went to the theater!" Sparks said happily and scooted close to Sunset, trapping the unicorn between us so she could kiss my cheek.
We were both a head taller than Sunset now and Sparks had caught up with me last we checked and was on the verge to overtake me. My own growth had slowed down lately, so I kinda doubted I would even reach Cadanced size at the moment. Then again, alicorn growth seemed to be more or less random so who knows.
I kinda wished I would stop growing actually, the closer to the size of a regular pony I was, the less of the next possible eternity I would spend banging my horn against things.
That bucking hurt. Being the smallest alicorn was well worth not doing that.
"Anything good?" I asked as Sparks wing settled across mine on Sunny's back.
"Was alright," Sunset answered, "A story about a pegasus that wanted to fly to the sun."
I nodded and pulled her a bit tighter, "That sounds interesting."
"It was a bit more complicated than that," Sparks interjected, "It's a metaphor for being unable to reach the pony she loved."
"Which I assume was Celestia?" I suggested with a smile.
"That was pretty much left up to the viewer, it was never clear," Sparks admitted, "But... considering the symbolism..."
I smirked, "Well, can't blame them. She is worth it."
Sunset rolled her eyes before looking up at me, "After all the time you two specifically didn't get together and you make comments like that?"
"Hush kitten," Sparks said and gave her a small kiss just above the horn, "It's not their fault they're more stubborn than smart."
"Hey," I protested and tickled her side with my wing, "We had perfectly logical and reasonable reasons for it."
"More stubborn than smart is right," Sunset agreed, ignoring my comment, "We just wanted you two to be happy, wing boy," she said and nuzzled beneath my chin.
"And we are," I sighed, "But enough of that, now is about you two."
Sparks eyed me for a second before she nodded, "It was a pretty long trip," she admitted, "but comfortable. We visited my parents on the way, it was nice seeing them again."
"Oh, I just remembered," Sunset said, "Could you pass a message from them to Midnight? They would like her to visit as well."
I shrugged a bit, "You can tell her yourself next time she visits Sanctuary. She's not in Nocturnis at the moment."
"What, she's not?" Twilight asked in surprise, "Where is she?"
"No clue," I said with another shrug, "She got a track on where there is a possibility to find some Kirin and she took Tempest along. They left a couple of days ago."
Sparks shifted a bit uncertainty, "We really should keep one of us at Nocturnis just in ca-"
"Hey," Sunset told her, "Stop that. Vacation. Plenty of guards in Nocturnis and that's part of why we got that shield, remember?"
Twilight hesitated before she sighed and nodded, "You're right," she said before looking at me, "How is Nocturnis?"
I smiled at her, "Pretty much same old," I said, "Nothing particularly special going on. Most exciting thing the last couple of days was Starlight delivering some stuff for Flower and discovering my sorting system."
Sparks eyed me, "A pile on your desk with the oldest at the bottom is not a sorting system."
"Starlight also had strong opinions about it," I admitted, "I suspect she's going to do random inspections from now on to make sure I follow the system she implemented."
Sunny giggled, "You are her prince, you could just tell her to buck off."
I shifted a bit uncomfortably, "...But it was so important to her."
Besides, not like she was wrong exactly. I just hated dealing with paperwork.
"Good colt," Sunset said and raised her head to kiss my cheek.
We fell silent after that, just looking out over the grass as the rain fell and the small warming fire crackled.
Nice little laid back chapter. Wonder how they'd feel if they found out about his plans while they were gone?
Icaro reference???
That's better than mine where everything is simple thrown at the first empty spot in the room.
Nice
I mean, it kind of is, especially as long as you stay consistent. It just has its limits that will become more and more apparent as the pile inevitably grows...
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Maybe later, I just finished another Page idea recently. It may be to an older story but still. Couldn't resist there.
Extended Princess Pass
Wait, Midnight has gone looking for Kirin? Does this mean the timeline is all the way over at season 8?
I'm still curious what happened with the gauntlet of fire.
As long they are staying snuggly everything is fine and everycreature is happy.
Meanwhile Chrysalis and Skitter have constructed a underground hive below the huge tower from last stories in Sanctuary and the spar and swimming pool area are ready to use.
The vibration furniture like beds are perfect to massage all stress away that non cuddling from a certain stallion causes.
In another partition off section do the tamed sapient Nightparasites had long evolved into symbiote for entertainment and the latest batch of Nocturnis visitors enjoyed watching a horror movie, while pampered with cold drinks in a warm sandy beach area.
The sand was soft and never got into unwelcome places, a dream come true.
Luna was busy going through a particular zombie infested area in the horror game the bat pone watched, cheering their nightly princess on.
Luna instead of going for the head, shot of a leg of any zombie, slowing down the ever chasing enemy.
A cat and mouse play as challenging as it was entertaining to overcome.
Especially since the knife just had broken and her ammunition supply would again start to lower from this point on.
While Luna was playing the horror game, the bat pone of Nocturnis watched Lunas run through the scenario, did Celestia snuggeld up to a pair of bat pone and Changelings in attendance.
The Changelings present had transformed into Blank Page, a cuddly routine when the real one wasn't there.
Especially the Nocturnis mares and the occasional stallion enjoyed the cuddle pile forming up.
A platonic cuddle pile had become Sanctuary tradition by now.
Somewhere else in Sanctuary...
Cadance and Shining Armor educated their Tantabus earthpony shaped hooker.
Over the years they teaches it many things, for example:
Snuggeling, cuddling, 25 WAYS to enjoy stallion and mares alike, massage techniques and most importantly... how to serenade its guest in the fun dungeons.
This dream mine craft Blank Page had created was still mostly a peaceful wild area with grasslands and trees, but the Changeling Queens Tower of adventure and culture, Cadance over and underground fundungeon, Blank Page theater symbiotic entertainment area and the huge ballpit filled with plastic rainbow colored balls was as entertaining as ever to all its visitors.
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Blank Page 2.1, maybe this time it will be another pony subrace?
Perhaps even a non pony? Maybe a Kirin or a Griffon, let's hope he isn't a Yak.
...LATER IN PAGE'S OFFICE...
Page: Ow! What was that?
Starlight: The new system! I incorporated a few spells into your desk. If you place an item in the non-designated spot, you get a little static shock.
Page: That wasn't a "little" shock!
Starlight: Oh that hair will grow back! You won't have to worry once you learn to follow the system!
...FEW DAYS LATER...
Starlight: ...Get you and everything else off the floor.
Page: But the desk is still clean tho! Mission accomplished right?
Starlight: GET OFF THE FLOOR!
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Fight the system smarter, not harder
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Starlight really isn't good at thinking things through. Getting a new desk is also an option.
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So, it even rains in Sanctuary. Fascinating.
I could clear that sky in ten seconds flat!
2Go home, Dashy. You're still not in this story.
Aww, dangit.
Typo alert:
Should be "Cadance's."
If a chicken see a line is drawn before its eyes, it looks like hypnotized on it as if its some kind of mystery that needs to be solved.
Noone knows how it works.
Wonder if some other animals have that trait as well?
Maybe something like that is why the Tempel in the jungle is still in good shape.
Shame
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Heh. I suspect Starlight got the idea from a human movie called "Ghostbusters". It was a favorite toy of Dr. Venkman's.