The Silver Stars

by David Silver


106 - Are You a Spy?

Silver found Twilight first and approached her. "Hey. Something odd just happened."

Twilight tilted her head a little. "Oh, what's that?"

Silver gestured upwards. "I was just forcefully propositioned by Rainbow. I know she's agg--"

"What?"

Silver leaned in closer. "I said I know she's aggressive but that was a bit much."

Twilight shook her head. "Griffonstone is several days of train and hiking away. Rainbow is long gone."

Silver blinked. "Then... who was I just talking to?"

Twilight scowled. "I don't know, but they made a critical mistake." She rose up to her hooves. "Next time she comes by, I'll be ready for her. Pretend you know nothing until then, alright? You... didn't do anything with not-Rainbow Dash, did you?"

Silver quickly put up his hooves. "Just talked, though now I'm lost on how much of it was true or not, and I'm feeling more guilty by the second."

Twilight moved up to Silver and nuzzled him gently. "Already tiring of the studding business?"

Silver grunted. "I think I'll stick with whoever Luna picks. I don't want to think about them anymore. My time should be with my wives, who have helped me so much." He grabbed Twilight and squeezed her. "Sorry for being an awful stallion."

Twilight rested with him a moment before slipping away, promising she would be ready for the next time.

Silver felt the need to find Night Watch and left the castle, flying off to the road where he spotted the industrious lunar pegasus shouting commands at stallions twice her size and cowing them into submission. He landed beside her and wrapped a wing around her, pulling her tight.

She squeaked and laughed. "As much as I appreciate this, there's a good forty percent chance you're doing it for a reason other than just loving me."

Silver tilted his head. "I realized how much of a jerk I've been. I'm yours for the rest of the day. Command me, my most faithful of wives."

Night considered a moment before she pointed to a stack of wood. "I need that moved up to the end of the road, then we'll put that spell hacking skill of yours to work." Silver smiled and started moving, but not fast enough for her liking. "Today, Silver!" He scampered off, and the day was spent quite busily.

Silver carried Night home at the end of the day, taking a simple joy in playing mount for his gravid wife. "We did well."

Night nodded. "That paving spell worked better than I hoped for, thank you for it."

Silver wrapped his magic around Night, squeezing her fondly. "Only under your skilled supervision. Do you want me tomorrow?"

"I want you every day." She bonked him on the head lightly with a hoof. "But you have other business. I've decided I do want to take you up on your offer. See about getting me my students, and I'll take out my frustration on them while you're gone."

Silver nodded as he trotted into the castle, joining the others for dinner.

That evening his thoughts were untroubled by any mare except those he lived with, and he did his best to make sure he was in their minds as well. When everyone was calm and dozing off, Silver leaned in towards Fast. "Did you give Rainbow permission to stud as long as she needed?"

Fast perked an ear. "Yeah, until she got her foal. Why? Don't like her?"

"Not as much as I like you." He kissed Fast behind an ear, then gave Twilight and Night their own smooches, and soon sleep came for them.

The next day Silver made his way to Canterlot, entering Day Court for the first time in quite a while, but he felt more confident than last he had entered the room. He kept his head up high and pointedly ignored the ponies around him, knowing it would only make him look imposing and in control.

Celestia nodded towards him. "The court recognizes Prince Silver Stars." Ah, his turn. He rose to his hooves and trotted to the front of the court.

"It is a pleasure to see you, and to address the ponies of the city. I have a simple proposal." He raised a hoof. "One of the guards has been exposed to a variety of tense situations and unusual circumstances, and wishes to share her hard-earned knowledge with the next generation. I wish permission to form a school for the guards away from Canterlot, where this specialist lives."

Celestia tapped her chin, looking far more thoughtful than she had to be. "I can't allow all of the guards to train far away from the capitol. Will a class of ten suffice to start?"

Silver returned the favor by looking quite thoughtful and dissatisfied. "If that's the best that can be done, I suppose I can settle with it. You will not regret it." He rose and trotted out of the room, his business concluded, only to run into Fleur Dis Lee. Silver smiled. "Long time no see."

"Oui, this is true." She tilted her head one way, then the other. "I confess, it is difficult to imagine you are that gangly little colt that was once in my living room." Her magic wrapped around him, inspecting him brazenly. "You've grown quite a bit, and even moving in the court so confidently now."

Silver gave a soft pulse of magic, disrupting Fleur's grip easily. "Are you and Fancy doing well?"

She nodded her head, making no outward reaction to the mild rebuff. "We are both well. I never got a chance to apologize for the terrible events that drove us apart." She smiled gently. "Don't be a stranger." She turned and trotted down the hall.

Silver decided to pointedly ignore any part of that interaction save the words and returned to Twilight's castle to find Rainbow Dash waiting for him. She smiled and bobbed her head. "So, check with Fast yet? I told ya I was telling the truth."

Silver nodded. "Sorry for doubting you, RD. It still feels pretty skeezy that you're hitting me up for this when you're not legitimately trying for a foal."

Rainbow waved a hoof. "Yeah yeah. I just want a little fun. We've been friends how long now and we haven't tried anything?"

Silver rose both of his brows. "That's an odd way to say that. Have you been with the other girls?"

Rainbow leaned in with a naughty gleam. "Wouldn't you like to know... Let's just say Fluttershy and I have been good friends for a long time."

Silver poked Rainbow in the chest. "And Applejack's alright with all this?"

Rainbow shrugged. "What she doesn't know won't hurt her little heart. You can keep your snout shut, right? Neither of us wants to see AJ hurt."

Silver huffed softly. "If you promise to stop sleeping around on her, the secret will go to my grave with me."

Rainbow bristled. "Well fine! You're obviously not in the mood." She turned away and took flight, only to be trapped in a bubble of pink-purple light. Twilight pushed open the door leading inside and strode out with a confident look.

"Going somewhere?"

Rainbow twisted around in her small bubble prison. "Hey! Not funny! Let me out!"

With a flash of Twilight's horn, a brilliant zap of green energy ran through the bubble, and Rainbow ceased to be Rainbow. A changeling was revealed in her place, form riddled with the holes of a feral variety. The changeling stopped struggling and started whimpering loudly, covering its face in its forehooves.

Twilight waved at the bubble. "There's your Rainbow Dash. Ugh, I wonder how long she's been feeding off of Rainbow's friends."

The changeling put its forehooves together. "Please don't kill me. I didn't hurt anypony."

Silver huffed softly. "You were stealing our friend's identity and running her around town. If Applejack had noticed, you could have easily ruined both of their lives."

Twilight pulled the bubble down to the balcony, resting it between herself and Silver. "What hive do you belong to?"

The changeling shook her head quickly. "No hive. I'm not a drone. Not a queen either. Inbetween." She wobbled a hoof. "I just want to live."

Silver tapped the bubble lightly and it popped. "I am not your food source, but I am not entirely unsympathetic to changelings. If you are willing to give up emotional predation, I'll take you back to Canterlot, where you can find friends, and food, legally."

Twilight made a bit of a face. "She was ready to drain you to a husk, Silver. She deserves some punishment?"

Silver rolled a hoof. "Let her face the judgment of her peers. The changelings in the city don't want a bad reputation. They'll punish her, and then she can live a legit life."

Twilight yielded to the idea. "Alright, just be careful with her."

Silver snagged the quietly slinking away changeling before she could get far with a silvery grip, then took off with her. As he flew, she spoke, "We don't have to do this, you know. I'm just trying to have some fun, and give others fun. There's a pony you'd like to be with, right?"

"I'm already with them," countered Silver. "No, thanks. Don't worry so much. The changelings in the city have a good thing going."

"Are they slaves of your sun queen?"

"Have you really not heard?" Silver landed on a cloud over the city and pointed down. "That's their hive. They have their own leaders and queen, and their own laws, provided they obey the laws of Equestria in addition. They are a free people. I'm not sending you to some terrible place."

The changeling leaned forward as far as Silver's magic would allow, peering at the hive from afar. "Will I have to bow to this queen?"

"I bow to our princess, but that's not a day-to-day thing. Be yourself, and be honest." He took off, plummeting towards the hive. He arrived to a scattering crowd of ponies. They all had a changeling for a cutie mark, he noticed, and tilted his head. "New fashion trend?"

One of them, a pegasus mare, stepped forward. "Is that really you, Silver Lining? Or should we say Prince Silver Stars?" She smiled. "We weren't expecting you. Who's your guest?" She pointed at the changeling in a bubble.

Silver brought his captive around and set her free in the midst of the curious changelings. "A friend, perhaps. She was hunting in Ponyville, and didn't know of your community. Make sure she knows she did wrong, and welcome her. She needs friends and family."

The changeling scowled. "They're all ponies! They know nothing of me." An earth pony in front of her dropped his disguise, becoming a changeling, whole of body. Soon they were all dropping their guises, surrounding the new changeling with friendly insectoid faces.

The crowd greeted with shoulder slaps and hoof bumps, chatting excitedly. The new one looked wary, but increasingly happy to be there. Silver decided she was in good hooves, and took to the air for home.