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The Silver Stars

by David Silver

Chapter 9: 9 - Scorn of the Sun

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The doctor had arrived shortly, looking over the still body of the pegasus and making a few notes before he looked to Silver, who had stood up onto his haunches. The doctor circled him a moment, then twirled a hoof, "Roll over please."

Silver did as he was bidden, and the doctor prodded him lightly, drawing out a faint grunt when he poked a tender spot. "Yes...," said the doctor, then twirled his hoof again, "Present horn."

Silver rolled to his belly and leaned his head for the doctor to see.

The doctor made some more quick notes as he muttered to himself, "Dreadful. You're clear to go."

Silver tilted his head a little, "You're not here to talk about it?"

The doctor raised a brow, "I cure bodies, not minds. Your injuries should sort themselves out in time, nothing serious. The mare is beyond my help. At first examination, I'd say heart attack. You missed any major organs with your bite."

Silver only looked more confused, "What about arteries?"

"What?" replied the doctor, looking baffled.

Silver gestured lamely, "The thing blood goes through?"

He shook his head, "Blood suffuses through the flesh. You really shouldn't try to do a doctor's job for him." He turned and departed quietly, leaving a baffled Silver behind.

Did ponies not have arteries? It did explain how they could just bite each other without worrying about bleeding. What did the heart do? Silver decided to stop trying to argue the logic and biology of this mythical world he had become part of. Silver moved over to the fallen pegasus, pondering the heart attack she apparently suffered.

"She died of fright," came Celestia's voice from behind him. She entered the room, wings unfurled. "You scared her to death."

Silver spun around to face Celestia, and cringed at her unhappy expression, "That wasn't the intention. She was part of a gang of four."

Celestia shook her head, "It has been some time since a pony has taken the life of another in the heat of conflict. I had hoped it would be some time yet." She leveled a gold hoof at Silver, "When guards are outnumbered, do you know what happens?"

Silver looked confused, "They get thrashed?"

Celestia shook her head, "They surrender. Why did you fight them?"

Silver's ears perked, "I always surrender! I'm tired of surrendering!" He stomped a hoof in agitation, "I will not be a punching bag for this world anymore."

Celestia sat, looking down at Silver, "What did you think they would do to you?"

Silver lifted his shoulders, "Two trained unicorns, a leering pegasi, and a brute of an earth pony did not make me confident. The earth pony is alive and in a hospital. We could check with him?"

Celestia raised a fine brow, "How did he end up there?"

Silver glanced around, "You know that shield I showed you? He kind of... punched it."

Celestia developed a new frown, "It is fortunate, for you, he is being helped and has not joined his peer." She leaned closer, "Do not grow used to violence. It can change a pony. I've seen cutie marks reform from darkened hearts, and rarely do they recover." She extended a wing to the fallen pegasus, "It seems you have brought more pain to my little ponies. What am I to do with you?"

Silver huffed, grinding his teeth together a moment, "That's not fair. I was just walking along, minding my business. I treat ponies fairly, help them out however I can. I will not just... accept that I'm bad for defending myself."

Celestia reached for Silver with a wing. Though he shied an inch, he allowed her to brush his face gently with her feathers. It made him sneeze. "You have such a look of innocence when you are pet. You are a troubling mix of traits. You are not wrong. I have watched you be a blessing on your friends and strangers, but you are a terrible scourge on others, sometimes yourself. You are not bad... per se, but you are extreme." She seemed satisfied with the word she had decided on, nodding lightly.

Silver rose and approached Celestia. She did not stop him from nuzzling into her barrel. She sighed softly, "Neither monster nor clean." She wrapped a wing about Silver, holding him, "Protect my sister with your ferocity. Ensure she returns home safely, and I will forgive today."

Silver wrinkled his nose and leaned back a little, though still held in the warm wing, "So I will be your monster?"

Celestia gave a soft nod, "If I can turn you on those that would harm my sister or my ponies, yes. Show them those fangs of yours, and let them know Equestria will not quietly accept their aggression. Do this, and you will be known as a protector, and not a killer."

Silver wasn't entirely sure he liked this side of Celestia, but nodded anyway, "I don't like fighting. It was awful, but I didn't want to lose, or roll over, again."

Celestia raised the wing on Silver, brushing his brown horn, "The doctor said you had a magic neutralizer put on while using a lot of magic. That can strain you in ways that are not immediately obvious, but you weathered it well. How did you get the excess magic free?"

Silver looked confused, "I didn't do much after that. I bit the pegasus after she ringed me, then... you know, she died."

Celestia made the twirling motion the doctor had made, "On your back."

Silver obeyed, rolling over for the sun princess. Thugs in the alleyway were one thing, he mostly trusted Celestia. She placed one hoof on his barrel, pinning him, as she leaned in close to examine his fangs, "I want you to imagine you are biting her, and the emotions you felt while you did so."

Silver tried to obey, working his jaw and thinking about how desperate he was at the time, how much he wanted to stop fighting. He really was scared, though it was buried under adrenaline.

"Stop," said Celestia, rising up. Her hoof remained on his barrel. "I will have to discuss this with Luna, but you appear to have channeled magic through your teeth. She felt your fear, possibly magnified, combined with her own terror at being bitten. It was clearly too much for her." She sighed softly, "My little ponies are timid creatures, though they hide it well. When they see danger, they run. If they cannot run, they surrender and cry. If that doesn't work, sometimes, they give up. My guards have learned to not run so easily, but they too will surrender and cry if it comes to it."

Silver tried to roll up, but the hoof held him down, "Is that what you want? For me to run, or surrender?"

Celestia shook her head, "Neither will help you in Anugypt. Fight. You have found a fire in you, and I will turn it against any that would bring harm to my sister." She held up her other forehoof, "But here, in Canterlot, please. No more killing. Live as a pony."

"Which means run, or surrender," echoed Silver.

"Just so," said Celestia, "if you cannot safely subdue. No more killing."

She withdrew her hoof from him, "Do you still not regret coming here?"

Silver rolled up onto his belly, "I don't. I've found some... satisfaction. Even if confusing and sometimes painful, I have purpose, and family." He smiled at Celestia, "Even you, when you're scowling at me. You are like a judgmental, but loving, grandmother."

Celestia snorted loudly, "But you take my sister as a lover?"

Silver went red and quiet.

Celestia brushed his cheek with a hoof, "I am not blind to the workings within my own castle. I know she has claimed you as her stallion in all but title. That is not very... appropriate of her. She should be tending to your recovery, not your..." She just nodded, "But the results speak well for her. You seem very well embraced with life. I suspect she does not announce your recovery to keep you close at hoof for as long as she can."

Silver perked an ear, "Does that... bother you? This feels more than a bit awkward, talking about this with her sister. I really really don't want to disrespect either of you. You're both amazing mares." He flashed a grin, "If you had approached first, I would have rolled over for you."

Celestia softly snorted, "You are fortunate I don't have another pie. My sister can take whomever she pleases as a lover. I will not stop her from trying to find happiness. Others are more judging, and I understand her hiding. I will turn a blind eye to it, but I felt you should know that I am aware. If you need to speak on it, turn to me, do not wallow alone." She shuddered, "Now, leave. I have to tend to this fallen one..."

Silver did leave, but not before he gave a parting nuzzle to the sister of his herd-mate, "You can talk to me too, if you want. I have an alien perspective, mildly dinged, still works like new." A flash of teeth, then he emerged into the sun of day. He trotted towards the castle proper, mind heavy with thoughts.

~Silver, are you well? I have heard you were in an altercation,~ came Luna's voice.

~I'm fine, mostly. Want to talk about it?~ he replied.

~Come to my quarters. I'm just rousing for the day,~ came her gentle whisper.

Silver made quick progress to the dim quarters of his beloved. He saw more clearly in her room with his new eyes, and beheld that Night Watch was curled beside her. Luna was awake, sitting up and reading a book as magic brought a brush through her flowing mane. Luna smiled on seeing him, and soon he joined her, parking on his belly and facing her.

Silver leaned in to rub noses with her, "What a day."

Luna nodded, "Tell me of it."

Silver did just that, explaining how he planned to help Tumble, of First's gym experience, then his walk and fight with the four ponies. He explained how Celestia said he scared the pony to death.

Luna frowned a little, "This is my fault entirely. I had intended, long ago, for this to be a gift of the lunar tribes, to help them defend the solar tribes and themselves. It bred out as blood thinned, but you are the first of your kind, and the gift is there, intact. You buried that mare in a world of your own design, filled with your insecurities and doubts. She did not survive the experience." Luna tapped the bed she was perched on, "That is not how I intended for you to learn of any gift of mine. I apologize, but I also applaud you. You took on four ponies intent on harming you, and you made them fear you instead. You should be proud."

Silver smiled a little timidly, "I wasn't trying to scare them all, just make them stop fighting. It was over so quickly..." Silver considered a moment, shuffling, "Celestia knows, about us."

Luna frowned sharply. Silver raised his hooves, "She doesn't plan to get in your way. She supports you finding happiness. Please don't confront her about it."

Luna gave a loud snort, "Very well... if our sister is taking our decisions maturely, then we shall as well. Now then, your tale has roused an old fire in me. I will have the company of a true warrior." She turned away from him and presented herself.

Silver did not object to this reward for battle.

Author's Notes:

Celestia has some heavy words for Silver, and mysteries are brought to light.

Well that's over! Or... is it? Luna and Celestia have accepted his word, but they are not the only witnesses by far.

The typos judge harshly.

Next Chapter: 10 - Sowing Discord Estimated time remaining: 15 Hours, 30 Minutes
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