//------------------------------//
// 101 - Farm Living 
// Story: The Silver Stars 
// by David Silver 
//------------------------------//

Silver parted with Celestia after a few quiet moments spent together. He moved to depart and ran into a unicorn mare. She looked familiar...

The mare bowed her head and moved to scoot around, when Silver extended a wing to block her. "Carrot Plate?"

She tilted her head at him. "That's my name, your highness. Did you need something?"

Silver wasn't sure how to react. His former assaulter appeared to not recognize him at the moment. "Uh, do you remember a small brown unicorn you ran into in a warehouse one time?"

Carrot Plate scowled a bit. "What ab..." She trailed off as she looked Silver over again and flopped onto her haunches. "It can't be... He wasn't lunar, or so big, or..." She tilted her head. "Big."

Silver smiled gently. "It is me. How are you?"

Carrot Plate grit her teeth a moment. "How am I? I... After all that you just ask how I am? Shouldn't you be calling the guards and having me thrown away forever, or sent to some awful place?"

Silver leaned in, taller than the mare that had once loomed over him. "Is that what you want? I prefer to forgive. So, again, how are you?"

Carrot glanced around a moment before looking up at the alicorn prince. "I'm fine. Celestia still has me working at the orphanage." She frowned at him. "I hate it. You must be ever so pleased with yourself."

Silver reached out a hoof and Carrot flinched back. He set it back on the ground. "Tell me honestly. I won't hold anything you say against you. What do you think, of that time you had me in that warehouse?"

Carrot's eyes narrowed. "I think you were soft, and you still are."

"And you?" Silver pointed at Carrot.

Carrot shuffled in place, "Not my brightest idea... I... I was a bit harsh on Rough Tumble. I've met a lot more colts and fillies from broken families like his. I should have been there, for him, when he needed me instead of going after a new toy."

Silver heard no regret towards her actions towards him, but he found it good enough. "Funny thing about that."

Carrot tilted her head. "What?"

"He's a colt cuddler."

Carrot blinked with confusion. "What? We did it plenty of times. Are you trying to make me feel guilty, or what?"

Silver tapped at his chin thoughtfully. "I think, maybe, he wasn't being truthful with himself. I'm not trying to make you feel bad. Tell me, if you weren't working at the orphanage, what would you be doing?"

Carrot flashed a smile. "I want to open a store for refined eyewear."

Carrot Plate. Silver got it and chuckled softly. "That would be lovely. Would you harass anypony else ever again?"

Carrot's smile withered on the vine. "I'm not a little kid anymore."

How much time had passed? Equestria was a terrible place to keep track of it. "I will speak to Celestia. We all deserve forgiveness when we are ready to become better ponies."

Silver delayed his departure to seek out Celestia again. He shared a description of their encounter, and his wish that she be free to pursue her dreams.

Celestia nodded. "If you believe she is reformed, there is no further need to have her work where she does not wish to. She's been properly compensated for her work, so if she's saved, she should be able to see her dream through."

Silver tilted his head. "She has her parents too. Do you know if they've calmed down?"

Celestia shook her head. "They are quite irritated at you, but, perhaps, this will help ease their discontent. Thank you, for being kind."

Silver smiled and they shared a brief nuzzle before he slipped from the room and escaped the castle. He took to the air and returned to Ponyville's airspace. Darting out from behind a cloud, a familiar sky-blue pegasus rushed out to meet him. "Hey RD. What's up?"

Rainbow looked nervous, rubbing one foreleg with the other. "Well, uh, hey Silver. So, uh... Applejack wants to talk to you." She sped off towards the farm. After a moment, Silver followed curiously.

They soon arrived to find Applejack and Big Mac working busily side-by-side, in a field. Rainbow landed beside Applejack first and spoke quietly to her as Silver landed nearby.

Big Mac strode up to Silver, competing for size. He looked over Silver with a quiet intensity. He reached out and nudged Silver lightly. "Nope."

Applejack raised an ear as she trotted over. "Whattaya mean nope? It's my decision!"

Big Mac shook his head. "Ain't no way a pony that hasn't worked a few days on tha farm's being allowed ta do that."

Silver only grew more confused, though he had a few ideas what was going on. "Applejack, did you call me here to stud?"

Applejack went red quickly. "Maybe... Yes."

Rainbow Dash approached with a grin. "I think Big Mac has a point. In fact, I have an idea."

Applejack tilted her head at Rainbow. "And what, pray tell, is that idea?"

"A competition." She grinned widely. "I bet I can do more work faster than Silver. If he wins, he can stud. If he loses, we don't need him anyway."

Applejack lowered her stetson in front of her eyes. "RD... We talked... Ugh, fine." She looked up at Silver. "Whattaya say?"

Silver looked between the grinning Rainbow Dash, the mildly-resigned Applejack, and the quietly-disapproving Big Mac. "Well, alright... but I have a few conditions of my own. My wife, Fast Change, wants to meet any mare I stud for, and, uh... maybe join, if you like."

Applejack's orange fur turned deeper red as she swallowed. "Oh, uh..." Big Mac didn't look any better.

Rainbow snickered at the proposal. "You know how to party, Silver Stars, but you have to beat me first." She held out a hoof, and Silver met it with a soft clop sound. "Tomorrow. Bring your wife so she can see you lose against the best." She took off into the air, zipping away with her rainbow contrail.

Silver turned his eyes back to Applejack. "I thought Rainbow was going to be the mare in this?"

Applejack huffed. "She won't play bottom for any pony that ain't me, and ah ain't got those parts, so here we are. Now ah gotta remind ya, seeing as ya get attached real easy ta ponies. This foal will be ours, Rainbow's and mine. Ya won't be its parent. We won't even be tellin' it who studded for it. Ya understand that?"

The idea of not even being a remote father figure didn't sit quite right with him and he ruffled his wings. "That's rather absolute. Can't I be an uncle? I've been one of those before."

Applejack smiled gently. "Ya ain't no brother of mine. Anypony with eyes could tell that." She tilted her head. "But there ain't no harm in not being a stranger, just remember that you ain't the parent. We decide what happens to our foal, not you."

Silver nodded quickly though Big Mac cut in. "If ya win."

Applejack rolled her eyes. "Right, if ya win. Ah'll expect the both of ya here at sunup, so go get some rest." Applejack rose up and got back to work.

Big Mac waited until she was a small distance away before nodding towards Silver. "If ya hurt mah sister, yer crown won't save you."

Silver's ears flipped back. "Applejack is a dear friend of mine. She's stood up for me many times, and I will treat her like the wonderful pony she is."

Big Mac smiled gently, seemingly pleased with the words. Silently he rose up and walked away. Alone, Silver took flight and returned to the castle, or so he originally thought. Halfway there, he changed course and instead winged over the Everfree, coming down on the road that penetrated most of the way through it. He found Tumble quickly enough and trotted up to him.

Tumble shouldered off a heavy looking load and smiled at Silver. "Hey!" He rushed up and nuzzled Silver before he could react. Silver decided to accept it, rather than make a stink of it partway in. "What are you doing here?"

Silver shook his head. "I got back from the castle. Celestia was firmly against you coming." Tumble looked dejected quickly. "I'm sorry. She thinks you need more training before you can pull it off."

Tumble huffed. "Then give it to me."

Silver frowned thoughtfully. "Well you've been training with Fast, right?"

Tumble nodded quickly.

"Alright, let me talk to her and see what she thinks the next step should be." He quickly trotted away, finding Fast beside Night. Night was going over some plans with her, and they were talking animatedly. Silver sat close by and waited his turn, which came a few minutes later when they noticed his arrival.

Night trotted up and nuzzled his cheek. "Hello there! What brings you this way?" She paused a moment. "You're here for Fast Change."

"Right in one." Silver kissed Night gently, then looked to Fast. "Who should I send Tumble to next for training as a guard captain?"

Fast frowned a moment. "Well not me. I know how to fight dirty, but everything else is past me. You should try Canterlot. I bet Celestia knows a lot of good guard ponies, considering she hires most of them."

Silver nodded before rolling a hoof. "Another thing. Applejack wants to have me stud for her and Rainbow Dash."

Night tensed. "They're awfully close, to us I mean. That is almost certain to cause emotional complications for you later."

Fast waved a hoof. "Big-hearted Silver here? I bet he already loves both of them in his own way."

Silver couldn't argue that fact, so he didn't. "I have to do a farming competition with Rainbow before I'm allowed to proceed. Tomorrow, dawn. You wanted to be there, right?"

Fast bobbed her head. "Couldn't pay me enough to keep me away." She gave Silver a swift punch in the ribs. "And that's for knocking up Starlight without me being there! Sheesh. Was it hot? Is she a screamer? She looks like a screamer..."

Silver shook his head quickly. "I don't want to talk about somepony like that. That's... wrong."

Fast waved a hoof. "Fine fine, that's why I wanted to be there. You're an awful gossip. I'll be there tomorrow though!"

Night frowned. "Am I not invited?"

Silver tilted his head. "I thought... you didn't even really want to know what was going on? Night, you have sent me very conflicting signals in this."

Night squirmed. "I'm feeling very conflicted myself. I want to be there."

Silver nodded. "Then be there." He leaned in and kissed Night on the nose. "I will never send you away."

Night smiled, looking relieved. She pulled Silver into a hug, her round belly pressed against him. "I'll be there. Get some sleep. I won't have my stallion being beat by some jock."