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The Silver Stars

by David Silver

Chapter 52: 52 - Welcome Home

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Silver was left with Twilight. Celestia and Luna had planning to do. Twilight rubbed her cheek against Silver's. "We should go home."

Silver forced a smile, then spread her new wings, looking back at the leathery limbs. "Night and I have something new in common."

Twilight reached out a hoof to gently brush one of the wings. "Do you want to try them out? It takes a bit of practice before you start really flying with them." She flushed softly. "I'm guessing you saw some of my first attempts."

Silver nodded at Twilight before flapping the wings, lifting herself up a few inches before coming down for a wobbly landing. "They're... nice, but not worth the price of admission."

Twilight's expression soured. "I don't mean to be callous, but let's just... not talk about that right now."

Silver brushed up against Twilight's side. "I can agree with that entirely. You were very brave, coming to rescue me. I was hoping so hard you would."

Twilight cringed back. "Ta... da?"

Silver licked her nose. "It's not your fault. If you start blaming yourself I'll get so mad!"

Twilight raised a hoof and poked Silver in the chest. "That goes double for you! I can already see you getting ready to find a bed and cry under the covers, alone."

Silver gave a hesitant nod. "How about... we find that bed, and we cry together?"

Twilight snorted. "That sounded romantic and pathetic at the same time."

Silver bobbed her head. "It's a date?"

Twilight wrapped a wing over Silver, squeezing. "Yes. Let's go home." She lowered to the ground. "Hop up."

Silver moved to mount Twilight and found the few inches she'd gained made it even more ungainly than before. Twilight's magic wrapped over Silver, holding her tight. "I will not let you go this time..." Twilight launched herself into the air, and they swiftly approached Ponyville, leaving the rest of Equestria behind.

Silver leaned in, shouting to Twilight over the wind. "We should really land on the balcony. Ponies don't need to see me like this yet."

Twilight nodded in agreement, and landed lightly on the upper floors of the castle. The door leading inside banged open as Fast Change came out with a smile on his face that turned to mild confusion. "Hey Twilight, Silver. Silver, are you practicing shapeshifting? You must be getting better. Gaining body mass is hard!"

Silver slid down off of Twilight and flapped her new wings before folding them up awkwardly, trying to find the right lay for them. "It's not that. Is Night Watch here? We really should talk about this together, as a herd."

Fast darted off without another word. Twilight turned back to the railing and looked down at Ponyville before glancing at Silver. "I..." She trailed off.

Silver nuzzled against her. "Say what you want to say."

Twilight closed her eyes. "Will we ever be parents now? I was just warming to the idea of... you know... kinda being a dad?"

Silver frowned, shuffling in place. "That hurts to think about... but..." She sagged. "Do you believe in souls?"

Twilight tilted her head. "Like ghosts? No."

Silver put her haunches down. "You were a ghost. When Celestia led you through the field of stars, you had no body. What were you?"

Twilight frowned with thought. "I... don't know."

Silver pointed at herself. "I heard it, our child... It... was the hardest thing I ever heard... But..." She wobbled a hoof left and right and sank a little. "I could be grasping at straws, but I like to think... their soul might still... exist on some level... and we could get them back."

Twilight's face became one of pity and sadness as she nestled in with Silver. She said nothing.

Silver sighed out. "Yes, I know. I'm not being very logical! I still think... somehow... If I do it again, right... If I face this... this terrible void inside of me... the soul will come back. I can still be their mother."

Twilight shrank in place, speaking with a sincere misery. "You're grasping at straws in the desperation of a grieving mother. You may have another foal in time, but it will be a new foal, not the first. Souls are... superstitions used by scared ponies afraid of death."

Silver threw herself against Twilight, rocking against her in a solid thump. "I heard them! That little voice. They weren't screaming in pain, they giggled. They... I just have to give them a home. I took his or her home away so selfishly, threw them out of myself to make room for a crown I don't deserve."

Twilight nipped at Silver's shoulder as the door opened again, admitting Fast and Night. Night looked over the both, her keen eyes soaking in the details. "I..." Words failed her, and Night rushed at Silver, hugging her. Silver went still in surprise, but the hug continued fiercely. "You worked so hard to protect mine..."

Fast tilted her head. "What?"

Twilight began the story as Silver sat and enjoyed Night's presence, soon joined by Fast, then Twilight. They huddled together, sharing warmth. Fast nudged at Twilight. "This is not helping your case."

Silver felt her wings spread out on their own as she became agitated. "Do not play the blame game right now! Just... put it down..."

Fast bristled with badly-restrained anger. "You were killed... You got over it, but your foal's gone! How can I just forget that?"

Twilight hung her head. "I will accept whatever punishment you think is worthy."

Silver bristled, trying to pull back her wings, but they refused to collapse in her state. "Enough! Twilight was trying to save me. I... can't blame her."

Fast rose up to his hooves. "I can." He put a hoof under Twilight's chin as she flinched. Fast rose up the chin, looking into Twilight's eyes. "You're going to have to do it again."

Twilight blinked in confusion. "I'm not going to blow up Silver!"

Fast smirked. "You're going to blow up, just not that way... The moment our mare feels that 'special' itch, I'm locking you two in a room."

Night coughed into a hoof. "Fast! Seriously... They're both hurt right now."

Fast softly stroked over Twilight's reddened snout. "I may not be as clever as the rest of you, but I think a pony would have to be blind to not see the connection. How killing somepony makes you tighter, whatever, not the point. I'll wait my turn." He glanced at Night.

Night flipped her ears back. "I'm not having any more foals after the first for now, so stop leering."

Silver finally folded her wings in, letting out a breath slowly. "So..."

Twilight turned her attention back to Silver. "So... you're an alicorn now. Like me."

Fast grinned. "I'm married to two royals."

Night softly bonked Fast. "You're not married to Twilight yet." She looked to Silver, then Twilight. "How do you two... feel? Be honest. We're here for you."

Twilight sagged a little. "I feel like... just awful. I... murdered..." She sunk to her belly. "Our child is gone, at my hooves."

Silver moved over to drape herself over Twilight, hugging her from above. "I feel empty. There was a life inside of me. I could almost... feel like, like Twil--" She stopped talking and pat herself down. "Twilight, did you ever find my heart crystal?"

Twilight shook her head. "No. Why weren't you wearing it? I... thought you were."

Silver frowned. "I was! Then they took it, and you showed up not long after. At least they're gone..."

Twilight huffed. "Starlight's fine. She was in the back. She ran off after she told me you were in... the front."

Night scowled. "That's the unicorn that attacked us before, right?"

Fast nodded quickly. "I still owe her a good buck across the snout!"

Silver sagged a little. "She probably has my crystal. I've had that for so long... Rough Draft and Lyra bought it for me, and you primed it, Twilight. I could always feel you close by with it." She pawed at the ground softly. "I..."

Twilight moved to nuzzle against Silver, nipping at her snout towards her neck. "We can get you a new crystal. It's just a thing. That can be replaced."

Silver sat up and got thoughtful before she frowned sharply. "Damn it! Damn. It." She began clopping her hooves on the balcony with increasing agitation, tears flowing freshly.

Night moved beside Silver and gently wrapped her in a wing, calming her. "What's wrong? You suddenly looked like you realized something."

Silver sagged against Night. "I just... It could be nothing, but... if I brought my crystal with me to the other place... Maybe I could have stored the essence of my child, held it tight until I could do something with it."

Fast wrinkled his nose. "I don't know if that works that way, but..." He trailed off, waving a hoof impotently in the air.

Twilight stepped into the silence. "I think what Fast means is that we're sure you did your best."

Night nodded. "Watching you two suffer is terrible. You two even suffer because the other's suffering. It's a great whirlpool of depression." She adjusted her glasses lightly. "So... alicorn? I'm a little upset I didn't get to see that, but on the other hoof if it involved you being blown to ash, maybe that was best. For today, how about we have some comfort food."

Fast flashed a sudden bright smile. "Yes! Silver, what's your favoritest comfort food?"

Silver frowned in thought. "Spaghetti, pasta in general. Rice and beans is good." She twitched her ears lightly. "I... want to say something."

Twilight nodded at Silver. "We're listening."

Silver spread out her hooves. "I am the luckiest mare in Equestria to have such a great herd. You're all amazing ponies, and I love you all so much, even if I suck sometimes at saying it right." Little was accomplished as all four came together and shared a group hug that turned into a group snuggling. No food was prepared, but the soul sometimes hungered for things not prepared in a pot or in an oven.

Author's Notes:

The herd exchanges notes. Tensions build, but then released. Bonds thicken in adversity.

Perhaps Silver will begin to truly internalize how many blessings she is heaped with. Or perhaps the typos will attack!

Next Chapter: 53 - After-Dinner Snack Estimated time remaining: 9 Hours, 14 Minutes
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