Silver rode a bike quickly through the city he had left just before coming to Equestria. Despite having hooves, the bike behaved well, ignorant of the fact that he had no real grip of the handles. He didn't question it, and it worked. He road up to the grocery store and hopped free of the bike. It rolled away and was soon forgotten as he fell to all fours and trotted into the store.
His tail was tugged on, and he looked over his shoulder at a small child pulling at him. "Mommy, Mommy, can I keep him?!" she cried, trying to gain the attention of a larger human.
The mother looked down at Silver appraisingly, "No, that one looks broken. We can find a better one." They walked on past Silver, and Silver felt abandoned, despite the fact that surely he came to this petting zoo to be pet.
Soft hands stroked over his skull and ears and he made soft happy noises until he opened his eyes and the crowd recoiled at the sight of his slitted pupils. He stood up and walked, passing by an empty yard with a lone tree. Something was hanging from it that drew his attention and he went to look at it. It was Fast, swinging alone.
Silver twitched his ears, "Poor dear, died alone."
Fast suddenly snapped her neck, looking directly at him, "That was your choice."
It was dark everywhere, there was only himself, and Fast, now looming over him. "I, what? You left, not me!"
Fast hissed like a leaking tire, "You could have chased me. We could have been friends. We could have been lovers. You chose to forget me! Did we mean so little together? Do you think my path is so easy?"
Silver turned to run and everything blurred around him. He ran past a swarm of changelings, past Tirek, past a half-dozen Tumbles, past his parents and old friends.
Silver woke up abruptly, still running, and crashed from his bed in the room he slept in alone. He was in a cold sweat, and the images flashed through his mind. He was still running. He climbed to his feet, frowning. What good was this portion of the night if nightmares could still plague him? If his past still chased him?
He slumped against the bed, giving a slow breath before deciding to face his issues. "You deserve better." He climbed up onto bed and resumed his slumber.
The next day, Silver rose and moved quickly from his room. He didn't go for breakfast, instead leaving the castle. Luna's voice reached his mind, ~Where are you? You're about to miss breakfast, and I know you are loath to do that.~
~I'm taking care of business I left behind for too long,~ came his reply as he approached a large house that swarmed with changelings. He hesitated a moment, consumed with doubt and a lingering fear of things that darted and flied in that insect way. They were not bees, and so he reminded himself of that, and pressed on.
He pushed open the door with his magic to enter the manor, exploring slowly. Most of the changelings seemed to ignore him entirely, at least until a familiar one dropped down in front of him. "I didn't expect you here," said Stand In. "I heard you fell ill, gave up being a diplomat."
Silver's tufted ears flicked back as he shook his head, "That's about right, but I'm here for Fast Change. Is she in?"
Stand In became the finely-crafted unicorn and nodded, turning to lead the way, "You have arrived with good timing. She's been increasingly upset, but she hides it well. You may be just the thing to brighten her day. By the way, what's up with the slit eyes and stuff? Practicing your own shapeshifting?"
Silver smiled, his fangs exposed slightly in the gesture, "They're permanent, but I'm still me." Still broken? He shook that thought from his head angrily. No, he would face his problems and resolve them responsibly. He didn't need a rainbow, or a savior. He just had to do it.
He drew on the confidence his new form gave him, like a finely crafted armor he could hide behind, "You're looking especially well today."
Stand snorted loudly, "Flattery will get you everywhere. You still in that herd? Oh, here we are." She tapped on a double door before nudging it open. Seated on a heart-shaped mattress was Fast Change, appearing as her old red-furred unicorn self. Stand waved at her, then flew off into the manor without another word.
Silver approached, trying not to be too fast or too slow, "Fast Change, it's me, Silver... though it's Silver Stars these days."
Fast perked an ear at Silver, looking him over, "What happened? They only told me you weren't a diplomat anymore, and that you were sick. You look just fine."
Silver reached the mattress and hopped up onto it, approaching Fast, "I was very sick. I almost died. Luna saved me."
Fast frowned, "I guess that explains why you've been gone for so long." Her frown turned into a grand smile, practically lighting the room as she grabbed for Silver, hugging him tightly, "But you're here now! I missed you so much!" She kissed him, and his heart soared. His love for her burst into a raging flame in his chest and that power flowed through him in a heady rush. She drew back, fed for the moment.
Silver wobbled a little in place before he regained himself, "No. I won't take that excuse."
"Excuse?" asked Fast, "What do you mean?"
Silver sat in front of Fast, "I've been well enough to leave the castle for days, but I didn't visit. It was my fault alone."
Fast pinned her ears back, "But you love me... I felt it? Why would you hide from me?"
Silver advanced on her, biting her shoulder with his fangs and sinking through the soft fur she currently had. She trembled, but allowed him, feeling confused. Fast drew back, licking his fangs and the green blood that coated them, "I was scared. I was so scared. What are we? You've married your swarm."
Fast shoved Silver roughly, "We're Fast and Silver! We're dear friends, I hope. What was the bite for?"
Silver shook his head, "What if I said I wasn't sure? It felt right... Did I hurt you?"
Fast shook her head in return, "No... But it stung, and I didn't expect it. What's with all... that..." She waved a hoof at his appearance as a whole.
Silver tilted his head, "Luna put her claim on me, and welcomed me to the night. I'm a lunar unicorn. Neat, right?"
Fast suddenly became a mirror of Silver, though she was still a she, "Neat! Wait..." She became Luna and suddenly shoved him back. Their lips met and the powerful surge spoke more than his words could. She pulled away, "You love her! You really, like, crazy love her." Then she frowned with Luna's face, "Well of course you love her. You were hot for her before, and now she saved your life."
As Fast became her birth form again, Silver gently nuzzled into her cheek, "I do. I... thought I could just ignore our feelings, let you move on."
Fast suddenly punched Silver in the shoulder, "Moron!"
Silver hissed loudly, baring his teeth before he calmed down, "I might be. But I'm here, aren't I? I'm talking to you, aren't I?" He placed his hooves on her shoulders, "I'm not running away, am I?"
Fast slowly nodded, and a smile spread across her face, "No, you're not. But you realize you're not getting out of here without a few hours of showing me the difference between solar and lunar unicorn foal-making, right?"
Silver had no complaint about how the next few hours went. He still loved Fast, and that was OK.
He staggered out of the house of changelings. It wouldn't be safe for him to return for a while, but Fast had been quite emphatic that he was to send Night, and try for Luna, if she was up for it. Silver had his doubts Luna would accept the invitation...
Silver looked over the city, considering what other business he had left dangling.
~Silver, where are you? The guards have not seen you all day,~ came Luna's concerned voice. ~You know I am to know where you are at all times.~
Silver snorted softly, ~Luna. I am dealing, constructively, with my past, like I should have done instead of hurling myself off a building. Do you know where Rough Tumble lives?~
~Rough Tumble? The barely-stallion with a history of abuse and assault?~
~That's the one, but I'll remind you he's older than me, physically,~ Silver thought back as he glanced around, ~I owe him a conversation.~
Luna gave him an address, ~What have you been doing? Please tell me.~
Silver began to trot eagerly towards the given address, ~I talked with Fast. I still love her. I never stopped, and I shouldn't have just assumed her becoming a queen makes her dead to me.~
~Did you?~
~Yes,~ he replied honestly.
Luna's voice came out as a sigh, ~You are an impossible stallion.~
~But a living one!~ came Silver's excited mental voice. He approached a tiny house pushed flushed against its neighbors to the right and left. He knocked on the door with a mental hand and waited.
The door swung open to reveal an earth pony stallion that Silver did not recognize. The pony peered at Silver, "Whatchu want?"
Silver tilted his head, "Is Rough Tumble in?"
He hocked up a large bit of phlegm and spit before shouting into the house, "Rough! You got a visitor!" He withdrew into the house without another word offered to Silver. The door closed.
The door opened to reveal a more familiar stallion, though he wore a pink shirt and poorly-applied makeup. "Yeah?" He looked at silver, appearing to not recognize him.
Silver wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. Did he really want to? "Hey Tumble... It's me."
The voice made it click. Tumble fled, and the door slammed.
Silver sat there, staring at the closed door. He waited... Tumble never returned. Should he knock again? Silver didn't want to be creepy about it... He decided one more knock and then he'd go. He softly rapped on the door.
"Go away!" came Tumble's voice. He sounded frightened.
"Tumble? Come on out, Tumble. I'm here to say hello, not hurt you," entreated Silver, "We're friends, right?"
There was a moment of silence, then the door creaked open. Tumble had taken off the shirt, and wiped off everything else. His chubby face had lines of tears and Silver's heart broke. "Tumble..."
Silver sat up on his haunches and extended his forelegs wide, "Come here, Tumble." He thought he was ready, but he was not. He was bowled over by the suddenly-wailing earth pony. Silver was no expert on the matter, but the tears sounded... good. They were cleansing sobs.
"Tell me what happened, after we last met," encouraged Silver, "Tell me all about it..."
He couldn't be the lover Tumble wanted, but he could be a friend.