//------------------------------//
// 47 - Strange Science 
// Story: The Silver Stars 
// by David Silver 
//------------------------------//

"Silver," came Twilight's voice as she walked into her room. "I have a question."

Silver slipped off her bed, smiling at Twilight's presence. "Of course. What's up?"

Twilight wobbled a hoof. "Chances are against it, but I want you to think hard. Is there anything at all in this world, Equestria, that also exists, or interacts with your world, Earth?"

Silver lowered to her haunches and looked thoughtful about it, tapping her chin. "I... was sent back to Earth once."

Twilight leaned forward, eyes sparkling with curiosity. "You didn't mention that. What happened?"

Silver waved a hoof. "That wasn't very important, but one part was. My desk was still there, in the other world, even though it's here too. My computer, my books, some of the clutter, all the things on that desk were apparently copied, rather than moved."

Twilight clopped her hooves with excitement. "You're the best!" She turned to leave and Silver conjured up a quick hand to gently catch her.

Silver moved up alongside Twilight. "What are you up to? I'd like to help if I can?"

Twilight stopped trying to get around the invisible hand and smiled at Silver nervously. "I..." Silver gave her a flat look. "Oh alright. I want to see if I can make a portal to your world, like I did for Canterlot High."

Silver tilted her head. "Is that possible? Where would you even come out of? Would you become a human?"

Twilight spread her wings. "I don't know! That's exactly why I want to find out. Your world is full of wonders from your description,"

Silver shook her head as she leaned in and nuzzled Twilight's neck. "Nothing Canterlot High doesn't have, I think. You just haven't explored much past the high school there."

Twilight tapped at her chin a moment. "I don't think they're the same, but we're just throwing around theories at best. We need to test and see to be sure. Besides, Canterlot High is a direct mirror of this world, and yours is clearly farther removed. In your world, our world is a story, and there isn't a perfect copy of everypony. Your 'mirror' was an entirely different pony! My copy could be an accountant or something."

Silver tilted her head a bit before nodding. "Well, sure, but my copy was a much better copy than you give credit for. We were both authors, both brown, both kind of messy... We invented a roleplaying game to play a member of the other's world! That's a pretty good mirror in my book, even if our personalities diverged a bit. A lot of our differences became so great after I came to Equestria."

"Where is Rough Draft anyway?"

Silver restrained a giggle poorly. "He married Trixie. They're expecting a foal."

Twilight's jaw fell for a moment before she shook herself clear. "Good for them. I guess your copy is also eager to start a family. I still want to see where this goes. Will you help me?"

Silver nodded firmly. "Of course!"

Twilight lowered to the ground. "Hop on."

Silver tilted her head one way and the other as she circled Twilight. "Aren't I a little big?"

"Nothing a little magic can't overcome." She ruffled her wings a bit, then waited. Silver slid up onto Twilight, trying to mount her as Silver had long ago as a human to a horse. She leaned forward and hugged around Twilight's neck as Twilight rose up. "You have decent posture for never riding a pony before." Twilight rose up to her hooves and trotted out onto the balcony. She spread her wings wide and took off into the sky. She made a slow banking turn towards Canterlot and began ascending towards the mountain city.

Silver felt her heart hasten and a giggle began to force its way free. She couldn't help but to keep right on giggling, looking down at the ground so far away and the whistle of the wind zipping past. She was scared, and giggling was the first and only response she had for it. It was exciting and terrifying at once to ride Twilight so far and so fast. She held on firmly to the belief that Twilight would never let her fall.  They shared no words as Twilight made the trip that would take the Friendship Express the greater part of a day in about fifteen minutes going in a straight line.

Twilight soared over the city of Canterlot and started to descend, landing neatly just before the castle. She strode past the guards who startled a moment on realizing the shape on Twilight was not Spike, instead a being quite a bit large to be riding a princess around. Twilight paid them no mind, moving through the castle towards the Sun Court. "You should probably slide down, unless you're that eager to show off that you have riding privileges with me."

Silver darkened and hugged Twilight's neck from behind. "And if I am?"

Twilight craned her head to look back at Silver. "Then you stay up there, but don't blame me when people say things."

Silver nipped into Twilight's thick mane before rising up straight, looking more proper as a horse rider... Which she knew well she was not.

Twilight opened the court doors with a flick of her magic and strode purposefully into Sun Court. All eyes snapped towards her, then her passenger. Murmuring spread wildly. Celestia sat on her throne, watching Twilight approach. She turned to the current supplicant. "Please, sit yourself. You will be called up as soon as this business is concluded."

The supplicant, a pegasus stallion, nodded dumbly, then scooted out of the way. Celestia smiled at Twilight. "A rare and unexpected visit, Princess Twilight Sparkle. How can I help you today?" Her eyes moved with practiced deliberation, making it clear that her attention had slid to Silver. "And Silver Stars. I see you are doing well."

Twilight nodded her head at Celestia. "A pleasure as always. We've come for Silver Star's possessions. I would like to study them."

Silver raised a hoof, wobbling dangerously as her balance shifted. "I gave her permission to."

Celestia put a hoof to her chin. "The scholars of the academy will be sorely disappointed to lose access to them, but they do belong to Silver Stars. You will share what you find, of course?"

Twilight gave a single firm nod. "Of course! I'll have a full report ready as soon as I've reached a conclusion."

Celestia smiled. "That is all that I ask." Her eyes turned up to Silver again. "I would like to speak to you. Meet me after court, before you return home." Her eyes fell to Twilight. "As always a pleasure, Twilight. You know where to go. Travel safely."

Twilight carried Silver from the room, the nobles there still speaking to one another in hushed tones. Once they were outside and the doors closed, Twilight let out her breath in a loud sigh. "I hate court. Well, that went well. Let's get your desk."

Silver tilted her head. "Celestia said she wanted to talk to me. I don't think ignoring her command would be a good idea."

Twilight lowered to the ground. "This is your stop then. I'll get the desk and bring it to the castle, then return for you. That sound OK?"

Silver shuffled a little. "Would I be a bad pony if I said I'm a little intimidated by Celestia?"

Twilight shook her head. "You'd be a pretty standard pony, now hop off. She won't hurt you."

Silver slid to her own hooves and turned to face Twilight. "See you soon."

Twilight was soon gone, trotting towards wherever they kept curious magical artifacts.

Silver turned to find Luna staring at her only an inch away. Silver squealed like a little girl and collapsed in place.

Luna gave a wry smile. "I still have that effect, it seems. Come, we have much to discuss." She wrapped Silver in her dark magic and walked off with Silver secured.

Silver placidly lay there, not trying to struggle against the trip. "Celestia wants to talk to me after court."

"Is that so?" Luna looked over her shoulder at Silver. "We'll just have to return you before court is complete. Fortunately that is a few hours yet."

Luna made her way swiftly to her quarters. Its scent brought back memories for Silver, most of them good. Luna set Silver down on a pillow, then waved the door shut. "Do you still trust me?"

Silver tilted her head a little. "I... mostly? You let your sister have her way with me. You didn't warn me before I took somepony's life with a power I didn't know I had."

Luna nodded at each retold sin. "This is true. I would apologize, but you've had enough of those."

Silver held up a hoof. "Do you think you did wrong?"

Luna looked Silver over quietly a moment. "Yes. I think about you, and Night Watch, quite often. I wonder if I didn't try hard enough. I wonder if I should have gone to arms against my sister. I wonder if I was a fool for letting you so close to me at all." She leaned in close to Silver. "You fill me with wonder, for all meanings of the word."

Silver gave a slow nod. "Apologies may come cheap, but that doesn't make hearing you think you could have done better meaningless." She smiled gently. "You're still enchanting. Have you fou--"

"No." Luna ruffled her wings. "I have not found another. Unlike you two, or four, now. You all smile together, the very picture of harmony. There is no jealousy. There is only understanding. I thought I brought you to my side, but you never stopped being a sun pony, did you?"

Silver canted her ears forward. "You shouldn't associate yourself with disharmony. Night and I are still happily lunar ponies, and we bring a different side of things to the herd for it. We are different, even if we can all work through that." Silver rolled onto her back. "I don't regret being a lunar pony. Don't make it a thing synonymous with bad."

Luna nodded softly, eyes half-lidded. "Very well. Prove it. Prove you still care. Let me gaze into you one more time."

Silver blinked at the question, standing up. "What would that prove?"

Luna spread her wings slowly. "Prove? Nothing... But I want to know what you felt, when you decided to leave. What you saw in your wives. Why you took Twilight Sparkle, and why you avoided me. I want to know how you truly feel about me, and about my sister, and about this world. Do you hide your hate, or do you truly forgive all the slights? I will not force you, or deceive you. It is your decision alone." She brought down a wing, tickling Silver across the nose and making her sneeze. "My sister is correct in that. You are adorable when you sneeze."