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The Silver Stars

by David Silver

Chapter 14: 14 - Frozen Escape

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Silver hopped off of Night with a soft huff, shaking herself out, "How was it?"

Night seemed to consider it as she circled around Silver, nipping at her as she went, "Not much different. You weigh about the same, you act the same before, and you're just as... you know?"

Silver tilted his head, "I noticed something odd, but I'll save that for Cadance. She's about the only magical expert I fully trust right now."

Night sat on her haunches, "Even Twilight? I thought you used to like her a lot."

Silver shrugged, "Still do a little, but liking and trusting are not the same."

Night looked genuinely guilty and glanced away. Silver frowned, not in the mood to let it lie this time, "Fess up."

Night shrank, "I don't want to..."

Silver clopped the ground with a hoof, "Tell me. There's been enough lies."

Night looked at Silver's determined eyes before she let out a slow breath, "Fine... Celestia asked that I keep an eye on you, long before."

Silver cocked a brow, "Are you still doing that? And what were you looking for? Plots to overthrow the throne?"

Night shook her head, "No, violent thoughts, or trying to hide from her or Luna. I think Luna shared much about you with her."

Silver frowned in deep thought, brows furrowed a moment before she recovered, "I... damn it. It all boils down to the same thing. They should just talk to me, like a person." She raised a hoof and prodded Night, "Why did you go along with it?"

Night shrugged miserably, "She's the immortal god-ruler of the realm? Please don't hate me."

Silver half-lidded her eyes, "I'd have stronger footing to complain if I didn't just let her strong arm me into ditching my bits."

Night tried to jest, though her tone was half-hearted, "You got them back quickly."

Silver advanced on Night, nuzzling her neck. Night began to relax until Silver bit her, sinking the fangs deep and channeling her magic into them, sharing her feelings with Night, flooding her with Silver's frustration and insecurity. Night began to sag to the ground, crumpling under the force of her onslaught. Silver drew back, licking her fangs, "That is how I feel."

Night shuddered violently, curling up in place, "I don't want to feel that ever again."

Silver stomped the ground, "It's what I feel right now! And it won't go away like what I gave to you. How can I trust you, if you'll just do what Celestia or Luna asks?"

Night scrunched her eyes shut, knocking her glasses free with a twitching of her wings. She had no answers, and Silver began to feel bad for pushing her this hard.

Silver grunted softly, "I won't make any... more... rash decisions until we reach Cadance and speak with her." She hopped up onto the bed of their cabin and curled for rest, though her eyes remained on Night's trembling form, wanting to comfort her, and yet so angry with her.

They passed the remainder of the trip quietly. When the train drew to a halt, both sighed with relief and were quick to disembark. They trotted together towards the large palace that was Cadance's home. The ponies peered at them curiously, clearly not used to the presence of lunar ponies. None of the crystal ponies attempted to impede their journey, so they walked past them, ascending the steps to the palace.

Night cleared her throat, "Silver. I'm not going to say sorry, because you've heard that a lot of late... I still want to be your wife. Do you still want to be my stallion?"

Silver turned to face her, tail twitching, "I'm a pretty strange stallion right now... but yes. I do want to be your stallion." She leveled a hoof at Night, "I gave Luna a few tries to cut the act, and I'm feeling a little burned. She didn't even try to comfort me when Celestia was making her move." She grunted, clopping the ground in an angry stomp, "Do you understand?"

Night adjusted her glasses as she nodded, "I do... You're putting me in a bad spot, but... you're not, really. Luna did that. She's... betrayed us both." She advanced and bit Silver softly in the neck, but her fangs couldn't share her feelings. Silver accepted the token as presented, and raised a foreleg to hug her.

"Excuse me," said a solar guard, "Please don't block the hallway." Night and Silver scooted out of the way, and he proceeded past.

Silver raised a hoof, "Wait! Where's Cadance?"

"Princess Cadenza?" asked the guard, "She is attending court. Do you need a guide?"

They were soon following the guard through the Crystal Palace. Much like the solar guards in Canterlot, he seemed to have little to say, and simply brought them to the courtroom. It was much less gaudy than the one Celestia and Luna shared. A few cushioned benches rested before Cadance, who was speaking to a crystal mare animatedly.

When they entered, the princess spotted them immediately, offering a smile, but not pausing her discussion. They found a seat to wait their turn as Cadance went over some sort of crystal corn-growing farm and the details of its expansion. The crystal mare soon left, looking pleased.

Cadance turned to her newest guests, looking over Silver and Night, "Hello Night Watch. I'm afraid I'm not recognizing your friend, but I feel like I should."

Night extended a wing to fold over Silver, "This is Silver Stars, previously Silver Lining, previously David."

Silver snorted, "And currently annoyed. Please tell me you have some time to talk?"

Cadance glanced at the empty room, "It appears I do." She looked to a guard, "Inform any latecomers that court is recessed for the day." She rose and guided the two to a small room close by, "We're private here. Silver Stars was it? It's been quite some time."

"Too long," agreed Silver, "Please, you're the only princess that has treated me fairly and evenly. I want to share this story with you, but it doesn't paint the other princesses in flattering lights, but it has parts where I mess up too. I want you to listen until I'm done, then you can ask questions or comment."

Cadance tilted her head a little, "You're certainly no crystal pony." She settled onto a cushion beside a table, "Please, go on. Would you like a drink? Crystal berries make a delightful beverage." She lifted a carafe with her magic and poured out three cups, offering one to Silver and Night. Night sat down and sipped at her cup while Silver remained standing, holding the cup in her own magic.

"Thank you," began Silver with a smile, "Where to begin... Luna professes deep love for me, which I worked rather hard to get, but now I'm wondering if maybe that was a mistake... She's great fun when she's in the mood, but she's also extremely... dark. Pragmatic and unsympathetic, she seems willing to ignore any feelings I might have to see her lunar unicorns made reality."

Cadance opened her mouth to speak, but aborted the effort, instead making a hoof gesture to continue. Silver did so, "I thought I had laid a foal in her, but it was only the essence she needed to make me a lunar unicorn, which is what I am now." She twitched a tail, "I don't mind it so much, really. I mean, it makes me and Night fit together better." Silver paused to nuzzle Night gently, "Luna played on my, er, fetishes, whispering promises of putting foals in a lot of mares, but I suppose that's hardly a unique fetish for a stallion to have. Anyway! I was attacked by four ponies at once. I fought them off, but when I bit one, I found out 'pure breeds' of lunar ponies project feelings through bites. In a battle, this manifests as fear, and can kill. I took a life. I didn't plan on it. I didn't want to, but I did."

Silver settled to the ground on her belly beside Night, "Anyway, Celestia is ready to banish me from the looks she was giving me, but decides I'm more useful guarding Luna when she goes to Anugypt. Biting a few things that aren't her little ponies doesn't bother her conscience much." Silver huffed with annoyance, "Luna thought the fight was hot."

Cadance blushed at this, but managed to remain quiet, listening to the story. "Then Twilight shows up, grabs me, and takes me to a nice secret lab to tie me down and start examining me," reported Silver with a frown. "She could have just asked. If she just said 'Silver, come with me. I'm going to examine you,' I would have followed her. Heck, if she said flat-out she wants to do some experiments on me, I probably would have followed her." Silver sank her head down on her hooves, "If she just asked... Anyway. I did convince her I had a good track record of being cooperative and she let me stand up and help with getting all kinds of samples. She does her thing and decides I'm unbalanced, with more mare than stallion, and that I should be switched. She left me in the room, locked in, and fetched Celestia. They made it sound like I had to change. I asked Luna about it and she acted like it was no big deal. Said I could mother the new race as well as I could father it."

Night perked an ear, "You didn't tell me that part."

Cadance held up a hoof, giving Night a shoosh.

Silver continued, "I flat-out asked Twilight if she was going to force me into it, and she backed off and gave the option of going. I didn't. I demanded a favor from each of them, let them turn me into a mare, and then stormed off with Night to you."

Cadance gave a slow, hesitant, nod, "I see... Why are you still..." She hinted under Silver's barrel.

Silver snorted softly, "I learned a few tricks in college."

Cadance's wings unfurled, "That is not what I learned in college!" She controlled herself, doing the breathing technique she showed Twilight, "So are you mare, or stallion?"

Silver rose and turned away from Cadance, letting her judge.

"Both?" she said, "This is almost beside the point. First, tell me how you feel. Be honest. Let's start with Celestia."

Silver turned back around and flopped to the ground, "Scared. Angry. She talks peace and harmony, but she clearly loves mares more than stallions. I wish she liked me, for real, but she doesn't, and I doubt she ever will, and she's too corrupt to assume she'll leave me alone now that she knows who I am personally."

Cadance tilted her head, "I see... And Twilight?"

"Forgiving," said Silver. "I want to like her. I loved her before I even came to Equestria. If I'm honest with myself... if she came up to me, right now, and begged for forgiveness, and meant it, I wouldn't be able to say no to her. Her biggest crime is just not asking first. She hasn't schemed against me. She's been impulsive and... even adorable even as she scared me." Silver extended a hoof, "And no telling her to do that, that's cheating! She has to mean it."

Cadance held a hoof over her chest, "I promise. Luna?"

"Conflicted," said Silver. "Hurt. Betrayed? Crushed."

Cadance nodded softly, "Those are a lot of very negative words."

Silver sagged, "It was my idea to get close to her. I was the one that kept pushing and pushing. She tried to avoid it! It feels awkward to then turn around and blame her for being bad at this thing she was trying to avoid doing. She's an awful wife, but she told me that before I bull-rushed into her life and demand she try it anyway."

Cadance reached forward, resting a hoof on Silver's shoulders, "It takes a big pony to admit a mistake like that. Do you want to let Luna go?"

Silver rolled her ears back, "Can I do that? I'm carrying her project. I am her lunar unicorn, her hopes and dreams."

Cadance shrugged softly, "I don't know about that, but so long as you have foals eventually, aren't you doing your part?"

Silver blinked, "Is it that simple?"

Cadance shrugged, "It should be, or Auntie is being unreasonable." She waved a hoof, "And I won't accept that. Tell me plainly, Silver, do you wish to move past her?"

Silver nodded slowly, "Yes... I love her, but it won't work. She won't come down to my level, and I can't climb that high."

Cadance made a wiping motion with a hoof, "Consider it gone. I will talk to her, and until that is done, you are a guest of the castle."

There was a sudden fizzlecrack, and Twilight appeared with a frazzled mane, looking haggard. "The Crystal Empire?!" she exclaimed, "What are you doing here?!"

Cadance frowned, "Twilight, sit. You are being rude. What are you doing here?"

Twilight collapsed bonelessly, "I told the girls what I did, thinking they'd support me, but they all chastised me for being a real jerk. I remembered Silver wore a pendant attuned to my magic and teleported to it to apologize. I didn't expect to teleport that far! I'm exhausted and in pain right now."

Silver glanced at Night, then rose up. She approached Twilight, "Well, I am here. Say your piece."

Twilight grabbed the carafe of berry juice in her magic and brought it to her muzzle, guzzling for a moment before she put it down with a relieved sigh. "Silver!" she exclaimed as if she just remembered she was there, "I'm so sorry! I never should have done half the things I did! I had a horrible bedside manner, pressured you into treatment, and was just plain... rude the entire time!"

Silver nodded lightly, "That is accurate."

Twilight clopped a hoof on the ground, "Don't say that! I'm sorry! Ok, maybe I am a little jealous... You made more spells than I did half a dozen times over like it's no big deal. You live with Celestia and Luna, like it's no big deal. You murder a pony and get away with it, like it's no big deal!" She collapsed to the ground, panting. Silver was about to say something when she rebounded, "But that isn't the only thing! Then you tried to seduce me!" She pointed at herself with a hoof, "That wasn't nice, faking attraction to get away from me. I have enough self-image problems, thank you very much!"

Silver snorted softly, "Twilight, I am still attracted to you. That wasn't faking."

Cadance nodded knowingly, aware of the truth of the statement.

Twilight started to go red rapidly, "And I turned you into a mare! I'll never get a stallion." She flopped to the ground. "I probably don't deserve one anyway." She hid her face in her hooves, looking miserable.

Night cleared her throat softly, "Um, Miss Sparkle?"

Twilight looked up at Night Watch, "What?"

Night reached out a wing and knocked out one of Silver's legs easily, lifting it up to expose her undercarriage to easy viewing.

Twilight blinked. She sat up slowly, staring, then she buried her snout in a saddlebag, coming out with parchment and writing supplies. "Did we do that, or was this a later spell? Are you fertile? Tell me everything."

Cadance put a hoof on Twilight's shoulder, "Enough, Twilight. Relax. There will be time for that, later. For now, I am glad you two have explained your differences. Can you forgive each other?"

Twilight smiled broadly, "Everything is forgiven."

Silver raised a brow at Twilight, "Don't think this gets you out of your favor, and you have to ask in the future if you want something. I'll probably say yes even, but if I say no, you respect that, right?"

Twilight bobbed her head, "May I examine you?"

Silver looked to Cadance, then Night, "In front of the others? Twilight, show some shame."

Twilight flushed and nodded, ceasing her request.

Cadance gave a soft smile, "Then it's settled. Did you leave anything in Canterlot?"

Silver frowned in thought, but Night thought of something first, "You left behind your artifact. The one with the games."

Silver nodded, "That's true... but I don't care much about that anymore. Life got interesting enough to not need games. Why play games?" Silver felt good about saying that. She had grown, if painfully.

Cadance nodded, "Then you stay with me for now. If you have any problems, talk to me. I promise to listen."

Silver gestured at Night, "Her too, right?"

Cadance smiled, "I wouldn't dream of separating a herd."

Night flushed a little, "Luna technically dissolved our herd..."

Cadance looked at Silver and gestured at Night.

Silver caught the hint on the second gesture, "Oh! Night, will you be my first wife?"

Night smiled joyously, "I would be honored."

Cadance clopped her forehooves together, "Then, as princess of the Crystal Empire, I do officially recognize this herd."

Silver raised a hoof, "One other problem. I sort of tried to kill myself once, and Luna hasn't declared me recovered yet."

Twilight frowned, "Why would you do that?"

Silver sagged, "Moment of incredible stupidity. But I'm not technically allowed to be by myself."

Cadance shook her head, "I accept responsibility for you, Silver. This is my kingdom. I will give you a week. After that, I will declare you cured, unless you give me reason not to."

Silver gave a sigh of a laugh, "You are so... ugh, what's the word... fair? Helpful? Forget it, you're best princess."

Cadance rose, "I should get back to being that 'best princess'. Enjoy your stay, Silver, Night." She looked to Twilight, "Play nice!" Twilight shrank at the stern words from her former foalsitter.

Night looked at Twilight, "Did you mean half the things you said?"

Twilight sat up and tilted her head, "About what?"

Night snorted, "The apology, to my husband. Did you mean it?"

Twilight unfurled her wings, "Of course I meant it! I want to be his... her? Uh, their friend, yes. If they will allow me, I would also like to be their physician."

Silver raised a brow, "Translated, you want to examine me intimately, both physically and magically."

"Maybe," said Twilight guiltily.

Silver reclined in her pillow, "Well, fine. The idea of being leered at by Twilight Sparkle is not a turnoff, assuming she does it respectfully."

Twilight looked pleased, and yet nervous. "So... did you mean it? I mean, liking me?"

Silver raised a brow, "You spoke to Jake. You know how bronies work. You were best pony."

Twilight flushed softly, "He said that it varies per brony. What does that mean, exactly?"

Silver felt very little shame. It was a day for airing out emotions. Besides, he, er, she, couldn't see the future, so whatever. "In my case it means I like you a lot. Like like. You hurt my feelings terribly when you treated me that way. It was like having a lover just walk all over me. If you had asked me to, nicely, I would have put myself on that table for you and done everything reasonably in my power to help you." She twitched her spiky tail, watching Twilight.

Twilight looked miserable. "Oh now you'll hate me forever! I wasn't thinking of you as... a pony. I was--"

"There is your mistake," piped in Night. "Everypony deserves to be looked at like a pony first."

Twilight gave a slow nod, "Yes... You're right, of course. I'm so sorry, Silver. We'll talk tomorrow, if you want." She rose to her hooves, "Right now, I am totally bushed. Long-range teleportation is no joke."

Silver went with her instincts and kissed Twilight on the cheek suddenly, teeth brushing her flesh, "Sleep well."

Twilight went red and fled the room, stuttering something of a goodbye on the way.

Night snorted softly, "Does this mean I'm forgiven?"

Silver moved up to Night and rubbed along her side, "Let's discuss this forgiveness, in private. I'll take the high road, you take the low road, and I'm sure a solution will come between us."

Night failed to stifle a laugh at the poor humor, "Oh my, that sounds like heavy negotiations. We should get started immediately."

They retired to their new room, and eventually came to a conclusion.

Author's Notes:

Silver has more to discuss with Cadance, perhaps on the next day.

Luna is called off, or so pink princess claims. Celestia is half a world away. Silver feels safe and secure in new his frozen home, but will peace linger, or be fleeting?

Will I have any readers left to find out?

The typos care not. The cold doesn't slow them down.

Next Chapter: 15 - For Science, Take 2 Estimated time remaining: 14 Hours, 43 Minutes
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