The night wind whipped through Silver's coat as she was carried along in Fast's paws. Taking stock of the situation, Silver could see that Fast was currently a chimera, large and fast as it soared towards Twilight's castle. Silver craned her neck, spotting Twilight following after, but no Night Watch. She frowned sharply, then spoke to the universe at large, "If you take away my Night, I will... do something. Don't be that way, come on!"

"What?" asked Fast as she leaned her head closer.

"I don't see Night Watch," shouted Silver.

"What was that?" asked Twilight as she caught up.

Silver wriggled a little, frustration building, "Night! I don't see her!"

Twilight looked back down in time for a bolt of energy to fly past her. "Starlight?"

"What?" asked Silver before a familiar intense pulling erupted from her flanks. Energy fled her and her colors faded.

Fast growled, but only sped up, soon depositing Silver on a balcony of the castle before turning to immediately depart. "Wait!" called out Silver, but Fast was gone in a flash. Silver guessed she had gone to help Night.

Twilight arrived a moment later, "Where's Fast going?" She fluttered her wings, "Starlight's working with others. There's no way she can win!" Twilight scowled as she looked over Silver, "She got you! We have to free your cutie mark." She made no move to immediately depart.

Silver clopped a hoof frustratedly, "Why aren't you doing that?"

Twilight shook her head, "She's flanked by a squad of combat unicorns. I don't know who's sided with her, but she just became a lot more dangerous. I've signaled the girls."

Silver sank, "But... Night, and Fast..."

Twilight looked full of guilt, glancing around furtively before she approached Silver and gathered her up. "We'll do one pass by, maybe we'll see them." They were soon in the air on Twilight's wings. It wasn't hard to spot the brightly-colored cutie mark thief. She was galloping away with her cohorts, already putting some distance between herself and the town. Silver's cutie mark floated beside her head, glowing with her magic.

Twilight, seeing they had departed, descended towards the stormed eatery. Night and Fast were not hard to find, intact but beaten to unconsciousness. Silver writhed free at the sight of them, falling several feet to the ground and then scampering over to her fallen wives. "This is... so wrong..."

Twilight landed beside Silver, using her magic to gather up both victims and place them side-by-side, "Yes, yes it is."

Ponies were starting to gather, trying to figure out what was going on. As the darkness inside faded away, it seemed all the others who had been enjoying dinner had also been subdued.

"What is the meaning of this?" asked Mayor Mare as she stepped onto the scene. "Princess Twilight Sparkle?"

Twilight nodded, "Hello, Mayor. We've been attacked, by an outlaw and accomplices."

The rest of the Mane Six began to arrive, looking around for trouble, but that had already fled.

Mayor Mare tilted her head, "Were they thieves?"

It soon became clear that nopony had lost things in the attack, besides dignity and security. Twilight sighed, "They came for Silver Star's cutie mark, and they got it." She pointed at the equal sign that then adorned Silver's flank.

Silver gave a soft growl, but seemed more interested in standing vigil over the fallen wives than chasing after her mark.

Rarity looked over the scene, "I do say you've been assassinated, darling."

Silver tilted her head, "I'm still alive."

Rarity shook her head, "Maybe, but I doubt she'll come back with that cutie mark. Whatever threat you posed has been thoroughly removed."

"Tough break," said Rainbow Dash, shrugging.

Nopony was moving to chase the culprit, and Silver began to get irritated, "And we're just OK with that?"

Twilight took a slow breath before releasing it, "If we chase her right now, we have to deal with hostile magic and cutie mark-stealing magic. One of those we could handle with care, but both? I..." She sagged her head, "I failed you."

Silver's anger inverted, suddenly feeling awful for pressing Twilight. "Don't cry. We can fix this. Can she keep my mark just... floating there forever?"

Fluttershy shook her head, "She has to put it in a container eventually, or it would fly right back to you."

Silver bobbed her head, "So we just need to find that container, and take my mark back!" She pointed at Night and Fast, "After they get to a hospital. Who does that around here?"

Applejack approached, easily hefting both onto her back, "Don't you worry none. Ah'll get them both there safely!" And off she went.

Silver's tension lowered a little with them seen to. She looked to Twilight, but Twilight was talking with the rest of the Mane Six, minus Applejack. Silver approached, listening to Twilight work out some kind of plan. Little of it made sense to Silver. She almost figured out why, a flash of inspiration stirring before she felt a throbbing in her flank. Suddenly the fog settled back down over her, and inspiration was denied flatly.

Silver looked back at the equal sign hatefully, but it had no response, other than to remain plastered across her flank, mocking her silently. "Twilight," she asked, "Why can't I understand your plan?"

Twilight tilted her head at Silver, then an expression of pity washed over her features, "That must be related to your talent, putting things together. The sign snuffs out things tangentially related to your talent. I'm sorry. We'll get your cutie mark back... Why don't you go to Fast and Night? They'll be happier waking up with you there."

Silver rose to her hooves and started moving off, stopping first to shed her mildly-tattered dress, making an idle note to have that fixed. Dress stowed, she made her... where was the hospital? Rather than ask anyone about it or puzzle it through, she just wandered aimlessly, trying to find where her wives were. She had the nagging feeling there was a more effective way around the problems, but it refused to come to her.

"Excuse me," asked a strange voice. Silver looked up to see Berry Punch staring at her. "You look lost. What are you looking for?"

Silver smiled joyfully. Of course, she should ask someone! "Hello! I'm looking for the hospital."

Berry looked Silver over critically, "Are you hurt?"

Silver shook her head, "No, but my wives are. I need to find them."

Berry raised a brow, "Wives?" She paused, and Silver had no idea why, so she waited patiently. Berry nodded at Silver, "Alrighty, follow me."

Silver followed as bid, and soon they arrived at the front desk of the Ponyville Clinic. A smiling nurse looked between Berry and Silver. Berry shrugged, "She's looking for somepony. Later." She wandered off, muttering something about needing a drink.

The nurse, whom Silver suddenly recognized as Redheart from her large red heart of a cutie mark, gestured inside, "Are you here for the two mares that just came in?" She led the way swiftly to where Night and Fast were tucked in. "They're perfectly fine and should wake up soon. Just give them some love and they'll be back to fit in a week."

Silver smiled, relief welling up, "I'm glad to hear that... Is... her foal alright?"

Redheart tilted her head with a frown, "Oh... We should check that."

Silver felt something, only for it to be suppressed by the accursed mark. She sank to the ground, feeling defeated and alone. Redheart stepped around her to start looking over Fast. Silver blinked, then pointed at Night, "That one!" She snapped more than she had meant to, and cringed at the sound of her own voice. Redheart looked ready to fight back, but apparently noticed Silver wilting and let it go.

Silver fell asleep where she had sank, and she rested without dreams.

It was dark. Silver felt she should recognize it, but it seemed the effects of the mark followed her even here, to... "Where am I?"

Words appeared, hovering, 'Are you ready to give up?'

"What? No!" Silver stomped a hoof on the darkness. "I have two lovely wives, and two lovely foals on the way, and... even Twilight is warming up."

'Had.'

Silver shrank back, "The nurse said they were fine!" She leaned forward then, stomping, "Don't you take them away!"

'I can only open paths. Yours have been closed, though perhaps that will change.'

Silver winced in pain, thoughts crashing against that mark and refusing to surface. "What do you mean?"

'The foal within you is all that will remain. All evidence of you as a man has been destroyed.'

Silver trembled. The way the voice had phrased that felt like a sledgehammer, and she sank beneath its weight. "Oh... Oh Night... Is she alright?"

'She will live.'

"Are you... enjoying this?"

'Strangely not. I was enjoying your victory, small as it was.'

Silver pawed at the ground desperately, "Can you save the foal? Please?"

'Why should I?'

Silver squeezed her eyes shut, tears forced free, "That... would be more fun, right? Please..."

'All acts come with a price. The last we spoke, it was at my initiative that I made an offer, this time it is you that begs. If I open this path for you, I may open others you care less for, but you will have no cause to complain. Do you accept this price?'

Silver nodded with scarcely a thought, "Please! I've been a good pony. I've been entertaining. Please..."

'Awaken.'

Silver jerked awake to the sound of Night wailing. She scrambled to her hooves and saw two doctors trying to console her as she thrashed violently. Silver acted without thought, rushing for Night and leaping up on top of her, to the doctors' surprise. Silver squeezed her wife tightly, "It's OK... It's... going to be OK..."

Night slowly went still under Silver, sobbing more quietly. "They... they said he was gone."

Silver perked an ear, "They were wrong... It was a mistake. He's healthy... He's fine."

Night trumbled and pushed at Silver a little, "How can you know that? How?!"

Silver bit into Night's ear softly, "I just do. Please... Trust me... We will be wonderful parents, together."

Night started to go limp under Silver, "Do you swear it? Do you swear it on everything?"

Silver nodded quickly, "I hope I never get my cutie mark back if our child... our foal... is gone."

Night smiled faintly, "You sound like you're lying, but you're not... Confusing mare." Night squeezed Silver back, and they remained together, entwined, together against the world until Fast joined them, forming a ball of equine flesh. Nopony dared to disturb them, where they remained, drawing strength from one another until daybreak eventually arrived.

Some part of Silver wondered what terrible path she had traded that would equal in magnitude for this avoided eventuality and shuddered at the thought of what could be considered a fair trade by the amoral entity that controlled her life so casually.

Author's Notes:

This chapter... it got real heavy, real fast. Twilight's on the case at least! Surely her obsessions will not allow the typos to last long.