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Complications

by Hiver

Chapter 60

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When I finally got to the tower, I was exhausted. Not only form the hours of flight practice, or the hours traveling(I wish so hard I would someday become as good at teleporting as Sparky), or the trek up from the Hive. Or even the implications of hive politics. More like it was a combination of all above that just made me want nothing more than to crawl into bed and tell Celestia where she could shove that ball of light she liked to show off.

Thunder Cloud came in to land next to me a second before my hoof hit the door to push the outer door open, "Sir," he said with a smile, "Welcome back."

I shot him my best sourly alicorn' look, "...Thanks. Buzz off."

"Tired huh?" he asked, not changing his tone even a little. The bastard. "Sure thing. Just need to give you this first," he said and handed a scroll over."

I glared at the scroll like it would make it burst into flame before I sighed and took it, "Thanks."

He saluted quickly before lowering his hoof again, "Long day?"

I sighed again, "You could say that. You?"

"Just got on, actually. Night shift rotation this week. Woke up like two hours ago."

Dayguard night shift. Bloody hell.

"Welcome to the club," I said and looked at the scroll. If I didn't open it until tomorrow, I didn't need to act at it until tomorrow and I didn't know what it contained. But no... if it wasn't important from somepony important, then it would have arrived with the rest of the mail. Not be delivered by a guard pony, "Don't you have anything better to do than ambush poor ponies with mail? What happened to officer school?"

"Invasion and then Princesses going out of town for a bit," Cloud said and shrugged his wings, "Everything got pushed back for extra patrols."

"Oh."

He shrugged again, "Everything is going back to normal again in a few weeks. Besides, that's directly from Princess Celestia."

Ah.

Cloud had been a courier for the Day Guard most of his career as he was a natural long distance flier. He was cleared to carry above top secret messages. Even in Canterlot there wasn't that many ponies in the Guard with that kind of rating and most of them having much more important things to do.

"...Which mean that this is likely too important to put off until tomorrow," I sighed and looked down at the scroll.

Bollocks.

"Likely, sir," Cloud agreed, "Well, I'll leave you to it before I get in trouble for slacking off or something."

"Next time you get a message for me, tell them to buzz off."

He grinned, "Don't think that would look good on my next performance report," and then he dropped the smile to salute, somehow managing to make it just professional enough not to get in trouble while still making it look like he was taking the piss, "Sir," he said with a nod before taking to the skies.

Likely plenty of practice.

I sighed once more and looked down at the scroll again before unrolling it. Might as well get on with it.

It didn't contain any of the usual official language Celestia used in official communications. Instead it was a simple, 'Page, come see me as soon as you are free, there are some things we need to discuss. Celestia'.

I had gotten notes like that from her in the past.

This one annoyed me though, I wanted to sleep! I wanted to pull Luna into the bed with me for cuddles!

But she didn't send them for nothing. Damn it.

Flicking my ears in annoyance, I turned away and started towards her section of the castle before starting to slowly get an idea.

Well, if she were going to summon me like this today, she deserved to be messed with... and she didn't know of my change. I hesitated... it would delay going home to Luna, but really, how often would I get this kind of opportunity?

At this time she would be in her quarters, having some tea while going over paperwork. Alone.

Spreading my wings, I shifted them before taking to the air. I went slow, focusing on flying steady rather than fast.

I knew that if I tried for fast, I still wobbled and I really didn't feel like meeting a sudden tower.

Circling up around the wall at what was hopefully a safe distance until I reached the right balcony before going in for landing as quietly as I could. I silently snuck up to peak in the window. Yep, right room, Sunshine was right at the desk I expected her to be at.

The door to the balcony was open, giving me an easy way inside. Come on, Sunshine...

Picking the cup up, she turned away from the window to look at a couple of documents floating in her magic. Perfect!

Dropping my illusion, I rounded the corner and screee'd with my wings spread wide. Celestias reaction was not quite what I expected and the next thing I saw was a sun-bright beam of energy flying straight at me.

I scrambled in panic, throwing up a shield as strong and fast as I could. It was the fastest I had ever been able to bring a shield up with that kind of strength.

It was perfect.

I’m pretty sure it being perfect was pretty much all that saved my life, but I might as well held up yesterday's newspaper against an oncoming train.

Everything went very bright, there was a crashing sound, everything hurt there was and a faint sense of movement.

Somepony touched me. I could hear something.

"No. No no! Page... Page, stay with me. don't try to move!"

She sounded worried. That wasn't good. Why couldn't I move? Everything was dark. Everything hurt.

"Guards! Get the-" the sound faded away for a second and everything went silent, dark and a bit colder.

"-age!"

I forced my eyes open just enough to catch a glimpse of flowing rainbow fields.

Celestia. Sunshine.

"No! No! Stay here. I’m so sorry! I-I can't... please!"

She sounded very far away.

"Plea- I can't los- not after thi- I lo-"

Silent darkness.

Next Chapter: Chapter 61 Estimated time remaining: 7 Minutes
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