As Silver and Fast approached Canterlot, Silver drew his book of spells and unfurled it, browsing quickly over his spells. "Ah, my originals..." Dream or not, the letters all seemed familiar and comfortable. He still had the knowledge of the unicorn alphabet fresh in his mind, and he quickly flipped through his original collection of spells, soaking up the arcane writing.

"You memorizing something?"

"More like remembering what I remember, and not. Some of these I forgot, but I have the alphabet down."

Fast flew in closer. "What? That's great! You didn't have that down, hrm, ever?" She tilted her head at me. "What was I doing in this place you were in?"

Silver frowned a little. "Nothing I want to get too into, but I will say this. No matter how grim it gets, how dark and lonely you feel." He bumped into her. "We will stand by each other, until the end of days."

Fast recoiled a little. "That's more than a little grim." She tilted her head. "Was it that bad?"

Silver snorted, but didn't press it. He hoped quietly she would never have to rethink his words.

They arrived at the castle and touched down side-by-side. The guards there saluted. "Hello, Prince Silver Stars."

He nodded back at them. "Good day." He moved to walk past them, and wasn't challenged. He took note of that quietly. If Celestia didn't want to see him, surely they would have put up some token struggle to his presence.

"Hello." Night Wing stepped out from around a corner, dangerously close to the two. She had a smile that seemed devoid of warmth. "Greetings, 'Stud of the Land'. What brings you here? This is the seat of judgement and rationale. Your services are not needed here."

Silver took a half-step back, to bump into someone else. A glance revealed another of the warlocks. Shoot, what was their name? Silver couldn't remember. They had a twin... "Nice to see you both, but why the chilly reception?"

Fast had already swollen, becoming a manticore with bristled fur. "I don't like this at all. Back off and give us some space."

The unnamed one smiled. "We're here to escort you out. If you want to see Luna, we'll send her to you."

Silver vanished, appearing behind the pony trying to hedge him in. "I don't want to fight either of you." He reared up onto hindlegs. "But I will. I will not be turned away. I'd rather we remain friends."

Night shook her head. "Try it, if you insist, or you can leave peacefully. Go on, Destroyer, prove it."

The hated word turned against him made him shrink back, falling to all fours. "Like it or not, I am royalty. I'm allowed to be here, and I'm not hurting anyone doing it."

Fast fluffed out her huge wings. "Yeah! Let us go past already." She flashed a bright smile, toothy and sharp. "You're making me nervous."

The other raised a brow. "It would be a shame to visit pain on your wife, Prince Silver, but she is not royalty. I will if she forces my hoof."

Silver held up a hoof quickly. "No, enough. We're leaving. He wrapped his magic around Fast and whisked them past, or so was the idea. He slipped between here and there, but before he got ten feet away with her, he was slammed into the physical world. His head felt like it was exploding, and he collapsed to the ground with a soft grunt of pain.

Fast grabbed him up and tossed him on her back and sprinted with him through the halls. The more conventional guards backed away in shock at the sight of a stampeding manticore with an alicorn on its back, unsure what to do until Night Wing and her friend arrived after them. "Capture them! The beast has Prince Silver Stars."

Silver pulled himself up a little as Fast stormed through the increasingly agitated castle. His pounding headache was sharp but dying with every moment, ebbing away. "Fast, duck somewhere, anywhere. You have to stop being a manticore."

"Got it." She dove into a room and became her usual unicorn self, sending Silver sliding to bump up against a table.

Seated at the same table, Celestia raised a brow. "Good afternoon." She sipped gently from a cup of tea held in her magic. "What's all the commotion about? Did you do something, Prince Silver Stars?"

The door opened moments later even as Silver sat up. A dozen guards and Night Wing entered swiftly, but bowed as they became aware of Celestia.

Celestia waved at them lightly. "Return to your post, everything is just fine." Like that, they were dismissed, and left. She turned her eyes to her two remaining guests. "Well?"

Silver sat up as Fast settled beside him. "Celestia." He didn't feel that was assured. "A pleasure to see you."

"And you as well." She nodded lightly, then inclined her head towards the snacks before her. "Have some."

"Don't mind if I do." Fast snatched a cookie in her magic and gnawed on it.

Silver was far more hesitant. "How did the trip go?"

"As well as can be expected." Celestia shrugged softly. "What brings you to Canterlot?"

Silver frowned softly, growing warm as he began letting his magic run in wide circles through his body, preparing, but not entirely sure what for. "Oh, after our trip, I thought I'd volunteer for another."

"How delightful." She smiled as she sipped from her cup. "I'm sure we can make a real difference for the world. I'll inform you the moment one comes up."

Silver tilted his head. "Oh, do tell me how I did last time. I'd like to improve my diplomacy."

She waved it off. "You were fine. A little inexperienced, showing your hoof off too easily, but very fine."

Fast looked between the two of them as if uncertain what was going on. "I tho--" Silver stomped on one of her hooves and she quieted with a little frown.

The more he spoke with her... "I lost track of time, having so much fun with you, Celestia. How long were we away?"

Celestia raised a brow. "Hmm? Well, it has to have been at least a year."

Even Fast could see a falseness in that statement. Silver nodded though. "Oh yes, at least. Well, it's been great touching bases with you. We really should see each other more often." He smiled at her. "I love Celestia."

"I love you too." She tilted her head. "You don't need to speak about me in the third person. What a curious habit."

Silver rose and turned to the door, walking with Fast to the hallway and closing the door behind.

"You can leave now." Night Wing was glaring at them both.

Silver turned on her. "Why? Where's the real Celestia?"

"I confess." She rolled a hoof. "I thought you'd do something stupid and attack her. You impressed me a little, still, leave now." She clopped the floor. "The nightmare you experienced will just be the start of true horror if you force our hooves."

Fast slid in front of Silver, becoming a female version of her, just as he once was when he was a princess. "Enough toying around. Talk straight."

"Not really my business." She raised a brow at the grown Fast. "If he learned anything, he'll go home, enjoy his family, and stay out of royal affairs."

Silver clopped a hoof. "Not so easily. It's not just about what's best for me. Where is Celestia?" He leaned forward. "I will not rest until I know she's safe."

Night tapped at her chin. "Very curious. I thought you'd be more angry at her."

"Angry?!" Silver spread his wings. "She's kidnapped, or foalnapped, whatever you want to call it. She was taken when I was. She hasn't been returned. Are you trying to break her like you did for me?" He took a slow step forward. "I won't allow it. I will rescue her."

"Good luck with that." She stepped back into the darkness of the hallway she was in front of, and casually vanished away even as Silver rushed for her and shone light along the empty corridor.

"Damn it all to hell."

"What is hell?" Fast ruffled up her wings. "Not that important, I guess, but what's going on? That wasn't Celestia then?"

"I'd bet a lot of money on it not being." He turned to her. "Come on, let's go. Here we're too close to them."

They walked side-by-side to the exit, catching the eye of many courtiers and guards. To see Silver Stars as a princess, many have, and to see them as a prince? Surely, but both at once, walking in step?

Carrot Plate gasped in surprise, dropping a platter she was holding. Silver caught it with a silvery hand and set it gently on a table. "Hello, Carrot. Are things well?"

"Y-yes... And yourself, sir?"

Silver looked her over for signs of the trauma she faced in the nightmare, but none were present. "Glad to see you in such good health. Please, don't let us hold you up." They moved past her, and were soon outside.

An idea suddenly came to Silver. "There's somewhere we can go, somewhere you are even more highly regarded than I ever could be."

"Oh, where's that?" asked Fast in Silver's female voice, confusing him a moment.

"Your hive, where you were queen. I have a feeling they may be involved, or know who is."

Fast frowned. "You're not going to start throwing accusations at them, are you?"

Silver waved a hoof. "They're bugs, and that's a little creepy, but I have nothing against bugs. I can't know how much of what I saw is true or not, but part of it said you were part changeling."

"What? Awesome!" She flapped her wings a little. "And you don't even care? Double awesome." She leaned in and nibbled at Silver's cheek and Silver smiled.

"You're my favorite one." Silver hugged her, a leg thrown over her withers and pulling her close. "Now let's visit your cousins, however distant, and see what they've been up to. I think Celestia may be in trouble."

"As much as I'm really looking forward to kicking some flank and being the one in charge..." Fast tapped at the ground. "We really should get the others, and bring them in on this."

"Pregnant and fat?" Silver perked his ears. "I love them both, but I won't put them at risk right now."

"Well, fine, what about Spike, Tumble, and Jake? Three strapping stallions that'd do anything to help us if we just asked."

Silver felt the urge to deny it boiling, but fought it down. "Right... Maybe we should. None of us are enough on our own, but we're not on our own." He smiled at Fast. "We have the magic of friendship."

"Let's magic the everliving stuffing out of this!"

Author's Notes:

Facts become visible. What is a typo anymore?