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// 2 - Preparing for Duty 
// Story: The Silver Stars 
// by David Silver 
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Luna led the way towards the Canterlot Archives, with Silver trailing behind. Though he remained smaller than she, and most others, he did walk with a noticeable improvement in his gait. "Your time with Meadow agrees with you," she spoke as she walked, "While he trains your body, I will not have that keen mind going to waste. Lunar unicorns will show the world the potency of the magic of the night." She brushed aside heavy-looking doors with her magic and strode into the great library, moving towards the portion that Silver had not dared to approach long ago, when he visited with Night and Celine.

Silver smiled gently, "Your shadow was very supportive of me here."

Luna paused, glancing back at him, "I suppose that is what she was. I would be full of falsehood if I did not confess I miss that brief, simple time. Being your first wife was comforting, and reminded me I am still a pony." She turned away, "But I am glad you found Night Watch, and let her be your true lover."

Silver moved up beside Luna, whispering low, "As if you are not also. It is a pleasure and honor to be the stallion of your herd."

She extended a wing, brushing over his back before she moved ahead. She nodded to the solar guards that stood watch over the Star Swirl section, "Open the gate. Silver Stars and I are coming through. He is permitted to come as he pleases, but not to carry books out."

One of the guards saluted before their horns lit in unison. The gate pulled upwards, allowing Luna and Silver to pass quietly.

Once the gate slid shut, and they had walked a short distance, Silver looked to Luna, "I have realized your gambit, and it is impressive."

Luna perked an ear, "Oh? Of what do you speak?"

Silver pointed at Luna, "You are who Night and I are bound to. Night is the first wife of you, and I, a secondary. The genders are different, but you kept your promise, and Night is still first wife."

Luna cracked a subtle smile, "Does this displease you?"

Silver shook his head, "I will gladly serve as secondary." He sat then, "It's not like Tumble. I have ceded leadership, but you both accept me as stallion, and that I am. We will protect you, instead of me, because you are the herd."

Luna frowned faintly, "Do you say this out of submission?"

Silver snorted softly, "I will fight for you, not out of submission, but love. You have seen my heart. You have seen me shattered. You still want me, for reasons I still haven't quite pieced together. I will be worthy of that love, by standing tall." He looked around then at the dusty tomes, "So where am I to start? I brought my book of spells to write in."

Luna placed a hoof at her chin, looking thoughtful a moment, "Methinks it is time you learned some defensive spells. The ability to ward physical blows, and to undo hostile magic will serve you well if we are attacked." She moved purposefully, knowing Silver would follow, and soon arrived at a small cubby in the wall. Her horn glowed as she pulled a book free and opened it, "Star Swirl's Practical Book of Combat. Read, learn. I know memorization is not your favorite thing for this, but some of these spells must come instinctively in an instant, if they are to save yourself, or another pony you care for."

Silver advanced on the book, eagerly flipping ahead to the first spell, "Why can't I take the book back to our room to study?"

Luna shook her head, "Only Celestia could grant permission to remove tomes from this portion of the library. She is exceedingly protective of these spells, especially considering many of them could be used to great harm."

Silver snorted softly, pulling out his book and a quill, "I didn't hear a single rule saying I can't just copy these spells."

Luna watched him with a smile, pleased she didn't have to say the idea herself. "I trust you will memorize them soon. We depart in two weeks' time, and once we are adrift, no magic will let us return save by boat."

Silver perked an ear, "Why couldn't you just teleport? Wait, let me try this. Distance is the first, obvious answer." He flipped pages as he copied. "Does the water also serve as interference with long-range spells?"

Luna tilted her head faintly, "Correct on both accounts. The ocean will make it quite impossible to simply skip home. Celestia may perhaps pull off such a stunt at high noon, but it would be one-way, and leave her sick with fatigue. Anugypt is a long way away."

Silver flipped to the next page, working diligently, "I read a comic where Discord not only went through time, but also a large amount of space. Was it inaccurate?"

Luna frowned slightly, "Discord's limits are... indistinct. I could not speak with confidence of them. I will leave you here. There is work to tend to." Silver nodded at Luna, flashing her a fanged smile before she departed.

He spent several hours copying down the useful spells he found, but then went right to mixing and matching. A simple spell for that horn bolt Twilight could and did do many times in battle, and the sphere of protection. They seemed a natural fit together! He labored over them until it was about dinner time, and he packed up his book and left the restricted area of the library to get some food.

He stepped into the dining hall to see Celestia was in attendance. She raised a brow at him, looking over his curious new form. "If not for your cutie mark, you would be difficult to pick out as your old self."

Silver exposed his fangs in a brief smile as he clambered up onto a seat, "It is good to see you. I'm sorry you had to see me in such a sorry state before." His eyes wandered over the food, selecting a fish and carving off a piece with his magic to bring his way. He felt a distinct urge for meat, and no reason to battle the urge.

Celestia nodded slowly, "You appear... better. Luna has not announced your recovery."

Silver shook his head, "I am still under her care, but she has been very good to me." He sank his teeth into the fish, quickly rending it apart and devouring it.

The act seemed to not rest well with Celestia, "Did she... ask before she did that? Were you aware of what her actions would bring?"

Silver looked up at Celestia, "She offered, and I accepted. I feel much better now."

Celestia's expression became subtly disappointed, "You were such a peaceful little pony."

Silver took a moment to process that before he frowned, "Being a peaceful pony didn't work out well for me. The world kept throwing very... not... peaceful things before me. If I can fight them, defend other ponies, that is good." He rolled his shoulders, "I'm sorry being a pony of the day didn't work out."

Celestia raised some tea, sipping, "You will suffer a similar fate to my sister. My ponies will not appreciate your protection, or even be aware of it most of the time."

Silver shuffled in place, then huffed, "If Luna and Night appreciate my efforts, that is enough. I can make the world safer for their foals, and that's enough. I don't need to be famous. I don't need a parade."

Celestia was quiet for a time before she spoke, "A pony who has done what you have done is not normally allowed to be out on their own so quickly."

Silver tilted his head at her, "Part of living is responsibility. Luna trusts in me, and I respect that. I slipped once." He spotted some ribs on the table and raised a brow, "What are those from? I saw them at the academy and didn't recognize the taste."

Celestia blinked, "You were a solar pony then, why were you tasting it?" Silver looked at her evenly, and she sighed softly, "They are from a small animal griffons keep for food. They adore their presence when they visit, but don't always give warning. I have the chef prepare a small one once in a while, and we catch them more often than not."

Silver reached with his magic, moving several ribs to his plate. "They're very good. Have you ever tried one?"

Celestia seemed subtly uncomfortable, "I have not."

Silver sank his fangs into the savory flesh and made short work of the first rib. He sighed with the simple pleasure of the feasting, "The griffons have good taste, and your chef is excellent at preparing it, for a pony."

Celestia raised a brow, "The chef is, himself, a griffon."

Silver raised both brows together, "That makes sense. I will remind you, I spent most of my life as an omnivore. It's good to return to it." He flashed his teeth at Celestia, "But I wouldn't bite your flank unless you asked very nicely."

Celestia jumped, surprised at his sudden offer. "That will be quite alright! How are you handling being separated from Night Watch? You two were very close."

Silver waved a hoof vaguely, "We may not be married, but I see her."

"You're lying," said Celestia with confidence.

Silver forgot she was one of the few ponies that could spot lies so easily. "I never left her. We may not be married by law, but our hearts are together."

Celestia smiled gently, "I had a feeling that was the case. I'm glad Luna did not try to keep you two apart."

Silver bit into the next rib, destroying it ravenously. Magic was hard work, spellcrafting was no easier. "You knew she was involved. Luna took her at the same time she took me."

Celestia lifted some cake to her snout, taking a soft bite, "I knew not her intentions. She could have held Night until you were ready. Luna clearly feels you are doing well. The guards said they saw you studying quite intently in the archives."

Silver nodded softly, "I will not be caught unprepared. I will not be caught with only cantrips or a single, clumsy, slow firing spell to use. If trouble comes looking for me, it will find me ready. Ah! Will you help me test a spell?" Silver slid from his chair and moved to an empty patch of the floor, surrounding himself in a silvery bubble of force. "Go on, throw some food at me."

Celestia took another simple bite of her cake, then sent the plate and its contents sailing at Silver's face. It hit the shield and shattered violently, cake exploding in a spray of sugary goo. His shield wobbled and shook, but quickly reformed into a solid sphere. "Interesting."

Silver nodded from within the silver sphere, "I would like to know what you think it is."

Celestia smiled then, "Testing my magic knowledge? The sphere is standard Star Swirl defensive magic, but the cake exploded far more violently. A standard shield would have resulted in it splattering against it. Will you cast the spell again?"

Silver needed the practice anyway, so he released the spell and played it quickly across his horn, conjuring a fresh bubble.

Celestia beamed, "Was that a horn blast? Your shield blasts anything that touches it? That must be draining, and I imagine would become quite tiring if you were in a truly hectic confrontation. Still, quite the clever combination. Will you be sharing the spell?"

Silver tapped his hooves together as the spell dropped, "I suppose I could. What's the process for that? I doubt you want me giving these spells to a random foal on the street."

"I should think not," agreed Celestia. "Give them to me directly, and I will see them archived where they will do no harm. If it is a benign spell, you could turn it in directly to an academy, or even the archives." She slid to her hooves, "But for now, I must retire. Tomorrow needs me refreshed. Sleep well when you do, Silver Lining."

Silver shook his head, "Silver Stars."

Celestia departed with a faint smile. Silver assumed she approved of the name.