“Great floating summer island this is a cold train!” Silver moaned as he despereatly tried to curl up in a ball, underneath twelve heavy layrs of blankets. Twiliugt and her friends despereatly tried not to laugh at him. “Silver, darling, are you sure that you need...that many blankets?” rarity snickerd from the other side of the train cart. I only glared at her. “we-well ra-ra-rarity, I grew up *Ah-choo* on-on ahahaa...floating island...above the cloud layer...ma-magicly heated to a warm summers day, every day. I DON’T DO CO-COL-CO*AHCHOO*” Silver snifiled as he retreated farther into the blanket fortress he had constructed around him. “wEwhew, well silver perhaps yew shouldn’ have come with us to the crystal empire right darn in the middl’ winter” applejack slyly remarked as silver tried to glare at her, but found he was too weiged down by the thick blankets to meet her eyes, and instead looked more like a child trying his hardest to look menacing.

Twilight sat beside silver, rolling her eyes at her childlike love. She was very curious about him sometimes, she loved him...or she thought she did, he was heroic, strong, kind, brave...he was a white knight in shimmering armor...but at the same time…

Twilight sighed.

Silver haze wasn’t perfect, Twilight knew nopony WAS, but his quirks could be...challenging sometimes. he could be insensitive, downright rude to those he considered “beneath him” she understood he came from a royal line where the formalities were much stronger, but it almost seemed like he expected everypony else to change their ways instead of him. and his opion on earth ponies...well, he was trying, at least. Still though, the one thing that twilight could never get over, was silver love. Not of her.

But of luna.

Silver made NO effort to hide that he was seeing luna seriously, as well as her. As Twilight had learned from long talks with silver haze, and reasurch into their culture, the Alicorns of alicornia were a poligamist society, who didn’t believe in the idea of chaining down an alicorn to a single spouce. They thought that love should be givin freely to everyone, who you care about. However, that was not the case in equestria, and although luna, being born in that society, (and having not been around to see that change occure in equestria) was still fine with that kind of relationship.

Twilight on the other hoof, was strugling trying to understand silver, if he loved HER why did he still coddle luna, how could he tell her she was the most amazing thing he had ever seen and then rut luna senseless hours later? How could be such a gentle soul around her and yet be willing to attack anypony who questioned him? But, after all that twilight knew she loved him…

...Right?

**Crystal Empire**
**Time: 9:48 PM**

The train came to a slow stop outside the crystal empire. Silver took a peek outside the window of the train and popped his head back into his blankets with a groan “th-th-this won’t be fun” he spoke between his chattering teeth. As the other ponies began to get off, silver reluctantly slid out of the blankets that were left in the shape of his body, like a blanket-cocoon. using his levitation, he grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around his neck, despite knowing it was pretty much pointless.
Snow, ice and wind blasted his face as soon as he stepped out, and he was about to step back in when twilight pushed him along, and away from his warm (or as warm as you could get so far up north) haven, but eventually silver gave in and followed the others to the crystal empire, and the thought that there could be insulation in the crystal empire seemed to motivate silver further.

**Crystal Empire**
**Time: 10:00**

Warm celestial heat slowly started to kiss silver’s fur as he approached the empire, and with the lush green city in sight, he galloped as fast as he could to his savior, and as he entered, he was met with open arms thanks to the magical warmth the crystal heart provided. Twilight chuckled at how silver seemed to dance with joy in the warmth, as well as enjoying it herself along with the rest of the ponies.

“thanks goodness we’re out of that blizzardy trap of doom, if it weren’t for my willpower i would have frozen… or stayed in the train, either way i’m here now and i’m glad i came, the empire must be at least ten times better than the blizzard and the train combined” silver though to himself as he walked down the main road. To his left and right there were crystal ponies out and about, Hearths Warming eve decorations were strewn about the town, bringing a sense of friendship the equestria was known for.
“shining, Cadence!” i heard twilight cheer beside me, and as i looked forward i saw princess Cadence, celestia, luna and shining armor waiting for us. With glee, i see twilight do a little dance with cadence I simply sigh and roll my eyes. but with a smile on my face (after all, twilight lifting her plot rarly didn’t lift his mood) however, I also noticed the white stallion besider her (aparently, her brother) shinning armor, was giving me a death glare. I answered back with one of my own, he may have been royalty, but I wasn’t going to start backing down from challenges now! His mood shifted once twilight gave him a hug. But he still kept me in his sights, not one to back down, I walked towards them.

“Greatings rulers of this fai- OHF” Silver exclamed as cadence gave him a great big hug.

“Oh, no need to be so formal! You’re Twilights specal somepony AND you saved our kingdom, and anyone who’s twilights friend is my friend!” Cadence said, a bubbly tone in her voice, silver only stood their awkwardly, not use to the idea of throwing out protocol so causally. But, with cadence being a friend of twilight, he decided againt speaking and only stood their untill cadence let go and steped back.

After a second, shinning armor stept forward (and with a nudge from his wife, heh, whiped) he stiffly thrusted his hoof foward in greating, shaking his hoof, I felt him squeeze my hoof, cute, he was trying to assert dominance. in responce to his gentle squeeze I squeezed in responce.

I have to give him credit, he barely flinched when I used enough pressure to break a normal pony’s hoof. After a second of me almost breaking his hoof, he backed down first, leting go and steping back, shaking his hoof out.

“...strong grip you have there.” Shinning said, not bothering to hide the venom in his voice. In responce, cadence, nudged him again shooting a glare his way.

after a few more minets of greatings and catching up which silver haze stayed out off. Everypony migrated into the castle, where we met up with Luna and she-who-shall-not-be-named.

“Greatings my student!” Celestia said nuzzling twilight, before standing tall once more “and greatings, Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and flutershy.” Celestia said, a warm smile on her face. I cleared my throat audibly.

“ah, yes, and greatings...prince haze.” Celestia said offhandedly, without even looking at me, well, it was better then when she did it with spite in her voice, so that was something.

the rest of the night was a blur of greatings chatting, a quick meal, and then everypony retireing for the night, I was going to go spend the night with twilight, but I found her room empty, shruging, I went to luna’s room to spend the night there instead. Thankfully for me, she was.

**Cystal palace**
**Time: a quarter pass midnight**
**TWILIGHT**

I sighed with a shaky breath as I stood outside the doors to one of the many rooms of the crystal empire. I gulped as I forced my hoof to rest on the door. I felt like a filly again, crying over not being able to understand a simple concept, not being able to get a perfect score, even on a re-test. I thought I had moved past doing this, but apparently, I was still a scared little filly, unable to solve her own problems, luckily for me, I always had one pony who could wipe up my tears, wrap her wings around me and tell me everything was going to be alright.

*knock, Knock, Knock…*

Those three quiet knocks sounded so much louder as they sounded again and again as they bounced off the crystal walls, or perhaps it was simply my mind, echoing memories long since passed.

For a moment, I entertained the thought of running, sprinting and teleporting down the halls until I got to my room, ducking under the bed, and trying again another time, when I felt braver, but I knew that if I did not do this now, I would never work up the nerve again.

And then the doors opend, and I felt my heart stop and my breath catch.

“Twilight? *Yawn* Its quite late my little pony, is there something that you- Twilight? Are you crying?”

A million words that I could say raced through my mind, a million ways to explain my doubts, my fears, and how stupid I felt waking up my teacher over something so stupid, how I could apologize for how useless I felt, and how I needed her help, her guidance.

And then I embraced her, and I just cried into her chest. I cried and cried and cried. Every doubt drained out of my body as she placed a protective hoof over me and leaned down, humming a quiet song as my words failed me.

**Crystal Palace**
**Celestia’s room**

Celestia continued to hum as she prepared two cups of her favorite tea, an import from the griffon kingdom. Celestia fondly remembered the first time she had tried it. It was a gift from the griffons for resolving a conflict between them and a group of migrating dragons, somehow she had managed to accomplish her goal without starting a war.

It still tasted as good as it did back then.

Thats why celestia loved tea so much, ponies change, cultures change, entire kingdoms have risen and fallen since she took the throne. Yet even after all these years, tea still tasted the same as it did when she first had it after she and her sister had fled alicornia.

Celestia banished the thought with a sad smile, this night wasn’t about her.

Celestia carefully balanced the tray, gingerly placing a tray of scones in between the two cups as she floated it over to her bed, where a calm, but still saddened, twilight sparkle sat, waiting for her mentor.

Celestia, not one to disappoint her former student. gingerly laid down beside her student, placing a comforting wing over her nervous student. “Are you feeling calm now my faithful student?” Although it would have been proper to refer to her as a princess, celestia had a feeling using her former title would calm her.

Twilight sparkle shook her head slowly, before looking down and away from her mentor.

Celestia kept a gentle smile on her face, trying not to let the lines of worry soil her face, she had to be strong for twilight. Celestia had felt so alone these past few months, she was never able to be herself around most of her little ponies, and the only two ponies alive who she felt she could talk to, were off galavanting with a pony from the world she had spent so long trying to escape. Twilight had no idea how much Celestia wanted to flip onto her back and complain about her day, her month, HER LIFE. Yet Celestia knew that Twilight needed her more than she needed twilight, which is why she took a gentle sip of her tea, put a comforting smile on her face, and spoke.

“So Twilight, what is troubling you so much?” Celestia said, fighting back the urge to yawn, because knowing how fragile Twilight was, if she even gave an inkling that she was tired, Twilight would shut down, leave, and never talk to her about whatever this was again.

“I...I really shouldn't be bothering you, I mean, you have so many more important things to do right now, li-like sleeping, maybe I should just go..” Twilight mumbled, trying to get up. Sorry my student, you don’t get out of this one that easy.

Celestia placed a small bit of pressure on her wings, gently guiding twilight back down onto the bed. Keeping the same smile on her face, Celestia tried to coax her student into speaking.

“Twilight...when you became a princess, what was one of the first things I told you when I told you and your friends what your wings ment?” Twilight looked down, not in thought, but in defeat. Gotcha.

“..you said that even though I wasn’t your student, I could always come to you for guidance…” Twilight half spoke, half mumbled, trailing off at the end.

“Well then twilight...if it is guidance you seek, my offer hasn’t changed. Just like back when you were a student. Take a sip of your tea, breath, and then tell me what's on your mind.” Celestia smiled as twilight finally looked her in the eyes.

“it..it’s...well...it’s...Silver Haze…” Twilight sighed, tears coming to her eyes as she blushed at the fact that she was going to the ruler of equestria and master of the sun, with BOY problems.

Thankful for Celestia, Twilights thought distracted her from the fact that the room turned as hot as a desert for a second before returning back to normal. Celestia kept a gentle smile on her face. Even though inside she wished she could bring the sun down on that two-timing plothole. Before, she was angry with Silver Haze, now, she was ready to burn that smug grin right off of his face. However, although celestia had more raw power then silver haze, Celestia used normal unicorn magic. Silver Haze used dark magic, which was far more potent, and Celestia swore never to use that type of power, having seen first hoof how easily it can corrupt you.

“ah...I see, what is it ABOUT silver haze that has you here?” Celestia said trying desperately not to grab her student and cuddle her like she would back when she was just a little filly.

“well, I mean, he-he’s great, well, you know, he’s brave and everything, and..and he loves me I know that...bu-but he also loves luna, and, and I just don’t know if he loves me as much as he loves her, he’s known her for a long time, and the first thing he did when he met her was say that he still loved her, but then he turns around...and he’s so sweet and charming and...I don’t want to hurt him...and I know he doesn't want to but I feel he’s hurting me...but whenever I try and say something he just becomes so loving and kind and romantic…” at this point, twilight broke down into sobs again.

Celestia wanted to cuddle her student, tell her everything was going to be ok, that she was going to get rid of silver haze and everything was going to be ok.

But she couldn't, she WOULDN'T because twilight needed to do this herself, because if it didn't come from Twilights mouth, then Haze would not accept it...and she knew if it came to blows she would not win.

Because Celestia coulden't protect her student, not from the world she had tried to hard to sheild her ponies from, so she would try to help he confont it herself.

Because she was weak, but Twilight was strong, stronger then she would ever be.

and so, celestia felt her own heart break with every sob, she simply lifted her tea to her lips, took a small sip, and although twilight subconsciously shifted towards her, Celestia, trying to hold back her own tears, shifted away, keeping a comforting wing over her former student as the only thing consoling her.

After a minute that stretched into an eternity, Twilight stopped sobbing, before apologising furiously. “I’m..I’m so sorry princess, this isn’t princess like behavior, this isn’t even proper pony behavior, I’m-” Celestia held up a hoof to stop her.

“You are forgiven twilight. However, this is an issue that I cannot do any more then advise you on from a distance. If you feel this way about silver haze, you MUST, make yourself heard, Silver and Luna probably have no idea you feel this way...if you feel that there is no way to make yourself feel comfortable in an arrangement like this, you must let silver haze know he must choose.” Celestia took a long sip of her tea, trying hard not to break the cup with her magic.

“This is all I can say twilight, this is an issue that you must solve yourself, you must make yourself know, you can always confided in me, or your friends in the future, you are not alone Twilight, and I have a feeling your friends will feel the same way I do. You can look for them for encouragement if you need it.” Celestia stopped, trying to think of anything else to say, thankfully twilight cut her off.

“Princess?”

“Yes?”

“C-can I stay here for the night?”

Celestia smiled, some things never changed.

“Anytime my student. Anytime.”

**Cystal empire**

Silver haze woke up in a haze, he turned to his side to see luna was asleep. silver quietly got up and left the room. The hallways were dark, only lit by the candle, which weren’t doing a very good job. still groggy silver went down to the kitchen to get breakfast, as he passed the window he noticed it was still night “maybe i should wake up luna” silver whispered, trying not to make much noise. As he continued down the hall he saw the shape of a pony run past him and he quickly turned around to see what was there. Nothing.

Silver put a hoof on his “ i’m tiered...probably seeing things.” Silver shook it off his mind, but that though didn’t exactly want to leave him, as when he turned the corner, he was struck by a pony and they both fell down. Silver quickly got up, only to see the other pony was a good ten gallops away “what a quick little mare” silver said as he gave chase. When silver saw what the pony had in her saddle bag, he ran even faster, at some point silver had passed twilight at one of the hallway cross-sections, but continued as he didn’t want to loose the mare, but he saw twilight follow him.
Silver chased the mare down the halls, and eventually it lead to a large room with a mirror placed in the center, near the back.

“no where left to run!” silver called “who are you, and why do you have the chest from the crystal tree?!” silver became annoyed when all the mare did was snort at him and, to silver’s astoundment, leap into the mirror.
“stop this instant” silver shouted, and jumped in head first, followed by twilight.

Author's Notes:

Helloooooo everypony!!!! /)
Okay it’s time to get serious. I’ve been reading over the comments and i think it’s time i start making silver haze better, and i don’t mean more awesome (because it’s not like i can do better than i am already) i mean better as in a better charactor. I hear you laughing, but my boyfriend and i are starting to take the extra steps to make this better. I DO read the comments, even if I dont reply to them all, and I understand a lot of what you guys say, while I do think I’m a good writer, I understand that just because I don’t write often doesn’t excuse bad quality. I get it, if you put it online, you get critics,You may not notice a difference, but we’re taking baby steps.

Also, to talk about silver haze, YES I understand he has some bad qualities that make him sometimes unlikeable, BUT isn’t that what makes a good charictor? I tried to add flaws that didn’t just come up when convient but dictated the way he acted, and yes I know that makes him unlikable at times, but he is also a very likeable character I feel, and I can tell you the next few chapters are going to be painful to write for me, as lets just say that things arn’t going to go silver hazes way over the next little bit. Just stick with me guys, I can do good, I’ve seen it, my BF has told me he sees it, my FRIENDS see it, so I ask you, to just step back, and give haze one more chance.

Phew, that was a bit too serious for me, but anyways, thanks to my BF for helping me write most of this chapter (because i know how much you guys prefer his writing over mine when it comes to more heavy hooved stuff :) ) I know the end was a bit rushed but I coulden't think of a good way to get them into the portal but I swear It's going to be expanded on later, cross my heart and hope to fly!!!!

More to come!!!! BROOOOOHOOOOOOFFFF /)