Silver was roused from slumber with the sensation of the bed jostling. A quick mental inventory revealed that no ponies that had bed-sharing privileges were present, and she sat up quickly to spot Rainbow Dash sitting down beside her. "Hey."

Silver raised a hoof. "Good morning, Rainbow." She glanced around, not spying Spike. "Where's Spike?"

Rainbow made a dismissive gesture. "He bolted the moment he woke up. Forget him a moment. I need to talk to you."

Silver sat upright. "Did something happen?"

"No, I mean, yes?" Rainbow frowned. "I'm not good at this kind of thing, but I know your background. Let's, uh, be honest."

Silver smiled gently. "Did Applejack talk to you?"

"Maybe." Rainbow glanced away, then back at Silver, poking her in the chest. "Twilight likes you, like, a lot. She's happy around you. She's happy around your herd. I... thought you were kind of a loser, but you've been busy proving me wrong." She frowned, thumping the bed with light hoof-taps. "Do you understand?"

Silver tilted her head a little. "I think I do, a little? What are you working towards?"

Rainbow drew in a deep breath. "I'm thinking me and AJ are being... a little pushy. I'm starting to think you folded too fast." She pointed at Silver. "You like Twilight, right?" Silver nodded quickly. "Like like?" Silver nodded again. "So why'd you let her go? Are you afraid to fight us?"

Silver frowned. "I don't mind fighting ponies that deserve it if I have to. You're a good pony, Rainbow, and Applejack too. Why would I want to fight with either of you?"

Rainbow lashed out, but stayed her hoof, not quite contacting with Silver. "That's nonsense. Applejack and I fight all the time. That's half of what our 'thing' is based on. If we're not fighting, something's busted."

Silver clucked her tongue. "Peace is a very noisy room."

Rainbow shrugged without full comprehension. "Sure, that. So pretend I'm some stranger that wants to take Twilight away from you. What do you say?"

Silver considered this a moment before shaking her head. "Well, alright. I guess I would say no."

Rainbow rolled a hoof. "But for us you said yes. Applejack said you said yes with barely a pause."

Silver lifted her shoulders. "I think you're both great ponies?"

Rainbow snorted loudly. "You're getting better than before, but you're still kind of a loser. I can't believe I was raped by a loser."

Silver flushed dark. "Do you have to use that word?"

Rainbow smirked. "When you react like that, yes. You could be super awesome. You have to start acting like it, and not just when your life's on the line." She waved a hoof. "I don't take charity. You take Twilight back and you apologize to her for even thinking of letting her go. You probably hurt her feelings the way you did that anyway. You'll have plenty of time to think up a smooth pick-up line while you're at the signing event, so let's get some grub and get you down there, alright?"

Silver gave an uncertain nod before she hopped free of the bed and stretching out, wings unfurling. The soft aches of the day before were little but unpleasant memories, and she felt largely ready to face the day. Food was summoned up by helpful bellhops, and they were soon devouring breakfast. "Did you get any word from Twilight?"

Rainbow nodded. "She's on the way. There are guards outside. One of them's not dressed right though?"

Silver perked her ears, then went out to check on it. One of them was the usual golden guard, the other was a sky blue pegasus mare that reminded her somewhat of Rainbow Dash, though there were many differences she was learning to pick up to tell one pony apart from another, even with similar fur. She also had white mane and tail. Hmm, maybe more like Trixie than Rainbow Dash. She smiled at Silver. "Good morning, sir."

Silver tilted her head. "Ma'am?"

She shook her head. "Don't need honorifics for me." Her eyes never met Silver's directly, darting around anywhere else.

Silver tapped her chin lightly. "Who sent you?"

"Mutual friend." She smiled a little nervously. "The one you carry the way to speak with at any time? You should call him eventually. Uh, all's clear out here."

Silver nodded a little. "Alright. I'll be going downstairs soon." She went back inside, met with Rainbow, and they both went down to the main convention area. They were soon run into by a con staffer, and the guard from their room trailed them as well. The signing wasn't for another hour and a half, plenty of time to wander and enjoy things for a bit, so Silver directed them towards the vendor hall to see what was being offered.

A fantastic maze of comics, figures, dolls, and more awaited Silver, and she let her eyes and hooves wander freely. The vendors seemed interested in her business, and answered questions easily about things.

Rainbow slid up beside her. "So, you get some money yet?"

Silver nodded. "Celestia sent a nice bag of bits after the coronation, and I should get more every moon. I don't have a lot of things to spend it on, so maybe now is a good time for souvenir shopping."

Rainbow grabbed a Daring Do plush and held it up towards Silver. "What about this?"

Silver raised a brow, wondering if she was being had before she clopped her hooves. "Oh! Twilight would love that!"

Rainbow grinned. "I knew you'd figure it out." She shoved the doll into Silver's hooves. "Somepony has an apology to make, after all."

Silver dropped a few bits down for the doll on the pleased vendor's table. "So what comic type thing does she like, besides Daring Do?"

Rainbow elbowed Silver lightly. "Just leave it to the Dash. I know Twilight better than she knows herself." She led the way through the hall, pointing out things and explaining why Twilight might be interested, from things about a little wizard apprentice unicorn to a bumbling earth pony hero that had caught her eye once. By the time they got through the hall, Silver had a full bag of trinkets, comics, books, and dolls. She bumped lightly into a pony.

The pony she ran into smiled. "Well excuse me."

Silver tilted her head. "Starlight?"

Rainbow scowled. "Starlight!"

Starlight held up a hoof. "I come in peace, Rainbow Dash. Did you run into them already, Silver?"

Silver nodded quickly. "I did. They're taken care of for the most part."

Starlight smiled. "Good. They were quite a pain in my flank, and dangerous to ponies everywhere. Equestria is happier with them gone."

Rainbow snorted softly. "I knew there was a selfish reason behind it."

Starlight waved a hoof at Rainbow. "Just because I stood to benefit doesn't make it any less of a good thing to do. Silver is safe, and they're gone. Everypony wins in this." She leaned towards Silver. "How busy do they have you?"

Silver shrank back, putting some space between them. "Starlight, I mean this in the nicest way, but my lovelife is already an incredibly complicated puzzle that I'm trying to piece out. Can you not be another part of that?"

She frowned a little. "If you insist. I was just being friendly. You like friendly ponies, do you not?"

Silver did like friendly ponies, but not that way. She shook her head a little. "You asked for a chance, and you get that. I want to believe you've turned over a new leaf, and I want to be there for you, for that, but not romantically. I have no room for that. I'm not calling you ugly, because you're not."

Starlight smiled brightly. "Then you're saying I'm attractive. Alright, enough of that. Did you get all of them?"

Rainbow rolled her eyes. "Small and purple and the big yellow one, who was a diamond dog by the way."

Starlight put a hoof over her mouth. "Was he? I had him figured for an earth pony. I never met him in person."

Silver gestured vaguely. "They had two pegasi with them. We incapacitated one, the other escaped. The diamond dog is dead. Small and purple is captured."

Starlight frowned. "Escaped? I should go... If I find out more, I'll drop you a letter." She stepped quickly into the crowd of multi-colored ponies, lost to sight almost immediately.

Rainbow huffed and stomped a hoof. "Why do you even talk to her?"

Silver shrugged. "People used to hate me just as much. She didn't do anything wrong other than be flirty. She's been a good pony."

Rainbow pointed at Silver. "Since you became a princess, duh. She wants something. It's so obvious."

Silver shook her head before moving to depart the hall, the staff and guard following along after her and Rainbow. They headed to the signing room and found a few comic book artists were working the line happily. Silver hooked up with the staff and Twilight. Silver moved up to her quickly. "Feeling better?"

Twilight nodded. "Much. I have to wear this brace for a while, but the headache's mostly gone. Let's find our seats."

There wasn't much to finding it, as the con staffers were swift in getting them to the right place and situated for the next crowd. While they still had time, Silver floated over the Daring Do doll and set it on Twilight's desk, facing Twilight. "Look who came to see you."

Twilight snorted out a laugh and reached to poke Daring Do lightly. "She's very cute. Arctic Adventure, revision 2. What's the occasion?"

Silver went quiet a moment, glancing towards Rainbow Dash, who was bobbing her head furiously. "Uh, well. I did something stupid."

"Do you mean the horn thing?" Twilight frowned. "You did the best you could in a sudden fight. You did great! I don't want apologies for that."

Silver shook her head quickly. "No, I meant about the herd thing. I shouldn't have said any of that. Fast and Night weren't there, and you already agreed to go ahead with it. Just springing that question on you on the train was wrong."

Twilight tilted her head a little. "Are you... saying that out of guilt, or?"

Silver took a slow breath. "I love you, Twilight Sparkle."

Twilight nodded. "Right, but... we're princesses, so?"

Silver rolled a hoof. "So? That's not even defined yet. Will you join my herd?"

Twilight looked uncertain. "I thought... I thought I had upset you. I thought I had messed up somehow."

One of the staffers approached nervously. "We're about to let them in."

Twilight nodded to them and looked to Silver. "We'll talk more after this, but yes. I want this to work."

Author's Notes:

Rainbow Dash has to be the voice of reason? Well, we're doomed. It was a nice run everyone, typos or not.