Author's Notes:

It resumes! Did you enjoy Silver's trip? Or maybe you're coming into this fresh.

Want to know what happened? Stop reading! Get ye to here: Beneath a Silver Sky

That story fits in BEFORE this chapter, so be sure to read it before reading this chapter.

Silver's life is home to many typos, some larger than others.

Silver awoke with a start, sitting up in a comfortable bed. There was a smell of salt in the air, and the distant call of gulls. He rolled to his hooves to find his legs weak, and he collapsed where he had tried, only to fight his way back up again, heart thumping weakly. He felt small and weak. Looking himself over, he could see he was his old self. He was a stallion. He had no jewels or armor, save Twilight's precious gem, which he pulled close and took his quick breaths, trying to calm himself.

When he could, he made his way to a closed window and threw it open with his silvery magic, revealing a beach in the distance, and many buildings in the way. He was some stories up, looking over it all. He had never gotten on that boat, just knocked out on the train and stored here... His entire... This entire chapter of his life was one big...

Silver pressed his head against the glass, angling to avoid ramming his horn against it as he panted slowly.

He needed to go home, to Ponyville, and see his wives. They would know what to make of his life, and to help him piece it all together.

"Silver!"

He turned to see Luna stepping through an open door. "We have been eager to see you returned. We did not expect you to appear so suddenly." She grabbed him up in a hug, unaware of his turmoil. "It's so good to have you back. How was your journey? It must have been very good or very bad for it to conclude so swiftly. Silver? Why are you crying?" Her questions slowed as she realized she was holding an injured pony. She held him gently, and he nestled into her, nuzzling into her dark pelt and caught without words for the moment.

He looked up to her. Luna's face was etched with her concern for him, and he felt his heart swell and ache in his chest. To know she was there. "Thank you. I'm alright."

"That is a lie."

Silver raised a leg to wipe his puffy eyes. "No, really, I'm alright."

"Silver, stop this." She nuzzled that leg away. "We were lovers once. If that meant a thing at all, if you have the tiniest shred of emotion left, then tell me clearly, and trust me to help."

Silver grit his teeth a moment. "If I told you, you would never forgive a pony. I don't want that." He sank in place. "Please don't make this one or the other. I want what we have, and I want to go home." He rose to his hooves, but his legs betrayed him, wobbling dangerously.

"What have you been doing?" She frowned as her magic wrapped around Silver, supporting him in standing. "Who did this? Just a name. You need say nothing more." She struck a hoof on the floor with a hollow thud. "I know you are a forgiving pony, and a kind pony, but this... Tell me. Tell me what hurt you."

Silver glanced at her, then away. "I need to learn what's true or false anymore. Luna, did you ever encounter a monster, in the ocean, one so terrible you left it be?"

Luna perked up. "Yes, we did. Did you meddle with it? Is this why you're so ravaged? Silver, you should know better, but I am proud of your bravery."

Silver smiled, a thin gesture. "I did, but that was just a dream. Luna, I need to be home right now, with my wives."

Luna extended her wings, hugging Silver gently. "I am here."

"You are." He nuzzled into one of her soft wings. "You are and I'm so relieved to have you here. Please, can I go home?"

She licked over her lips. "This is within my power. In your current state, you should close your eyes, and try to relax."

When Silver obeyed, they vanished in a dark flash of night magic, to appear in Twilight's castle with the surprised yelp of its owner as she hopped back. "Luna! Silver!"

Her call brought Spike, Night, Fast, and Jake hurrying in. Fast jumped on Silver, who collapsed beneath her spirited charge, sprawled out on the ground. Silver wrapped his legs around her despite the new aches of being thrown to the ground. "I'm so glad to see you... Promise me you'll never run away."

Fast tilted her head. "Huh? You're the one back from a trip. How'd that go?"

Night squinted behind her thick glasses. "Silver, begin speaking. There's a forty percent chance you're hiding a trauma, twenty you're being forced into silence, twenty you're just tired, but I don't believe that. Talk."

Luna nodded at Night. "My precious Night Watch, your eyes are as sharp as ever. Silver refuses to speak of what has hurt him so."

Twilight approached Night and Luna. "Why not?"

Luna frowned. "He said it would cause me to hate a pony forever once I knew."

Silver waved a hoof from beneath Fast. "Let it go. I'm happy to be back. To be back with all of you, together... Without any of it."

"Any of what?" Fast tilted her head down at Silver, but Silver didn't reply.

Luna sighed with frustration. "Please, maybe it's just me, so I will leave him in your care. Speak to him, and draw him from that shell. Be the wives he desperately needs, his friends." She rose to her hooves. "If he calls for me, I will return immediately. Until then..."

Night set a hoof on Luna's side as the princess turned to leave. "I'll dream of you, tonight, and tell you what we've found."

Luna smiled. "Thank you." Then she was gone, taking off on grand wings and vanishing in a sparkle of darkness once she was a small distance away.

Twilight trotted over to Silver, tapping her chin as she looked at him snuggling with Fast. "You seem to be enjoying yourself."

"You're all safe and here," he said as if that wasn't a given. "Of course I'm happy. This is going to sound strange, but what happened recently?"

Twilight considered a moment. "I just finished a big convention up in Canterlot a few days ago. It was a bit of a fiasco, but everypony had a good time in the end. Spike was there."

Spike rubbed an arm sheepishly. "Yeah, I messed that up a little."

Jake slapped Spike on the back. "Hey, don't sweat it little buddy. We all make mistakes."

Silver frowned a little. "How long has it been since Rainbow went to... She went away, right?" He couldn't remember where she had gone. That was a long time ago, for him.

"Two weeks." Twilight tilted her head. "About how long you were gone. Are you sure you're alright, Silver?"

Night snorted. "Of course he isn't. Silver, come on. We're here to help."

Fast slipped off of Silver and kissed him on the nose. "No matter how awful you think it is, you can trust us." She grinned. "Hope you don't mind me saying this, but you look like you could stand to have a few good meals."

"Yeah..." Silver sat up onto his haunches. "Yeah, probably a good idea." He didn't feel that hungry, but he was weak and small. Eating seemed like a good idea, hunger or not. "I'll do that, but I don't want to talk about it. Please, let me have this. Don't keep asking. Respect what I say."

Night grunted softly. "Silver... It's because we do respect you, and love you that we want to know..."

Twilight held up a hoof. "We'll put this off. For now, Fast, take him upstairs and get him to bed. Night, snuggles, stat. Jake and Spike, soup please." The castle was soon scattering, running off to do as Twilight had ordered. Left alone, Twilight frowned and got a slip of paper, perhaps a letter was due. Maybe Celestia knew? She had been with him on the trip, after all. Who else could know?