Twilight couldn't help but dread the coming headache she knew she would soon have.
It was a symptom she didn't get too often, but often enough to be familiar with. Some nights, she would stay up too late and study into the morning...and the afternoon...and the night again, which led to a skull splitting pain. Those times would often blur together in an organized yet still chaotic fashion that some how made sense to her.
Other times, it was a hangover from one too many ciders with one of her friends, usually Applejack, Rainbow or, Celestia forbid, Pinkie. That mare was a beast when it came to drinking games, and there was no saying “no” to her either.
But among all the times she developed a headache, not once could she say it was because of some emotional distress...until now.
While her herd had reconciled the night before, that night still didn't do her stress levels any favors. Sure, shopping earlier was fun and relaxing, despite Silvers constant complaints, but she still felt exhausted from the night before, even with the make-up sex.
And now, here she was, sitting on her couch without her mare or wolf, speaking with some ass-hat about his resume that he very poorly lied on.
Honestly, did he really think she wouldn't do a deep background check into his life?
On the outside, he seemed fairly normal. He had a simple beige coat with a short dark brown mane. He was a little on the older side, but seemed to be in good shape. He spoke politely and calmly, making eye contact through out the whole interview.
Unfortunately, how he appeared and the facts listed on the sheet in front of the alicorn were complete opposites.
“So, you say that your experience with the 33rd regiment makes you qualified, correct?” the lavender mare asked to the stallion sitting across from her.
Said stallion replied with a strong nod, “Yes ma'am. I was the commander for my squad at the time.”
“Yes, and this was six years ago?” Again, another nod.
“And why did you decide to leave the Royal Guard?”
The stallion stiffened ever so slightly, making Twilight sigh to herself. She knew what was about to come.
“W-well personally, I didn't believe any of my squad could handle my tactics, so I left. I didn't want to, but they just couldn't keep up. I saw it as a of their lack of training and discipline, and couldn't bear it any longer. But when I heard that wolves from Houndland had been assigned to guard you, I figured they would be able to keep up with me.”
Twilight suppressed the urge to roll her eyes, “And you're sure this decision to leave the military was due to your teammates incompetence, and not the affairs you had with three of the squad members wives?”
The stallion managed to stumble even though he was sitting, “T-that was a lie! I would never!”
“This report in my hooves says otherwise.”
Twilight calmed herself before putting on her most convincing fake smile, “Well, I'm glad to hear that. Thank you so much for your time, sir. I'll contact you soon with the decision.”
The stallion sat confused for a moment before shaking himself out of his stupor. Miraculously, he managed to regain what pride he had lost just moments ago and stood to leave.
When the door finally shut behind him, Twilight laid her head back on the sofa cushions and sighed.
“What's wrong with ponies these days?”
“Well, he's rather rude,” a familiar voice came from the shadows. Twilight yelped and jumped at sound as Sica stepped forth seemingly from nowhere, standing to the side of the sofa, “He didn't even bow when he left.”
“Please, don't do that!” The alicorn gasped, a hoof over her racing heart. She had only just gotten use to Onyx sneaking up on her, but Sica was on a whole other level. Her presence would disappear entirely when she hid herself.
She wasn't even supposed to be here. Star Shine was supposed to be guarding her, but for some reason had Sica take her place for the day.
“Sorry,” the mare apologized, “It's a habit. But seriously, that guy was terrible. You're not actually accepting him, are you?”
Twilight let out one last sigh before she finally got herself back under control, “No, I won't be. Not only did he lie on his resume, but he did a very poor job at it as well. Silver would tear his head off by the end of the day.”
“Huh...” Sica hummed, starring at the door where the stallion had just walked out, “Princess, do you mind if I ask you something?”
Twilight stood and began walking over to the kitchen, “Depends on what it is.”
“It's just...I was wondering why you hired me.”
Twilight paused in her steps, turning around and looking clearly befuddled, “Why I hired you?” Sica simply nodded in return before the alicorn continued, “Well, I suppose it would have to be the recommendations from so many ponies. Your clients were very pleased with your services, stating you followed every order down to the letter.
“Aside from that, you said on your application that you were a private body guard for 10 years, had training in various forms of martial arts and combat experience. You seemed to be a perfect fit, even if there were some gaps in the screening process.”
“And you didn't find that suspicious?” Sica asked.
“Suspicious? Why would it be?” she called over her shoulder as she started for the kitchen again.
“Because I'm only 22, and I've been doing this since I was 12? Because little to nothing about my life was ever revealed when you interviewed me? Because I wear an unusually baggy robe that I never take off in public? Doesn't any of this seem alarming to you?
Twilight hummed in thought for a moment, “Well, if I hadn't met Silver, then yes, I'd have found it very suspicious. Especially when I tried to find your records in Canterlot, but came up empty hoofed. But if that wolf has taught me anything, it's that keeping secrets doesn't necessarily mean you're lying. Some things are just better left unmentioned.
“Though to be completely honest, I couldn't be sure about you at first. But from what I could tell, you didn't lie on your application, or during the interview, so I gave you the benefit of the doubt. I still sent you to Silver to be sure though.
“As for the specifics, you're right, I did notice that you've been doing private security since you were 12, but you were honest about it, so I saw no reason to bring it up. Everything about you has been vague and unclear so far, but nothing has indicated that you would be a danger to myself or anypony else. So, what's to find suspicious?”
Sica stood dumbfounded. The assassin was no fool; she knew her life was far from normal, no matter what angle you looked at it from or how much she tried to hide it. And yet, this alicorn refused to be doubtful.
This alicorn, who had every reason not to hire her, much less trust her, did.
Sica couldn't help but sigh as Twilight came back from the kitchen with a cup of tea floating in her magic.
“Has anypony ever told you that you trust others too much?” Sica commented as the alicorn took a sip of her drink.
“Hmm....probably. But I've learned from Fluttershy that you should always give others the benefit of the doubt.”
Twilight flicked her eyes up to the clock, reading 3:30 in the afternoon.
“Well the next appointment isn't until five, so if you'd like, you can go for a late lunch,” the lavender mare informed as she finished off the rest of her tea, “I was going to go see Silver and Luna.”
Sica couldn't help but giggle, “You miss them already?”
Twilight rolled her eyes as she set her cup onto the coffee table, “Last night was very exhausting for me, so I'm not one hundred percent today. Being with them is like recharging my batteries.”
Sica laughed once more, “Alright, sure princess. Just don't start without me.”
With that Twilight turned and went down the hall of her tree home, walking into Silver's. She went to the kitchen counter first to see if any pony had left a note and for once, no one had.
Luna and Onyx had apparently vacated the couch, and after knocking on the younger mares door down the hall, Twilight discovered that they didn't retreat to Onyx's room. So, she turned and trotted down the stairs to the third floor, checking each room to see if they were in there.
Surprisingly, they weren't in any of them.
As Twilight went back up the stair case, she pondered where the mares might have gotten off to. She considered the fact that they might have gone out back, but with Onyx's hangover, the chances of that were slim, and one of them certainly would have left a note.
So where....
Twilight suddenly had a thought.
Finishing the last few steps, she returned to the first floor and trotted to the other side of the home where Silvers bedroom door stood.
Slowly, she peeked it open and sure enough, there they were.
Luna laid on the mattress with a smaller bundle of blankets tucked to her side, Onyx's flowing black mane sprawled all over the covers. Clearly, she wasn't in the mood to put her hair in it's signature braid.
As Twilight opened the door more to step in, she caught the attention of the alicorn on the bed.
“Huh?” she questioned, her head snapping towards the light coming from the doorway, “Oh, Twilight. What are you doing here? I thought you had work,” Luna said, her voice soft so as to not disturb Onyx.
The unicorn laid unmoving, seemingly asleep.
“I was, but I have a bit of time until my next interview,” Twilight explained as she fully entered the room, gently closing the door behind her, “What are you guys doing in here though?”
Luna looked down at the snoozing mare, her midnight wing draped over her back to keep her tucked against her side, “Well she was clearly tired, but when I suggested we go to her room so she could sleep, she refused to let me in. She tried to sleep on the couch, but the sunlight made it somewhat difficult, which is when I had the idea to bring her in here. There aren't any windows, so I figured she should be fine, and I was right.”
Twilight crawled onto the bed as Luna spoke, her eyes focusing more and more on Onyx with each word.
“Why wouldn't she let you in her room?” Twilight asked.
Luna only shrugged, “That's what I asked, but she just kept saying her room was a mess and that she didn't want any one to see it. I was tempted to just teleport in there, but like Silver said earlier, we need to respect her privacy.”
Twilight sighed, “Oh well. I just hope she's okay.”
“Yes, we all do,” Luna added, giving her mare friend a little nuzzle. It was only when she did, that Twilight noticed Luna was holding something in her hoof.
“What's that?” Twilight asked, looking down at the object. It looked like a little slip of paper.
Luna's eyes quickly widened and looked away, but Twilight could see her move her hoof to try and cover whatever was on the paper.
“Luna...” the lavender alicorn said firmly, “What are you hiding?”
The midnight mare dared a glance at her marefriend, finding a small but still somewhat intimidating scowl staring back at her.
Luna gulped, “Promise you won't tell Silver I found it?”
Twilight immediately wiped her scowl away, replacing it with something akin to fear. She knew what digging into his past could dredge up. “Found what?”
Luna sighed as she moved her hoof away, using her horn to produce a small bit of light. When the lavender mare saw what was on the paper, she froze.
It wasn't actually paper at all. No, it was a picture. One with two wolves, both of which Twilight and Luna recognized.
One of the wolves was none other than Silver, only he looked a little younger. The other was one they knew, but wished they hadn't.
Sitting next to him, leaning into his side as he wrapped a wing around her, was Aurora.
They were standing in a park, in front of a large oak tree. Both had smiles on their muzzles as they nuzzled into each other, clearly in love.
“Luna, where did you find this?” Twilight asked, her eyes refusing to look away from the image. She didn't know why she couldn't; it hurt her after all. And although it wasn't much, Silver and her were clearly through, it still stung to see them together. To see that Aurora made him happy the same way Luna and herself did.
But still, she kept looking.
“It was tucked away in his closet,” she answered, pointing a hoof to the sliding door, “I wanted to put some of the bags away to make a little more room, but when I did, a box fell and this came out.”
Twilight continued to examine the picture, as if it were some kind of illusion. That if she kept looking, she could see through it and the image would change. The smiles would fade, the light would brighten and blot everything out, and leave only a blank piece of paper.
“Why didn't you just put it back?” Twilight asked, finally looking away from the picture. She could see Luna's lips quiver before biting her bottom lip, “Luna, what is it?”
“...It...scared me...”
Twilight wanted to cock her head, but felt like it would be wrong to, as if she were calling her marefriend stupid. So instead, she reached out a hoof, gently rubbing Luna's own.
“It scared you?” Twilight pressed on, “Why?”
“Look at them,” Luna said, holding up the picture, “They're so happy. So in love they don't even care about the world around them. Everything was perfect for them once upon a time, but now....now they're at each others throat, literally. She loathes Silver with every fiber of her being, and I'm sure he feels the same now after her last visit.
“It was all wrecked in only a few moments. A-and.... I can't help but think...w-what if that happens to us too? What if one of us just loses it, just like last night? We'll say something we can't take back and w-we'll fall apart, and-and--”
“Shhh...” Twilight shushed, silencing the rambling mare with a hoof to her lips. Twilight couldn't see her eyes well, but with the wavering of Luna's voice, she could tell she was on the verge of tears.
“It's okay Luna,” she cooed, gently cupping her cheeks, “That won't happen.”
“H-how can you know?” she sniffled, still trying to blink back the tears.
Twilight smiled gently, dropping her hooves down the bed, “Do you remember when we were sitting on the roof, and I started crying because I felt like a horrible marefriend for what I said to Silver before?”
Luna nodded.
“Do you remember what he said to me?”
The midnight alicorn sniffled again, this time having to wipe tears away, “H-he said that you were nothing like Aurora, that he wouldn't hold what you said against you.”
“That's right Luna. I'm nothing like Aurora, and neither are you. Unlike her, we will always listen to what Silver has to say, and he will listen to what we have to say. That's something he never had with her.” Twilight plucked the picture from Luna's grasp, floating it over to the night stand and out of view, “As long as we're willing to talk to each other about things, we won't fall apart like Silver and Aurora. And don't worry, I'm sure he knows this too.”
Luna wiped her eyes one last time, taking a deep breathe and releasing it, “But what if I just lose it like last night. I wasn't exactly in the listening mood, and if Silver didn't come find me, I would have...”
“You would have come back,” Twilight finished, “I know you were angry, but Luna I'd like to think you wouldn't just leave it at that. You'd come find us and ask for an explanation, no matter how much it hurt because I know you love us more than the pain that conversation would cause.
“And even if you didn't come find us and Silver didn't go find you, do you really think I would just let us go like that? That I wouldn't fight for us?”
Luna felt a small tear in her heart. She felt like she'd implied Twilight didn't love them or something. The alicorn quickly shook her head.
“Exactly,” Twilight guaranteed, “As long as one of us is willing to make things work, then we can always find a way to fix whatever is wrong. And I know that I will always want to make things work.”
Luna swallowed hard, and tears soon found their way down her cheeks. Only now, they were tears of relief.
“What would we do without you?” she smiled, kissing her mare. Twilight happily melted into the affection.
“Probably run yourselves ragged with hypothetical scenarios. Honestly, I thought I was supposed to be the one who over thinks everything.”
Luna playfully nudged the joking mare, the movement jostling the sleeping unicorn at her side. With a groan, Onyx tussled and shifted a bit under Luna's wing before settling down again.
“I'd better get going,” Twilight said, “ If we keep talking, we're gonna wake her, and I still wanted to see Silver too. You don't happen to know where he is, do you?”
Luna hummed in thought for a moment, clearing away her tears, “Y-yes, he said he was going to get his stitches fixed. I was going to go with him, but he said it wouldn't be a good idea. He knew Star Shine would chew me out, regardless of how she usually treats me.”
Luna's ears fell flat against her head in embarrassment, an image Twilight found all too cute.
“It's okay,” she giggled, “Silvers not angry with you, and Star Shine is...well, Star Shine. She'd nag at Celestia for leaving her laundry on the floor.”
Luna sighed, “Tia does have a habit of doing that.”
Back in Canterlot Castle, Celestia had just finished organizing and stacking a mountain sized pile of papers. Her hard work done, the princess knew she could relax for the next few---
“ACHOO!!”
She suddenly sneezed hard, sending her newly organized papers flying over the room.
As the rustling settled, the alicorn looked upon the mess of her room from her desk, and responded as any eloquent princess would.
“Fuck.”
Twilight giggled, “Alright well, I'll see you two later then. And try not to go through Silvers things without him here. You know how he is.”
Luna nodded, giving her mare one last peck before she left.
As the door closed behind Twilight, the sleeping unicorn began to rouse.
“Nmhmmm,” she moaned, slowly raising her head and blinking for a moment, “Who's that?”
Luna looked down at the sleepy mare, “Oh, it was Twilight. Sorry, did we wake you?”
Onyx lazily nodded and let her head fall onto Luna shoulder, “'S okay though. Weird dream anyway.”
The coal mare wouldn't deny, she enjoyed this moment right now. Her body felt heavy, her head pounded and her stomach ached like she'd been kicked a hundred times, but sitting there with Luna made it all okay somehow.
Despite all her pain and suffering, Onyx felt like there was nothing to worry about. Like she'd found something she'd been missing for very long time now. She considered trying to figure out just what it was made the moment so homely....
But maybe it was just that. That the moment was just homely. There was nothing special about it that made it that way because that's exactly what it was.
Her home.
Onyx couldn't fight back the grin that slowly formed on her muzzle.
“Happy thoughts?” Luna asked, taking note of the smile.
The unicorn nodded, but still couldn't fight the small blush on her cheeks, “Happy thoughts.”
At some points her eyes had closed once more, but this time not out of drowsiness. Just comfort. Once she opened her eyes again, she saw something across the room that quipped her interest.
“Hey, Mama Luna?” she asked, her rosy cheeks only brightening more. She didn't know why she referred to her that way, or why she reacted the way she did, but Onyx still had a question to ask, “What's with all the bags?”
Luna looked across the room to the closet where she forgot to shut the door after finding the picture, “Oh, you don't know?” she said, earning a shake of the head from Onyx, “Well Silver, Twilight and I are going on a date, and he said that the place we're going will be a bit colder than it is in Equestria, so we had to go and get them something warm to wear.”
“Ooh...” Onyx awed, pausing to look around the room, “One more thing. Where are we?”
Luna actually had to stifle a giggle at the mare's confused expression, “We're in Silvers room, remember? We came in here so you can sleep. You didn't want me in your room because it's messy.”
Onyx's eyes widened for a moment before breaking away from Luna's, her ears falling flat against her head.
“Oh....right...about that....” She said, swallowing hard. She looked back at Luna once more, “There's....there's something I need to tell you about.”
Twilight wandered down the halls of the fort that is Star Shines home. When she first came in, she checked the monitors of the wolf's computer to see where she was, the cameras indicating she was in the operating room.
Star Shine had many, many rooms in her home, far more than Silver. Each one had a different function, and all were the size of decent house. How she managed to build this place was beyond Twilight, but then again, it was Star Shine. If anyone could do it, it would be her.
It didn't take long to get to the OR, and when Twilight found it, she strolled right on in.
“Star Shine!” she called, announcing herself so as to not startle the wolf.
The OR was basically just a large, circular room with an operating table in it and various machines, refrigerators and cabinets around near the walls. Unlike her medical room, this room was used for actually operating on the pony, where as the other that Silver used before was simply for recovery.
The female wolf was standing by one of the counters, while the male one was...no where to be found.
Star Shine quickly turned around when she heard Twilight's voice, “Princess?” she asked, “What are you doing here?”
“Well, I was looking for Silver,” she answered, “But he clearly isn't here.”
“Sorry, you just missed him. Although in all fairness, you're lucky you weren't here earlier. I was about to tear him a new one for screwing up my stitches.”
Twilight laughed nervously, “Did he, uh...tell you what happened?”
“...Yeah...Honestly, I'm surprised Princess Luna actually shocked him. But considering what happened...” Star Shine answered, her voice considerably softer than before, “Listen princess—no, Twilight. About what Silver did--”
“There's no need to explain anything on his behalf Star Shine,” Twilight interrupted, “Silver's already apologized profusely about what happened, and really it wasn't his fault. It wasn't anyponies fault. It just sort of happened. Besides, we've made up already.”
“I know, it's just...” she sighed, her ears falling flat. Her tone lost it's normal strict voice, adopting a much more downcast one, “It's unlike him. He doesn't do things like that, even if it was just a minor slip up. He's a wolf, an Alpha nonetheless. And wolves don't betray those we love. 'Loyal to the end', that's our way of life. That doesn't just apply on the battlefield....he knows that...”
Twilight was shocked. Star Shine actually seemed...sad, and not just that but disappointed even, and genuinely so. Apparently what Silver had done was far more a crime to wolves than the alicorn had thought. Maybe that's why he reacted so intensely. It wasn't just about him hurting the mares he loves, he felt that he betrayed all that a wolf had stood for.
“Star Shine, we all make mistakes,” Twilight began, catching Star Shine's attention, “Silver knows what he did was wrong, and if what you say is true about wolves and loyalty, then I doubt he'll do something like it again. He loves us. You and I both know it.”
The wolf sighed once more, raising her head a little, “Yeah....I know. I still kicked his ass though.”
Twilight giggled, “Well, Luna shocked him, so I'd say if he needed punishment, he's already received it. I just hope he's not hurt..too...badly....”
The alicorn trailed off as her eyes caught sight of something on the wall. When she first walked in, it had hardly registered in her mind, but now that she was closer, she was able fully process it.
Twilight raised a hoof, “Are....are those Silvers?” she asked, pointing to the illuminated images on the board in front of her.
“Huh?” Star Shine questioned, turning to see what the mare was referring to, only to quickly scamper out of her chair a split second after and shut the light off, keeping her arms stretched out despite her not being able to see the images.
“Forget what you saw!” she skittishly shouted, more afraid than angry.
Most ponies wouldn't be able to tell what it was on the board at first glance. But Twilight, with all her extensive knowledge, knew not only what they were, but who they were from.
“Those were scans...” the mare mumbled, “Star Shine, were those scans of Silvers body?”
The wolf remained frozen in front of the board. Unfortunately for the wolf, Twilight only had to look around the room to find her answer. Of the various machines, she found many she recognized. CT, MRI, X-RAY, and Celestia knows how many others there were that could examine a pony's body.
The mare turned back to the board, a fierce scowl written across her face, “Star Shine....were those scans of Silvers body?” she repeated, only this time much more firmly.
“Please...don't.....” she begged, “Th-there are somethings even I don't think you should see.”
Twilight continued to hold her glare for a long moment, before finally breaking it in a sigh.
“I don't want to force you to, but please. If it's about Silvers health, I want—no, I need to know. No matter what it may be. If what I just saw was real...”
“If you saw it then you know why I can't show you,” Star Shine pleaded, “These scans, they tell stories. You can figure them out just by looking at them, and I know you're smart enough to. I've told you before, there are some stories that aren't mine to tell.”
“So don't tell them. Let me figure them out for myself. I'll explain everything to Silver later, I promise you won't get in trouble.”
Star Shine bite her lip, throwing her head down in frustration. She hated keeping to secrets about someone else. She could never find a way out of it when someone asked her about it. She didn't know why, but when it came to the issues of another wolf, she couldn't lie to save her life.
So finally, she gave in. She dropped her arms and stepped to the side, flicking the light back on. Twilight stepped forward to get a better look.....only to quickly step back again in horror.
These scans...no one should be able to survive something like this.
“I tried to tell you...” Star Shine said, “I had to re-scan him since he was electrocuted. I wanted to make sure nothing from before had re-opened or caused lasting damage. That's why they were still up when you came in. I didn't think you'd come to find him.”
Twilight moved forward a little more, though not to the distance she was at before. She looked over each piece of his body, noting every injury he's managed to rack up.
“Some of these are old,” Twilight said, taking another step closer, “Some are back from when he was still a foa—pup. Others are...more recent,” she trailed off, identifying the ones cause from him getting skewered by the Shade.
Her eyes eventually found their way to a scan of his paws, and her blood ran cold. She looked back over the other images, her mind connecting the dots, or rather scars in this case.
“He...he was tortured, wasn't he?”
Star Shine remained silent.
“These...the marks on his wrist near his paws. I've seen them before in books about slavery. The chains, they grind the limbs together, wearing down the flesh all the way to the bone...but it take weeks, months even, for that to happen.”
Twilight moved up to her original spot.
“The tissue scans show malnutrition and dehydration for an extended period of time at one point. Once the damage is there, it can be healed but it will always leave a trace. Ligaments show he's been pulled a part, his joint's dislocating several times before being set and popped out of place again. There's so much damage done from lacerations and cuts, it's almost impossible to count.”
“Twilight please....” Star Shine begged, “Just stop...I know this....I'm the one that has to fix him every time he's hurt. I know everything he's been through, I know every mark on his body by heart. Please...just stop...”
Twilight tore her eyes away from the screen towards Star Shine. Tears rolled down the wolfs cheeks as she bit her lip and clamped her eyes shut. Despite her analytical tone, each conclusion she came to only terrified Twilight even more.
“Star Shine, I'm sorry. I didn't mean--”
“That's enough,” a voice came from behind. Both knew full and well who it belonged to, but both also wished he didn't come back.
Star Shine snapped her head to the door, finding Silver standing in it, “I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean for her to see. She came in after you left and I didn't take them down yet.”
“Don't worry, I know,” he said, trotting over to the counter and plucking off his collar that he seemed to have forgotten, “I'm not mad Star. She was probably going to find out anyways.”
Star Shine broke her gaze once more, this time looking only at the floor but still nodded in agreement.
“Come on,” Silver said as he approached her, “Go wash your face and get cleaned up. We still have some things to do.”
Nodding once more, the wolf shuffled off out of the door, leaving Twilight and her wolfriend behind.
“So,” he began, “What brings you here?”
Twilight shrunk in the presence of his gaze, “I—she—we...”
He couldn't help but chuckle, “Slow down, one personal pronoun at a time.”. He wasn't mad. There was nothing to really be mad about after all. Sooner or later, she would have picked up on the scars like Rainbow Dash did, only the pegasus had a first hoof experience on where some of them came from.
The mare continued to look up at Silver, her eyes shimmering in the light. Tears swelled up as her lip began to quiver and her legs slowly lost their strength. She looked down at his neck, then chest, and finally his paws.
Despite the numerous scars that riddled his body, none were actually visible. They were all buried beneath that thick fur of his.
“S-Silver...what happened to you?” she asked, knowing she'd regret asking.
The wolf looked up at the scans still posted, “...War,” he said after a while, “Among other things. Why do you ask?”
Twilight's eyes went wide, “Why do I ask?!” she nearly shouted, “Silver, look at these! The scars, these wounds; they should have killed you! You've suffered a lot more than any living creature ever should! It's a miracle you're even still standing!” In truth, she wasn't angry, despite her tone. She was just...scared. Scared for the wolf she loved and the pain he'd been through.
“No, it's thanks to Star Shine,” he corrected, his voice a little too calm. Now that had actually frustrated Twilight, which even then she didn't know why she was upset. Sure, he didn't tell her about being tortured, but who would? That's not exactly something you just come out and say. There are plenty of things he's hiding from her, but she knows better than to get angry at him for it. He hides them because they're all things like this
Too gruesome for the average to deal with, but there aren't many who can understand what he's been through. So, he keeps it to himself.
“Twilight,” he continued, “In case you didn't notice, Star Shine is one of the best doctors there is. She can pull just about any one back from the brink of death. Hell, about the only thing she can't do is revive the dead. She's saved my life literally countless times, but it's....it's taken a toll on her. I didn't tell you or anyone about this because I was afraid you'd blame her.”
Twilight actually tweaked in confusion and rage, “B-blame her?” she echoed. Silver was walking a thin line now.
Silver moved over and began taking down the scans one by one, “She...she's a doctor. She saves lives, mine especially. But she's also the reason I go back and get hurt. She patches me up and sends me out but I keep coming back bloody and broken. At some point, some have begun to think it's her fault that I'm always hurt. That even though she heals me, she's the reason why I have to keep fighting.
“And I know she feels that way about herself. It's why she didn't want you to see the scans. She thinks that by patching me up, she's just making it so that I can go out and almost get myself killed again.”
It made sense, in a way. Like a mechanic fixing a broken machine. Sure, they patch it up, but it's only a matter of time before it breaks again. All their doing is prolonging how long the machine has to work before it can be replaced.
Silver stacked the scans into a net pile, then stepped over to the counter and place them in a large envelope, using a pen to write something on the cover set it on the counter, “You'd never think she would consider something like that. She's normally distant and strict, a very no-nonsense kind of girl. But she's actually very kind. She can't ignore someone who's hurting and in pain, no matter who they are. She's one of the sweetest girls you'll ever meet, if you can get her to open up a little.”
“And...and you thought I would blame her?” Twilight asked, “Silver I would never blame her for something like that. If anything I blame you for putting her through it!”
Silver tensed for a moment before slumping over in a slight hunch, “Yeah....you'd be right to.”
The mare felt a pang in her heart. The way he said it, he actually believed it too, “Silver...I-I didn't mean that. It's just...I'm shocked a-and terrified. You've been doing this for so long, I can't believe you've actually survived it all.”
The wolf shrugged, “Yeah well, like I said. She's a really good doctor.”
Silver continued to sit in his place, a small distance between himself and his mare. Even though it was only by a few feet, it felt more like miles.
Fortunately, Twilight was a mare with who distance didn't matter.
Slowly, she stepped across the floor and planted herself in front of Silver. She reached out a hoof and gently touched his paw.
“Do...do you want to talk about it?” she asked, “About what happened to you back then?”
Silvers ears flattened as he turned away.
“It's okay, we don't have to. But Silver, I want you to promise me something,” The wolf slowly turned his head back to face his mare, “I-I don't want you to die in some horrible bloody fight, okay? I want you to grow old, and pass away in a bed surrounded by the ones you love. I don't want you to k-keep suffering. So promise me, that as soon as you get the chance, you'll retire. That you'll put up your status as Alpha or whatever, and just go someplace far away from it all.”
Silver actually chuckled at that, “You know, you sound a lot like everyone else. Black Wing especially.”
“Well Black Wing is right,” she assured, letting out a sigh as she let her head softly fall and meet his, “You've been doing this for so long. You've been hurt so many times. I can't stand it. So please....promise me?”
Another soft chuckle came from the wolf before he turned his head up, “I promise,” he swore, sealing it with a kiss.
Twilight hummed a bit at the affection and the reassurance that her wolfriend wasn't going to die a horrible death.
“Mhmm...” she mumbled before the kiss broke. Her eyes managed to glimpse at the clock behind Silver, “Shoot. I've got to get back to the library. I'll see you later, okay?”
Silver nodded, giving her one last peck on the cheek before she trotted toward the door.
“And Silver?” she called back, a hoof already holding the door open, “I won't tell Luna about this. Not if you don't want me to.”
The wolf smiled, “Thank you.”
As Twilight left, her mind began to wander a bit. And for a mare with her intelligence, that was something dangerous. When given even a small amount of information, Twilight can deduce a number of facts about some pony or something. And what she just saw was more than enough to put one or two things together.
Like, for instance, the scar on the wolfs back that he'd said he'd gotten from Black Wing. Judging from the scarring, she figured he must have been stabbed with an electric blade, no doubt the wolfs steel wings charged with his lightning.
But that wasn't what concerned her. No. After all, she knows he and Silver are equal in power. Chances were that Black Wing had a scar much like her wolfriends.
What really caught her attention, what really made the blood freeze, was the wounds he received from being tortured. Naturally, that was due in part of the gruesome nature, but again....that was due in part.
It was what she learned from the scars that made up the rest of her fear. And when she thought about it, the conclusion was fairly obvious.
At some point, there was someone strong enough to beat Silver into submission, bound him with restraints durable enough to contain him, and tore into his body to the point where he was nearly dead.
Someone had beaten this seemingly overpowered one-wolf army. Someone had restrained this near indomitable beast. Someone had broken this warriors powerful body.
Silver had lost.
But to who?