A plate was set in front of Rough Tumble by the mouth of a mare that was larger than he was. She was an exotic charmer from the East, brought back by Silver. Rough wondered if she was angry at first. But she quickly shook her head. "I'm sorry, it's not you..." She raised a hoof and poked him in his side. "We were both his... we're the same, aren't we?" Rough became confused and let it show. "Servants... And lovers. We are peers."
Rough gave a quick nod. "Now that you say it like that, I suppose we are very alike that way. Or... were... why?"
Shei bared her large teeth a moment. "Aren't you angry? Sad? Destroyed?" She turned away. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be unloading on you, especially as I feed you."
Rough set a hoof on her shoulder. "No, I am... I'm just... He wanted me to stand tall and proud. He... I don't think he ever wanted to be my one and only. He wanted to... He wanted to be the father I never really had, where it counted. He wanted me to become something better, something loved and loving." Rough smiled a little. "I've been thinking, a lot..."
Shei tilted her head. "Do you think the same was meant for me? Was he trying to father me? Where I come from, it is most unusual for a father figure to also bring you to bed." She frowned a little. "But Silver wasn't very standard in most things, I suppose."
Rough sank his head a little, hoof setting on the ground. "No, no he wasn't... He asked me, before he left for the last time, to protect his foals, and everypony in this castle. One of them already ran off, leaving another in tears. I'm not that good at guarding, or so it feels at times."
Shei leaned in and nuzzled him gently, rubbing snout to snout. "It's alright. You can guard against beast and bandit, but a person's decisions are beyond you. He gave me everything I needed to learn the magic of my people, but even they aren't enough to fix him."
Rough sat up with surprise. "Magic of your people?"
Shei nodded lightly, but before she could speak more of it, Nefertari appeared, mounted atop Shei like a steed she was large enough to serve as. Shei started with surprise and gave a powerful buck, but Nefertari rode her kicks and jumps. "Easy there, girl. I want to speak of this as well." She ran her fingers through Shei's mane, petting her. "We are all touched by Silver Stars, let us not battle over it."
Rough raised a brow. "You, suggest not battling over something? That's unusual."
Nefertari slipped off Shei and stood beside her, with one hand resting on the still-agitated horse's withers. "There is a time and place, student. We are not vying for his leftovers. His wife, Night Watch, claimed his most physical of treasures already. The ponies care not for any legal power he may have wielded, simply gone. There is nothing left to vie for, unless you wish to challenge for the right to Night Watch or Princess Sparkle's hoof? That would be most amusing to see."
Rough colored deeply. Shei let out an angry snort. "Barbaric. Leave his herd to their grieving."
Nefertari waved a paw. "I have no desire for them, save for the work they do. Every once in a while I hear a new spirit, and it is quite familiar. They practice necromancy, perhaps. He sings out so clearly, but like any zombie, it only knows one note. Princess Sparkle grows more talented, and her wards keep me from slipping in to watch her."
Rough clopped a hoof on the floor. "Necromancy? What are you talking about?"
Shei paled at the thought. "She wouldn't! She is no twister of the dead. Necromancy's not even a magic known in these lands... How?"
Nefertari twitched her canine ears. "I know what I hear, and smell. She does it kindly, mind you, and with desperation... A dangerous combination, one that I see Night Watch encourage."
Rough held up a hoof. "Can they do that? Can they bring him back?"
Shei frowned. "I want him here as much as the next... I want my sister beside me... But they are both dead. To disturb their spirits..."
Rough clopped a hoof again, hard enough to feel pain shudder upwards as he collided painfully with the stone. "Can it be done?"
Nefertari smiled. "If there is one thing the pony folk have more than the Anubians, it is this kind of magic. To push past the natural, to pervert the laws of nature itself. I may bend the rules of speed and placement, but this is a whole other level. She presses hard, and seeks the answer to death itself." Her eyes fixed on Rough Tumble. "Do you wish it?"
Rough snorted. "Of course I want him back! He's... I love him..."
Shei looked less certain by far. "Not if it means to torture him. I... I saw my father's spirit. When they are brought to this world, they are not intact, not whole. It was a twisted shadow of my father, screaming his angers."
Rough smiled. "That doesn't sound like Silver. He doesn't know anger. How would his spirit suddenly learn it?"
Nefertari burst into sudden laughter. "A spirit so meek, it could raise as a foul specter, and still be gentle and caring? It was worth following him, if only to see history in the making."
Rough grunted at Nefertari. "Do you want him back?"
Nefer paused at the question and clicked two claws together. "He failed, for that I think less of him, but he inspires such blind loyalty from beyond the grave, a rare talent. Yes, I think I would still bother him, were he to return." She lowered a paw to her belly. "We have things to discuss."
Rough followed her paw and became confused. "Are you still insisting on that? He's infertile. I've heard them talking about it."
Nefertari snorted. "Don't be a fool. A bitch knows her own body. I swell with him. This is not a matter for debate."
Shei looked confused. "Infertile?"
Rough shrank back, realizing he had spoken of a secret. "I must have heard wrongly... If you are pregnant, then I will protect you. He asked I protect all the foals, which would include yours." He smiled a little. "If you let me."
Nefertari smiled at him. "A wise addition." She reached out and gently tickled him under the chin. "You're learning, my student. Perhaps there is hope for you to become a figure worth reckoning. Fine, I will accept you as a guardian."
Shei colored lightly. "I... Am I the only female he didn't leave with a foal? What manner of stallion was he, to speak so gently of love and encourage others to grow, and yet to breed anything that crossed his path? Was he a monster, or a hero?"
Rough snorted gently. "Was that a question asked honestly? Whether or not he followed some of his urges, he never did it against a mare's wishes. He fought long and hard for anyone he could. Even... up there, he was fighting, for us." He rose up to all four. "I don't care if Twilight is defying nature, if it brings him back to us. I'm going to go ask her if I can help, even if it's just keeping the foals happy and out of her way." He tromped off, leaving his meal untouched.
Nefertari raised a brow at Shei. "Well, what say you? Will you stand against this, or with Silver Stars? There is precious middle ground, now that you are aware of it."
Shei licked over her lips. "This is madness... It took me a long time to reach some measure of peace in my sister's passing... Just to be told others are willing to fight harder to keep Silver Stars here. Why doesn't she deserve the same chance? She had so much life left to live. It was his fault she left us..." She turned away. "I don't want to be bitter at him, but... I can't help it. To think..." She suddenly bolted off, unable to continue to face the conversation.
Nefertari shook her head slowly. "Poor child. It is difficult to accept that one is more loved than another." She chuckled softly. "My choice is clear." She vanished from sight.
Elsewhere, Rainbow landed in the apple orchard. She casually plucked one as she walked, chewing it loudly. Most other ponies would be accused of stealing, snatching one of AJ's apples like that, but she was no random pony. She found AJ and trotted up to her, greeting her with an exuberant bellow. They clopped hooves, and she helped with farming. It was hard work, but she wanted to be with AJ, which meant helping out, so she did.
"So, can you imagine it? They all got it, all at once. Kind of blows your mind, right?"
Applejack smiled. "She done made her sister proud. You were lookin' mighty pleased yerself."
Rainbow spread her wings. "How could I not be?! She's practically my sister... I can't wait to see what kind of new trouble they get up to."
Applejack burst into merry laughter as she began pulling a wagon full of produce along behind her towards the barn. "Oh, you betcha. The three of them are gonna get into whole new levels of adventures, as mature fillies." She paused a moment. "That isn't all that's on yer mind, is it? Ya look kinda troubled, sugarcube."
Rainbow flew over Applejack, looking down at her. "Is it that obvious?" Applejack nodded. "Twilight's been really distracted. She came to you, didn't she? Talking about how she needed help..."
Applejack nodded again. "She did... I'm still not sure about it. Ain't the way it's supposed to be. A pony dies.... They stay dead. It's a one way street. Ah ain't no stranger ta death, ya know that."
Rainbow landed in front of Applejack. "But, if you could. If you had that choice... Are you saying you wouldn't?"
Applejack flinched back. "That ain't fair... If ah could bring them back..." She frowned. "This ain't a thought that makes me happy, RD. Death... it's never a hurt that goes away entirely."
Rainbow reached out a hoof and set it on Applejack's chest. "Then you know how bad she's hurting. If we can do something, for her... She's our friend, heck, our princess."
Applejack pawed at the ground. "Our 'princess' should know better..." She looked up at Rainbow Dash. "Ya wouldn't have gone and brung it up if ya didn't have an opinion... Do ya think we should be helping?"
Rainbow ruffled her wings. "He tried to help us... He did everything we asked him to. We left him hanging, not the other way around, and he didn't mind. He was happy to call us friend. I led him up right to the edge and let him hang there, and he smiled at me the next time we met. Sometimes I wondered if he even knew what it really meant to be angry at somepony. He was ready to do anything to make us happy, and we weren't his mares. Hay, we barely did anything for him."
Applejack chuckled softly. "Ah think he wanted yer pretty rainbow mane. Can't blame him, ah happen ta like it too."
Rainbow snorted and bumped into Applejack. "Flattery will get you everywhere, but I'm being serious here..." Rainbow stood tall. "We've defeated bigger things. Twilight needs us. The Element Bearers, to the rescue, one more time?"
Applejack hesitated a moment, then nodded. "Fer Twilight." She pulled the cart into the barn and emerged without it. "C'mon, let's find that frazzled little, what do ya call her, egghead? Let's find our egghead and put things right fer her."
They trotted off together, which became a race, and they galloped off, ready to face destiny.