Silver had a blindfold on. Following the directions from his book, he felt around with his magic alone and slowly navigated the room. "Are you still there?"
They didn't answer. His family, and Surprise, were hiding. He had to find them without his eyes, and they were to be silent, so ears wouldn't help either. A sudden thought struck him and he sent his magic upwards, feeling around the smooth ceiling until he ran into a warm and furry presence.
He formed the presence into fingers and began tickling, sending Surprise falling to the ground in a fit of giggles. One down.
He could feel Surprise approach. "No fair! I had the perfect hiding spot!"
They bumped together, then she began to follow him as he felt around slowly, searching while avoiding the pitfalls and hazards they had strewn around the room just to test him. When he dispersed his magic, he could almost see without seeing, and he began to walk more confidently. He moved for one of the closets and pulled it open, only for brooms to fall towards him with a sudden clatter. He managed to seize them in his magic, concentrating his power and setting them gently aside. Another trap, but he wouldn't be dissuaded.
Surprise clopped eagerly behind him. "Well since you already found me, I can make noise now. Nice catch, by the way."
Silver swiveled an ear back at her. "No hints. I'll find them on my own." He reached into the closet and began feeling around within with his magic, only for wind to play past his snout. He recoiled in surprise and sent his magic seeking in all directions, just catching what might have been a tail fleeing him.
The chase was on!
He took off at a gallop after the ghost of an impression even as Surprise giggled and cheered. He ducked to the side suddenly as his field of magic alerted him to a pile of books he would have tripped over. He felt powerful in a new way and kicked up to new speed even if he couldn't 'see' the ground he was charging across.
Hubris came before the fall.
Suddenly he saw it, but it wasn't running away anymore. It was right in front of him. He crashed into the form of the pony, but she caught him and gave him a gentle squeeze. "You're doing very well," whispered Night into his ear. "Your mother's going to be the trickiest."
He smiled. The graceless stop hadn't dampened his spirits. "I'll find her, and Dad too." He spread his magic out wider, straining to encompass the room in a dim field of magic. There was somepony! He moved slowly and purposefully towards it, focusing his magic around the pony shape in his vision. They had a horn. Trixie? She wasn't being very tricky, standing in the open like that.
Silver pounced the figure and they squeaked, but it wasn't quite the squeak he expected. Who had he caught?
"It's nice to see you too, Silver," spoke a soft and new voice. He was nuzzled and kissed, which made him blush.
Who did he tackle?! "Um, sorry about that?" Should he lift his blindfold? "I'm practicing and I'm not allowed to look around."
"You found me very well for not looking."
Surprise giggled. "He's a unicorn, so he's cheating."
"Oh, I see."
Night approached quietly. "I don't think we've met."
"Trixie will not wait forever." There was movement outside his diminished field of detection. "Who is this?"
Magic gripped at his blindfold and lifted it out of the way, allowing him to see a white unicorn with pink hair and a sun emblazoned on her flanks. "Hello. I am Sunny Days, but you know me more commonly as Celestia." She flashed a bright smile. "Is this a bad time?"
Silver blinked dumbly, unsure of what he was seeing. "W-wait, is this... Are you?"
"This is truly me, not a splintered form." Sunny put a hoof to her chest. "My sister's mistake was trying to hold her echo apart, which only became more painful for her, and you, when they came back together. I am Celestia. Celestia is me. She can see what I see, and I can hear what she hears. We are one pony, not two."
Night raised a brow high. "Interesting, but... forgive me when I wonder about your motivation?"
Trixie wrinkled her nose. "This lesson is thoroughly ruined." She moved over and nudged Silver on the shoulder. "You were doing quite well, colt of mine. Rough, come out!"
Rough poked his head out from under one of the beds and the rest of him emerged soon after, joining Trixie. "Sunny Days, was it?" He tilted his head at the Celestia-shard.
Surprise clopped her hooves excitedly. "Is this your birthday?! That means I have to get ready!"
Sunny held up a hoof. "Be at ease, Surprise. I don't require a birthday. I am Celestia, and it's not her birthday. You don't have a birthday party when you get a mane cut, do you?"
Surprise blinked. "My mane doesn't usually talk to me."
Night leaned towards Silver. "Note she said 'usually'."
Sunny smiled gently. "That may be true, but I'm still Celestia, and she's me." She turned to Silver, nodded, then turned to Night. "Night Watch, as the matron of your herd, I would like to petition to prove my worth and earn my entry into it."
Night's ears spun back on her head. "So direct..."
Sunny nodded. "You've had more than your share of deception and duplicity."
Silver shook his head. "This isn't right. Even if Luna has backed off, she's your sister. Playing rebound on her seems cruel."
Sunny tilted her head. "When she is ready, I won't keep her away. It would hardly be the first herd to have sisters in it."
Silver recoiled. Was it really happening again?!
Night let out a slow breath. "I appreciate your honest approach, but I want more. Why? You could have any stallion in the country." She thrust a hoof at Rough Draft. "You could order him to abandon his wife and become your royal servant and there wouldn't be much he could or even would do about it. Silver isn't that special."
"Hey..." Not that Silver disagreed, but that phrasing... "I do have feelings."
Sunny tapped her chin. "I would never demand any of my little ponies abandon their mate like that, and it is not physical gratification I desire. As even my sister comes to realize, I want a stallion I can look in the eyes, and does not instinctively bow. I want to be challenged, and to relax. I desire a peer. While I could hunt down another human, this one is already deeply enmeshed in my life. I know his quirks, and they don't displease me."
Night took a slow breath, clearly considering. She looked to Silver. "Alright, stallion. You get a say. Do you want me to chase her off? That would be my traditional duty if either I or you don't want her around."
Silver perked his ears, gladdened to be consulted in that decision. "Celestia has been nothing but straight with us so far." He glanced at Sunny and back towards Night. "I..."
Trixie clopped the ground. "Are you seriously doing this just like that? Where's the pomp and ritual?"
Rough rubbed his cheek against Trixie's. "Let them work it out for themselves, dear."
Silver shook his head. "Sunny, right? I presume you're applying as your 'Sunny' self, and not 'Celestia' self, to avoid a huge mountain of shock and outrage."
Sunny smiled. "Yes, but there is also business to tend to. Celestia-me is currently seeing to court, handling a dispute. Though I am famous for it, I'm not the only pony with a sun for a cutie mark. So long as we don't draw attention to it, few should even notice."
Silver suddenly went red, thinking of his dreams and the time he was with Celestia, but that was the full sized Celestia, and he was an alicorn prince... "You read it all, right?"
"I did. I can't say I comprehend it all."
Silver shook his head. "And, if I understand, you plan to do this 'for keeps'? And if something forces you to draw this, Sunny, back into yourself, you'll just split again afterwards, since you never fully separated to begin with."
Sunny bobbed her head. "Exactly right. We are one pony, just with two bodies. My dear sister split entirely. Her fragment developed her own mind and spirit. I'm sorry you had to go through that."
He banished the thoughts of Celine even as they rose. He couldn't do anything about that other than feel bad. "You said you want a peer, a friend, from the sound of it. Why join the herd?"
A smile spread on her snout. "I wish to be part of a family. To have step parents, family friends, even a co-wife and children. I have watched your family grow and mature, and it is a lovely family. May I join it?"
Celestia had only caused him harm in his dreams, but that was Luna's insecurities more than Celestia's failing. She had been fair and honest and generally just kind. Could he turn her away? Of course he could but should he?
Night put a hoof on his shoulder. "I can see when your gears are turning. Sunny, I accept your petition. You may prove to us your sincerity. In two week's time, if we have not already done so, a decision will be made final."
Sunny sat and clopped her hooves once. "Fantastic. Thank you for this opportunity."
Confetti suddenly rained down around them as Surprise squealed in delight. "Congratulations! Now this calls for a party!" She was gone before anypony could object.
Rough Draft shook his head. "My OC, fillies and gentlecolts. When he's not busy saving the world, he's seducing its leaders. I dream them up big."
Trixie drove an elbow into Rough's side. "Don't be crass. Now that this is settled, perhaps we can resume the lesson?"
"Might I assist?"
"Of course." Trixie smiled at Sunny. "Potential daughter-in-law, follow Trixie and she will explain the rules of this before we begin."
Silver shook his head a little at how smoothly Sunny was being welcomed into the family. Maybe things would work out?
That would be nice.
It was only a matter of time.
Yay! Sunny Days is here! Good chapter, it was very relaxed, calm, and fun. I like it!
Ah Celestia, the mare genre-savvy and experienced enough to realize that needlessly complicating things is bad.
yay
this is almost to fast, this is going to require a lot of thinking on Silvers part.
how will Luna react to this? I know she is out of the picture for NOW but she is still in the over all picture.
this is almost to easy. hum
And the Luna romance is officially gone. I came for that and now it's gone I have to run away but I hope everything works out for them in the end it's been a hell of a ride
Wherever Celestia goes, the plot thickens. I believe, because she has secret cake stashes around Canterlot. I imagine approves of them though.
7074649 You give up so easily.
7074710 Well there is really nothing else to do
I really, really, really hope this is just Celestia trying to make Luna jealous so she admits her feelings (I'm 99% sure, but I've been duped on this site before)
Suprise keeps Cakes stashed around Canterlot for Cake emergancies the same way Pinkie does in Sugarcube Corner.
The plot demands it.
Poor Silver, kept in the dark even when the light is in his face.
And he so liked the Moon.
7074633
Very fast from Silver's perspective, though we in the audience had plenty of foreshadowing that it might happen, and Silver of course had his prophetic dream. Of course the dream is plenty of reason to worry from his perspective, but it ended pretty positive between him and Celestia.
(So clearly reality will be it starts good and goes south? I sure hope not.)
hazards they strew around - hazards they had strewn around
Night's ears span back - Night's ears spun back
*****
I...
I...
I am nonplussed. That's twice now, good Sir Silver.
I'll comment in greater detail once this has had a chance to settle and develop in my head.
In case there is any doubt, this is an excellent chapter. It contains my favorite type of surprise, other than the pony formerly known as Pinkie, a unexpectedly pleasant one.
WOOT!! IT'S HAPPENING!
in all seriousness though this is a better deal for Silver and Night than the current Luna can ever be.
7074588
And it's happening!
7074594
No need for "kill ten of w, gather y number of x, and quest to z to beat the Omega," just I like you, can I join in?
7074623
YAY!
7074649
Don't leave, from the ashes of that failed romance a better one is rising.
7074669
Probably do to the large gravitial field caused by the Sun on Tai's flank.
7074747
It should stay dead and gone.
7074764
But now Silver will be able to bask in the Sun's radiant light. As a wise man once said...
PRAISE THE SUN!
7074942 YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
7074942
Ohhhh.. InCANdecent.
7074942 Celestia can never be better than Luna
To be fair, she has had more time to practice...
Keep going! ;)
It feels a bit mean towards luna but if celestia wants to give it a go I ain't gonna look down on her for giving it a go but still I do hope luna is really ok with that then just saying its ok but not really meaning it.
After most of a day to reflect on this chapter I can say without reservation that I am quite pleased with this turn of events. It was a twist to end all twists, and leaves me feeling quite hopeful for Silver's happiness. Night Watch's happiness is more at risk, but honestly if anyone could figure out a way to win her heart over in two weeks it would probably be Princess Celestia, or Sunny Day in this case.
At the time I was reading it cold, I was stunned. I had to stop several times and let my mind calm down before continuing, simply from the way I was caught flat footed by this new angle in the narrative.
The gut level reaction was that it all seemed uncharacteristically impulsive of Princess Celestia. The rebuttal to that feeling is that the setup for this chapter was more than a million words in the making. With that much back story behind it, every word Sunny Day speaks with regards to why she's decided to petition to join the herd has the ring of unvarnished truth. It simply isn't impulsive. If anything, in retrospect one has to wonder why she did not act earlier.
Now the bits that made me smile.
Sunny Day's introduction is just a few funny honking horn noises and xylophone notes from being slapstick style humor, which I appreciate. It felt like a perfect comic moment, in that you had my full attention, intensified it with a bit of tension, then released it in the most pleasant way I could have hoped for. I wish I had the knowledge and resources to animate that scene.
Even without Sunny Day's introduction the hide and seek to test Silver's magic was fun and whimsical. There is trust and good-natured fun behind it even though it's ultimately a training exercise. I would expect this new skill to come in handy at some point and give him an option in a situation that he would otherwise not have had and which should mean the difference between success and failure.
This whole chapter feels like a happy day in the sun, quite the accomplishment for less than 2000 words.
*****
As an afterhought, Sunny Day is a shade of Celestia, has a pink mane, and wants to join the herd, and not a single quip from anyone about Princess Molestia?
7076332 Silver and Night would be quite doomed if this fragment was Molestia instead of Sunny Days. Let's be quietly thankful they got the happy and smiling one with pure intentions, so far we can tell.
He's still working through that book of telekinetic tricks, but that's two significant tricks down. Being able to 'see' with it, and being able to feel with it are two significant senses to express at a distance and around corners. What other secrets does TK have?
I thought Surprise's part was cute and showed nicely how she is truly a member of the family, but has no ambitions to be part of the herd. She is a friend, and she likes that.
How will Luna react to this bit of news? One imagines it may be a bit rough.
7076427 True. I can't imagine the encounter with Luna ending well, on the other hand I could not have imagined Sunny Day splitting from Celestia and petitioning to join the herd... and Night Watch actually giving her a fair opportunity to try. Seemingly impossible things are happening, so perhaps we will be surprised again.
One has to consider that Princess Celestia does not want to hurt Luna so she has this all thought out to the point where somehow it's all going to work out. That I can't imagine how is a failure of my imagination.
Why does this feel like a trap, they only have 'Sunny's' word that she is who she says she is?
7074633
Well, it is Celestia. She always seems to have the answers, or knows who can get them. I'm a little worried about Luna too. Will jealousy rear it's ugly head and drive Luna to do something foolish? Or will she trust Celestia's example and use it for her own re-attempt at joining this unprecedented herd.
7077418
I am not thinking about Luna and jealousy I am thinking of the fact that Luna is denying her true felling towards Silver.
after all when Celyn came back to Luna she brought all her feeling with her.
I think replacing a sense is more interesting in realit than on paper.
damn, i just can't get the "insert image" function to work right, so here's a link:
https://derpibooru.org/933961?scope=scped6c551abde05f1e90c592d3c71c865e07be0d254
that's someone's version of "sunny skies".
7832632
Here
derpicdn.net/img/2015/7/10/933961/medium.png
You probably haven't used the actual link to image... or derpicdn doesn't allow direct linking. If it doesn't work then it's the latter.
I'm not so sure about this. Luna can't be the only one with emotional baggage.