Silver awoke with a start, sitting up in a comfortable bed. There was a smell of salt in the air, and the distant call of gulls. He rolled to his hooves to find his legs weak, and he collapsed where he had tried, only to fight his way back up again, heart thumping weakly. He felt small and weak. Looking himself over, he could see he was his old self. He was a stallion. He had no jewels or armor, save Twilight's precious gem, which he pulled close and took his quick breaths, trying to calm himself.
When he could, he made his way to a closed window and threw it open with his silvery magic, revealing a beach in the distance, and many buildings in the way. He was some stories up, looking over it all. He had never gotten on that boat, just knocked out on the train and stored here... His entire... This entire chapter of his life was one big...
Silver pressed his head against the glass, angling to avoid ramming his horn against it as he panted slowly.
He needed to go home, to Ponyville, and see his wives. They would know what to make of his life, and to help him piece it all together.
"Silver!"
He turned to see Luna stepping through an open door. "We have been eager to see you returned. We did not expect you to appear so suddenly." She grabbed him up in a hug, unaware of his turmoil. "It's so good to have you back. How was your journey? It must have been very good or very bad for it to conclude so swiftly. Silver? Why are you crying?" Her questions slowed as she realized she was holding an injured pony. She held him gently, and he nestled into her, nuzzling into her dark pelt and caught without words for the moment.
He looked up to her. Luna's face was etched with her concern for him, and he felt his heart swell and ache in his chest. To know she was there. "Thank you. I'm alright."
"That is a lie."
Silver raised a leg to wipe his puffy eyes. "No, really, I'm alright."
"Silver, stop this." She nuzzled that leg away. "We were lovers once. If that meant a thing at all, if you have the tiniest shred of emotion left, then tell me clearly, and trust me to help."
Silver grit his teeth a moment. "If I told you, you would never forgive a pony. I don't want that." He sank in place. "Please don't make this one or the other. I want what we have, and I want to go home." He rose to his hooves, but his legs betrayed him, wobbling dangerously.
"What have you been doing?" She frowned as her magic wrapped around Silver, supporting him in standing. "Who did this? Just a name. You need say nothing more." She struck a hoof on the floor with a hollow thud. "I know you are a forgiving pony, and a kind pony, but this... Tell me. Tell me what hurt you."
Silver glanced at her, then away. "I need to learn what's true or false anymore. Luna, did you ever encounter a monster, in the ocean, one so terrible you left it be?"
Luna perked up. "Yes, we did. Did you meddle with it? Is this why you're so ravaged? Silver, you should know better, but I am proud of your bravery."
Silver smiled, a thin gesture. "I did, but that was just a dream. Luna, I need to be home right now, with my wives."
Luna extended her wings, hugging Silver gently. "I am here."
"You are." He nuzzled into one of her soft wings. "You are and I'm so relieved to have you here. Please, can I go home?"
She licked over her lips. "This is within my power. In your current state, you should close your eyes, and try to relax."
When Silver obeyed, they vanished in a dark flash of night magic, to appear in Twilight's castle with the surprised yelp of its owner as she hopped back. "Luna! Silver!"
Her call brought Spike, Night, Fast, and Jake hurrying in. Fast jumped on Silver, who collapsed beneath her spirited charge, sprawled out on the ground. Silver wrapped his legs around her despite the new aches of being thrown to the ground. "I'm so glad to see you... Promise me you'll never run away."
Fast tilted her head. "Huh? You're the one back from a trip. How'd that go?"
Night squinted behind her thick glasses. "Silver, begin speaking. There's a forty percent chance you're hiding a trauma, twenty you're being forced into silence, twenty you're just tired, but I don't believe that. Talk."
Luna nodded at Night. "My precious Night Watch, your eyes are as sharp as ever. Silver refuses to speak of what has hurt him so."
Twilight approached Night and Luna. "Why not?"
Luna frowned. "He said it would cause me to hate a pony forever once I knew."
Silver waved a hoof from beneath Fast. "Let it go. I'm happy to be back. To be back with all of you, together... Without any of it."
"Any of what?" Fast tilted her head down at Silver, but Silver didn't reply.
Luna sighed with frustration. "Please, maybe it's just me, so I will leave him in your care. Speak to him, and draw him from that shell. Be the wives he desperately needs, his friends." She rose to her hooves. "If he calls for me, I will return immediately. Until then..."
Night set a hoof on Luna's side as the princess turned to leave. "I'll dream of you, tonight, and tell you what we've found."
Luna smiled. "Thank you." Then she was gone, taking off on grand wings and vanishing in a sparkle of darkness once she was a small distance away.
Twilight trotted over to Silver, tapping her chin as she looked at him snuggling with Fast. "You seem to be enjoying yourself."
"You're all safe and here," he said as if that wasn't a given. "Of course I'm happy. This is going to sound strange, but what happened recently?"
Twilight considered a moment. "I just finished a big convention up in Canterlot a few days ago. It was a bit of a fiasco, but everypony had a good time in the end. Spike was there."
Spike rubbed an arm sheepishly. "Yeah, I messed that up a little."
Jake slapped Spike on the back. "Hey, don't sweat it little buddy. We all make mistakes."
Silver frowned a little. "How long has it been since Rainbow went to... She went away, right?" He couldn't remember where she had gone. That was a long time ago, for him.
"Two weeks." Twilight tilted her head. "About how long you were gone. Are you sure you're alright, Silver?"
Night snorted. "Of course he isn't. Silver, come on. We're here to help."
Fast slipped off of Silver and kissed him on the nose. "No matter how awful you think it is, you can trust us." She grinned. "Hope you don't mind me saying this, but you look like you could stand to have a few good meals."
"Yeah..." Silver sat up onto his haunches. "Yeah, probably a good idea." He didn't feel that hungry, but he was weak and small. Eating seemed like a good idea, hunger or not. "I'll do that, but I don't want to talk about it. Please, let me have this. Don't keep asking. Respect what I say."
Night grunted softly. "Silver... It's because we do respect you, and love you that we want to know..."
Twilight held up a hoof. "We'll put this off. For now, Fast, take him upstairs and get him to bed. Night, snuggles, stat. Jake and Spike, soup please." The castle was soon scattering, running off to do as Twilight had ordered. Left alone, Twilight frowned and got a slip of paper, perhaps a letter was due. Maybe Celestia knew? She had been with him on the trip, after all. Who else could know?
It's almost like the entire chapter was longer than the build up to it or something!
But enough making fun of his trauma... Celestia, you better fess up. Hell, I'm a bit traumatized by this twist and I'm just a reader! Fess. Up. You seriously went too far this time. Heck, I think you need an intervention. Those thousand years of being alone obviously left you with issues of your own to deal with.
@David: Don't forget to remove the completed tag. Also: you magnificent bastard you.
6740552 Oops! Marked.
hallow thud - hollow thud
*****
First off, I'm glad to see this continue, though I can tell that it's going to cause new and future readers a slight headache to read all the chapters in the correct order. Still, all they need to do is pay attention and read the Author commentary to know what to do.
Personally, I hope that there is some way to salvage the relationship between Celestia and everyone around her if and when the truth... no... the facts come out. At this point the 'truth' seems pretty subjective and open to interpretation, but the facts can be teased out.
It's clear that Celestia has a nearly alien psychology, and it seems likely it's due to her extreme age, and responsibility. It will be interesting to discover is some of the details about her history that came to light in Beneath a Silver Sky were factual and actually revealed details about her that perhaps she did not intend to become known.
I really want to sympathize with her, but the story will play out and follow its own path. Only the Author knows for certain and I'm not going to start begging for spoilers. I shall read and see how it all plays out, for better or worse. I suspect there will be no easy answers.
6740622 Typo fixed, but one of many lingering around Silver right about now, wouldn't you say?
He didn't throw Celestia to the wolves, per se. A strength on his part, or an act of weakness?
6740591 Somehow you avatar with the emote got me laughing something fierce. I must send some wubs as well.
6740635 - perhaps an unintentional/unconscious act of wisdom in this case. It would serve no good purpose to inflame opinions about Celestia at this point. He needs rest and care and to determine the actual facts of the matter, all in due time.
My suspicious nature says that he can't even really be sure that Celestia was really behind it all, since he has not seen her in person since the dream ended.
My meta nature wonders if the dream has indeed ended at all.
If Silver can be permitted to gather himself, understand as much of the situation as possible, and then act with deliberation then whatever ending is reached may not be happy, but at least it will be as honest an end to the entire affair as is possible. Like the real world, Silver and the audience may simply have to accept that we may never know for certain what has happened, why it happened, and what it all means in the bigger picture.
Hey, Jake is back!
Now we need to validate the knowledge gathered for the past since then. For instance, is Celestia really human? Can Silver transform (despite not having had Nefertari stick her paw inside him)? The answers can only help determine which dream status we're holding at present....
Keep going! ;)
6740646 OMG its inception. LOL
There are not words. I unleash a squee of happiness, and do my little punk-rock happy dance. The story continues. Now it's time to go stand in the rain and wait for busses and story approvals. I'll have no computers for reading stories on my break at work, because rain sucks.
Dream or not, I get the feeling we haven't seen the last of Nefertari... Her feelings with the spirits allow her to be a bit like Pinkie if I understand them at all.
Harts Fire is so happy to see Silver back I will need to lay here on the floor a bit to reflect on just how good this story truly is.
I have come to trust in David Silver and his ability's several story's ago and I will keep trusting in his ability with this super story.
Harts Fire
6740800 As Silver said, he doesn't know what's true anymore, which is very disorienting and uncomfortable to put it mildly.
This is just getting ridiculous at this point. Where, when, what the hell is happening now?
6741561 Welcome back to the Teen rated side of the story, where sex is only implied. Maybe it's safer over here?
6740636 Wub wub .
I am glad that the story continues. I am looking foreword to see how this well all play out. what Princess Celestia has dun wood brake most pony's. This is assuming it was Princess Celestia that did this? Keep up the good work you are doing.
Dragonfox
forty
OK, I have not read this chapter after the Arthur's note. Are you saying it maybe best to move on to the next bunny hole (story) before reading this? If so, then that means I will have to go off a new tunnel that is longer to come back to finish this one? Right?
7396734 These rabbit holes becomes a dizzying tunnel.
7397396 I'd say, but it's pretty fun. More fun reading the way I have been doing.
And now back to the dream without the dream that was within the dream. Yay!
It's like the lunar alicorn version of a Russian nesting doll!