//------------------------------//
// 23 - Regrouping 
// Story: Putting on a Silver Robe and Wizard Hat 
// by David Silver 
//------------------------------//

Fast rolled onto her side, "Did you have to give them all the bits? And your stipend too? Why are we rewarding a pony that deserves to be kicked in the flank?"

Night was more accepting of the situation, resting a wing on Silver's shoulder, "We can earn more bits, but not with heavy politics crashing around us." She pulled Silver in close and smooched him on either cheek, "I'm just glad you're safe."

Silver nuzzled gently with Night, "Glad to be home." He paused a moment before remarking lamely, "I passed the test."

Night snorted and bopped him lightly with a hoof, "You dork. So... was Luna serious? You're going to study with the warlocks?"

Silver lifted his shoulders, "I guess so. How different are they from the enhancers? I'd rather be studying that than how to... destroy things." He frowned sharply, looking suddenly uncomfortable.

Fast spotted the emotion and was on her hooves, approaching quickly, "What's wrong? We're here for you."

Silver sank to the floor, "It's stupid, but my father's words are coming back to haunt me."

"Rough Draft?" asked Night, "What'd he say?"

Silver shook his head, "Original, the human." Silver flopped over onto his side, "He used to call me Dave the Destroyer. I had quite the knack for accidentally breaking things when I was a kid. I hated that nickname so much. It still makes me angry to think about."

Fast winced, "You didn't mean to!"

"I never mean to!" retorted Silver before curling on himself. "Sorry, it's just the first time I almost broke living people."

Night leaned in and bit one of his ears with her sharp fangs. It was a nibble, that turned into a nursing on it. It was very distracting. Silver tried to hold onto his dark emotions, but Night's continued simple affection drove them out from between his mental hooves, leaving him feeling mostly numb, but vaguely comforted.

Fast was not to be outdone, and flopped down beside Silver, snuggling up against his side. "Forget him, he's a world away. We're here, with you."

Silver squirmed impotently under the cuddle assault of his wives, "He's not here, but his words are." He drew his head back, but Night followed after it. He sharply turned his head, kissing her on the lips. He enjoyed the way her body heated at the exchange.

When Night drew back, she smiled gently, "The father of my foal is no destroyer. You made a mistake, you will learn from it."

Silver flicked an ear, "Uh, speaking of that..."

Fast stuck out her tongue, "Still not telling. You're going to have to do it the human way and keep trying until it works."

Silver flushed gently, "No, not that, but..." He felt increasingly awkward and silenced himself by sharing a kiss with Fast. There was rarely such a thing as a gentle kiss with Fast. She soon had him tilted back and invaded his snout. Her passion was overwhelming, but exciting.

"But?" asked Night, tail swaying as she waited for the two to separate.

Silver nuzzled Fast gently, "But what do you two think about all this?"

Night wrinkled her nose, "I think you need to learn magic, it's what you do. Hay, it's your cutie mark. You just have to be taught some discipline." She took a moment adjusting her glasses, which was delay enough for Fast to roll Silver over suddenly and blow a loud trumpet on Silver's belly, making him squirm spastically and burst into giggles.

Night smirked at the two, "Well you're just going to have to be the best warlock you can be. Besides, it's a school like any other. You can study other magic on your own initiative."

Silver wriggled away from Fast's assault, laughter dying slowly, "Oh! Oh! I just remembered. Fast, I solved your mystery."

Fast tilted her head, "What now?"

Silver pointed at her, though still on the ground, "How you become a stallion. You never stop being a mare."

Fast flashed her flat teeth, "I knew you'd figure it out, and wasn't that much more fun than me just telling you?"

Silver shook his head, "But how do you do it so fast, and easily? I was just about tapped out when I did it once."

Night snorted, "What mare were you giving stallion bits to?!" She blinked, "It wasn't Luna was it!?"

Silver blinked back at her, "No! No... It was... actually the spell I turned in to pass the class."

Night flushed red, "But who'd you demonstrate on? They didn't just take you at your word, did they?"

Silver considered fibbing, but... no... "You remember Lyra? She was the examiner. She, uh, seemed to approve. She has the spell now."

Fast rolled over onto her back, laughing wildly at the news as Night went all the darker. Silver looked at the laughing Fast, "But that doesn't explain you."

Fast rolled back to her belly, then pointed a hoof at her flank, "Look again. It's my talent. Of course it's easier for me."

Silver looked. It hadn't changed, a pony with a blanket tossed over them, with their front part blue and the rear part pink. He considered it a moment, then it clicked, "It's pink in the back because you're always female, under it all, but you can look male, but also refers to your general shape-shifting trickery."

Fast held up a paw, "Bingo!" She was a cat, with a tail that broke into three half-way up.

Silver blinked, "Oh I remember those, from, uh... I forget the Equestrian name for Egypt."

"Anugypt," offered Night, "I've never been there myself.... wait, is it really called Egypt where you come from?"

Silver tilted his head, "A lot of names in Equestria are frighteningly similar. When it was all a fantasy it made enough sense."

Night gestured down, "Canterlot."

"Camelot," replied Silver.

Night frowned, "Manehattan?"

"Manhattan," replied Silver, "Though that was just one part of a larger city, instead of being the whole city."

Fast clapped her paws together, "My turn! Las Pegasus!"

"Los Angeles," said Silver as he stood up. "There's even a Humanville instead of a Ponyville. Enough names, I want to visit my parents, the ones here in Canterlot."

Fast became her old self, rising up with Night to join Silver. "We're with you."

All three headed out, trotting through the city swiftly to Silver's old place, but knocking on the door produced no results. Silver frowned as Night took wing, doing a circle around the building. When returned, she shook her head, "Empty. They moved."

Silver felt ill, "Did they really just...  leave?"

Fast draped herself over Silver, but Silver was in no mood and squirmed away. He breathed heavily a moment, then forced himself to calmness, sitting.

Night shook her head, "Let's not get worked up over what could be nothing. This wasn't their house, it was Fancy and Fleur's. Maybe they took it back and they had to move."

Fast bobbed her head, "Put those royal contacts to use. I bet Luna could find them, and bring me along this time! No more excuses."

Silver peered at Fast before nodding at Night, "You're both right. Though since they're not here for me, if they lost the house, there's a good chance they didn't stick around. There's nothing for either of them, here. They could have gone home to Rough's old house." He frowned a little, "I wish they would have told me though."

They returned to the castle. Silver noticed that while some ponies offered a smile, some shied away. The way forward was suddenly blocked by a familiar pony.

"Hey," said Meadow Leaper. "Didn't forget about me, did you?"

Silver smiled broadly, "Meadow! How are things?"

Meadow waved a hoof vaguely, "You know how it is, not exploding."

Silver shrank a little, but Meadow laughed, "I'm just teasing you. I have my gym all set up! Will you be my first client?"

Silver blinked at this, "Me?"

Meadow gestured at the two mares beside Silver, "They can join too if they want. It was your idea, remember? It's time to stop being the clumsiest unicorn in the city."

Fast tilted her head, "What kind of client is he?"

Meadow jumped forward, leaping easily over all three to land behind them and spin about, "I'm going to show him how to move that fuzzy flank of his! We're going to run, we're going to climb... I think I'll even do some dancing." He tipped his head towards Night, "I'll let you have that honor."

Night flushed gently, then looked to Silver, "That sounds... educational."

Fast snorted, "That sounds fun."

Silver smiled skeptically, "That sounds like I'm outvoted."

Night nudged Silver with a hoof, "Don't do that. Do you want to go?"

Silver looked thoughtful, then nodded, "The foal in me says no, but the adult says yes. This is something I need, and I'm sure we can have some fun while we're at it."

Fast flashed a bright smile, "We're going to tone that flank of yours."

Night shook her head at Fast, "The way you say that..."





Celestia sat across from a small intimate table that had been set beside the patient's bed. She sipped from her tea gently, then lifted the glass to allow him a taste carefully. "You were very brave."

Callis Thetics blinked at Celestia, unsure why she was there. "I was?"

Celestia nodded softly, "How you controlled that surging colt. You know he applauded your efforts in front of the city." Sip. "He even made a very generous donation to see that you had a wing named after you. You saved many young ponies with your quick action."

Callis looked around. It had all happened so quickly. Was that what happened? That colt... "He didn't deserve to be in the school. He clearly wasn't ready to deal with such dangerous spells."

Celestia nodded, "Obviously an error has occured. He withdrew from the school and has been taken in by the warlocks for training. He is fine, and you are now a hero." Sip. "I will be watching you, to see how you perform and share it with others. Such a gentle touch you must have to have earned such fond remarks from Silver Lining."

Fond remarks? Callis didn't dare question Celestia. "A gentle touch, yes..."

"However did you come by that paralysis technique," Celestia asked. "It proved quite helpful in averting further disaster, but I can't imagine a teacher needing it often."

Callis went stiff, "Uh, of course not." He lied, badly. Celestia was sharper than most of her subjects.

"Of course not," agreed Celestia. "Normally, using such magic without permission would be grounds for assault." She smiled, "I'm so glad he spoke so well on your behalf." Sip.