//------------------------------// // 4 - Tumbling Downhill // Story: The Silver Stars // by David Silver //------------------------------// Tumble pulled himself away from Silver and sat down on his haunches. Silver sat in a similar way facing him. "It's nice to see you again," said Silver with an unsure smile, "What have you been up to?" A glance around revealed no vehicles. Tumble gave a muted nod before he gestured back at his squat house, "I have a place of my own, uh, with a roommate. You met him already. He's okay..." Silver nodded slowly, "I see. What do you do now, you know, as a job?" Tumble smiled, "I work construction. They let me operate the vehicles. Some days I work the crane, sometimes the dump truck. It's a good job." Silver clopped his forehooves together, "That's a fantastic match! I'm glad for you, really." Tumble waved a hoof at Silver, "What about you? You're looking... different." Silver looked down at himself before returning his eyes to Tumble, "I suppose that's true. Is it a good look?" He rose up and did a slow turn for Tumble. When he faced Tumble again, the stallion was red in the cheeks. Silver wondered why that might be before it became obvious, "Is your roommate...?" Tumble shook his head quickly, "He has a marefriend... A-are you?" Silver felt bad, but shook his head, "No. I'm expecting at least two foals soon." Tumble's eyes went wide, "T-two? What happened to the little runt I knew? Is one of them from Celine?" Silver flinched a little, "No, she's gone." He quirked a smile, "Would you believe I scored with her mom?" Tumble's brows fell in a furrow, "No way! How do you do it? It's like your life is... blessed or something. You're getting everything." Silver suddenly felt awful. Maybe his life really was good. He was surrounded by ponies that really wanted to see him happy, talking to a pony who had almost nothing. This is what he threw himself off a building for? "Tumble, have you told anyone? You know, about being a colt cuddler?" Tumble shook his head violently, shrinking back. Silver rolled a hoof, "You should. You're an adult now. What you are is not something to hide away, even if a few of your neighbors are jerks. Heck... You could always go country, it worked for me. Find a nice colt cuddling stallion and a mare and share her between the two of you when you're in that mood." Tumble squirmed uncomfortably, "Would you be him?" Silver flushed, "I'm already knee-deep in family life, I'm sorry. I won't be your stallion, but I am a friend." He approached Tumble and touched nose-to-nose, "You know Meadow's still in the city. He runs the gym just three blocks that way." He pointed, "You should say hi! He'd love to see some old friends." Tumble smiled a little, "Yeah, I should. I should get back to what I was doing... It was really nice, you know, talking to you." Silver pointed up at the castle, "You can send letters up there, to Silver Stars. Uh, in two weeks I'll be gone for a little while, but I'll get them when I return, and I'll answer them, every one." Tumble nodded, but was also quickly retreating. Soon Silver was alone. He hoped he had said the right things, but felt a little better for having the conversation. Silver trotted away as Luna's voice whispered to him, ~Silver, that is far enough. Will you come home or not?~ ~Yes, Luna. I've talked to who I wanted to for today.~ There was a mental sigh, ~Good... You had me worried. Be back within the hour and we can eat together.~ Silver changed direction to head directly for the castle as he thought, ~I had a really good day today.~ ~I look forward to hearing all about it, in person.~ Silver strode through the castle, looking at the stained-glass windows briefly on the way past. He soon arrived in the dining hall to see it was occupied by forces of the night. Specifically, Luna sat at the head, and Night Watch was to her right. He took the spot to Luna's left, feeling both of their eyes upon him. "Hello." Night Watch extended a wing to point at him, "Where have you been all day? Nopony knew where you were." Silver grabbed a slice of some cheesy-looking dish, "I visited Fast Change, to start." Luna tilted her head a little, "How did that go?" Silver raised both forehooves, pointing at a mare with each, "She'd really like to see you two. Schedule at least a few hours if you go." Night went red instantly, "You didn't?!" Silver nodded, "I did... I don't regret it. She isn't my wife anymore, but she still loves the stuffing out of me, and... I still love her. Besides, I promised, didn't I?" Luna gave a soft nod, "That you did, but methinks you did not lay with her today out of duty." Silver squirmed, "I was an idiot for writing her off at all. She didn't die. She didn't even move away." Night flushed, "I promised too... Will you come with me?" Silver tilted his head, "She took me pretty good." When Night looked like she might choke, he shook his head, "I mean, love wise. It wouldn't be safe to return for at least a week, but she really wants to see you. She misses you. We can visit next time together, I promise, but this is something you should do." Luna sided with Silver, "He is right. This is a matter of your past you should confront, lest it reside like a spectre in your mind. I need your head clear for the trials ahead. Do you not have feelings for her?" Night flushed deep, then nodded. "I'll see her," she said in a small voice, then cleared her throat, "So... is that what you did all day?" "I saw Tumble," reported Silver between eager chews of food, delighting in the cheesy crunch of the vegetable casserole. "He was... alright. He really needs a coltfriend." Night tilted her head, "Tumble? Rough Tumble? What is he doing?" Silver replied, "Construction. He really likes operating the heavy machinery, but he has no homelife that I can tell. One roommate that doesn't care much, and that's it. He's still buried in the closet." "Closet?" asked Night, "He lives in a closet?" Luna searched through borrowed memories, "He is a colt cuddler, but does not confess such." A messenger stepped into the room, though this one was familiar to Silver. He brightly smiled, accepting the letter from the wall-eyed mare. Oh god, was she Derpy or Ditzy? "Thank you, miss...?" The mare paused, glancing around at Luna and Night then back at Silver, "Um, Hooves. Derpy Hooves." Silver nodded, "A pleasure to meet you, Derpy. I'm Silver Stars. That's Princess Luna, and our friend, Night Watch." Derpy nodded to each in turn before leaning in, whispering with comedic loudness, "I know who Princess Luna is, silly!" Silver grabbed a muffin in his magic and held it before Derpy, "For the road?" Derpy accepted the muffin with a smile, then was soon gone. Luna smiled knowingly, "Is she what you expected?" Silver considered that, "She was a pony. A cute one, but a pony. I'm sure she has a life to get to." Night looked baffled, "What was all that about? You don't normally get all personal with the couriers." She adjusted her glasses, "Did you know her from somewhere?" Silver nodded with a bright smile, "I did. Always nice seeing a familiar face." He tore the seal of the letter with his magic, then began reading. Hey man, Get it? Bit of a joke there. But, for real, big news! Twilight said she learned how to detect humans and we followed her horn-radar and guess what we found? A woman! That's right, man, I get to repopulate Equestria. Aw yeah... Just kidding. I think she's more interested in stallions than guys. You want me to hook you up? Ponyville's doing good. It's just about time for summer to start. Man, Equestria's a healthy place to live. I've lost, what, half my weight! I'm half the man I used to be. It's OK, what's left is all clean. No videogames, few movies. If you want to have fun, you have to actually move. Scary, right? Twilight said you weren't the official rep for humans anymore, but I thought I'd write you anyway. We're friends, right? Let me Know if you Want me to Send the Lady, Jake Silver went rigid at the implications of the letters as his dining companions peered at him. "What does it say?" asked Night. Silver passed the note to Night, who then passed it to Luna. Luna snorted loudly, "The human female should arrive regardless of Jake's words. We told Twilight to send any others she met here, so we can meet them and decide on a proper place. They can't all live in Ponyville, and some humans may be more benign than others." She gestured a wing at Silver, "Some are awful troublemakers." Night squirmed a bit, "Is... I mean. Are you going to approach her?" Silver flipped his ears back. He'd never touched a human female before outside of a hug or a kiss on the cheek. "I will defer to Luna's judgment on that." Luna nodded her head, "Then I say you should meet her. You make it obvious this is something that lingers. Meet her, talk to her." She spread her wings, "Do whatsoever." Night snorted, "You are telling our.." her voice dropped, lest a guard overhear, "Our stallion to possibly sleep with a strange mare!" Luna raised a brow, "She is human, he, pony. He never had a chance with his own kind when he was one. I will not deny him his moment, if she is willing." Night looked less allowing, "We don't know her at all! This is very improper." Luna pointed at Night, "Like secretly becoming herd-sisters with your princess? There is a good chance Jake was exaggerating, and the female will not make any move. I doubt Silver will be the initiator, but I will not have him wallowing in doubt and shame." Silver raised a hoof, "Still here." Night huffed at Silver, "Fine. But if you put a foal in her, it's your responsibility." Silver went deepest red. Was that even possible? "I don't... even know her." Luna cracked a soft smile, "But you may get to know her... in the biblical sense." Silver was stunned at Luna's Bible joke, while Night missed it entirely, "What sense?" Luna softly brushed down Night's back with her wingtips, "Poor humor on my part at Silver's expense." She looked to Silver, "You did many good things today. I'm proud of your growth, though you must report where you are to me, good or not."