Twilight excused herself to see Celestia, as they had originally planned, but Silver didn't want to let her go alone. "She called for us both."
With a reluctant nod, Twilight relented. "I just thought you'd appreciate a moment to unwind." She smiled and began trotting towards Celestia's chambers. "You're welcome, of course. We are all one big family, legally speaking."
Silver bumped against her side. "I want to see her too. We have things to discuss."
"That we do." The door swung inwards to reveal Celestia seated on a cushion at a low table. "Please, come in. Tea?"
Twilight bowed quickly. "A pleasure to see you, Princess Celestia."
"A pleasure to see you, Princess Twilight, Princess Silver." Even as Silver moved to bow, Celestia gently banished it with a wave. "Let's put aside these formalities. We're all far closer than that, or so I like to think." Her horn glowed softly as the doors closed behind them.
They took up places around the table as tea was poured into little cups and held aloft in their magic. "Twilight, please, you may go first."
Twilight tilted her head faintly. "First at precisely what, Celestia?"
She raised a brow faintly. "It is not every day you are spirited away so boldly."
Twilight colored lightly. "Oh, yes, certainly. That was a first. Did Luna speak to you?"
"She has." Celestia sipped softly. "You look well despite this traumatic event."
Twilight sat up and took a smooth drink from her cup. "I'm just fine. Their efforts were entirely wasted on me, but they did harm an innocent, scuffed up Silver here." She gestured at Silver. "And tried to end their own life."
Celestia scowled. "Oh? I fear I wasn't told the specifics of that part." She turned her head to Silver. "If you would expand on that?"
Silver quickly nodded as she set the tea down and went for a cookie instead. "They tried to make it seem that Carrot Plate was out for revenge, which she was not. She is innocent of any crime, just to be clear. When I tried to leave with her, we were attacked by a very talented ice wizard, who attempted to freeze the entire warehouse, herself included, when victory proved too difficult."
Celestia raised a brow lightly. "You didn't cause any harm to her?"
Silver chomped the remainder of her cookie. "What kind of question is that? I fought her, if that's what you're asking."
Twilight clopped a hoof down sharply. "Celestia..."
Celestia shook her head slowly. "Why didn't you teleport away?"
"Celestia!"
Silver raised a hoof to Twilight. "No, it's a valid question. They had some kind of teleport dampener over the whole place. There was also Carrot Plate to consider. I could have fled earlier, but I wasn't going to leave her there to be hurt or killed. She was innocent. I was in the right place to protect her."
Celestia leaned forward and gazed at Silver with a cool intensity, as if judging her. Silver met her gaze, jaw hardening in defiance.
Twilight slammed her forehooves down and stood up with the motion. "Enough! This is ridiculous! Absurd! Inconceivable! How can we--"
Celestia held up a hoof to Twilight, then nodded at Silver. "So it's true, you really are back."
Silver gently smiled. "I am. Does that upset you?"
Celestia reached across the table and slowly ran a hoof over Silver's snout, feeling her. "A little, but I am growing to remember why I felt some bit of fire for your old self. Did you truly act to save the one that caused you so much pain, long ago?"
Twilight slumped back to the ground. "You two are impossible..."
Silver leaned up and over the table, kissing Celestia gently on the nose. "I'm sorry I'm not the stallion you want me to be."
Celestia leaned back and set a hoof at her own nose. "I'm not sure my stallion even exists. I'm putting those foalish desires aside. My ponies need me to act as their princess. I've waited this long to fulfill these... urges, a few centuries won't make a difference."
Twilight squirmed fitfully in place. "You shouldn't rule out anything until it's been thoroughly disproven."
A slow smile spread across Celestia's snout. "Be that as it may... Go. You have family waiting for you back in Ponyville. You've done everything I asked. Take care of each other." She dismissed them with a little wave.
Silver rose to her hooves and stretched a moment before reaching with a wing and brushing Celestia across the same place she kissed, drawing a sudden sneeze from the largest alicorn. "You're right... It is cute."
Celestia opened her mouth to retort, but it aborted, and she cleared her throat. "Yes..." As Twilight and Silver moved to depart, Celestia reached for Silver and gently stopped her. "Do you hate me?"
Silver turned to Celestia's hoof. "I once asked you the same. I don't want to. I really don't want to." She leaned in and gently kissed Celestia's metal-clad hoof. "Let me not. I promise to never spurn you if you hug me." She turned away from Celestia and strode away after Twilight, not being further challenged or questioned.
On the train, Twilight rolled Silver over right there on their couch, and mounted her, wings flapping. "I've been feeling wound up since I made my escape. May I?"
Silver was quick to nod, and wrapped her legs around Twilight. They became as one, spending the time between cities as part of one another, making gentle noises of fulfillment. Silver whispered his favorite features to her, and she returned in kind, and they were happy for a time. They were married, bound, and in love.
When the train slowed to a stop at the right station, Twilight drew back from Silver with a soft sigh. "We really do need that more often."
Silver rolled to her hooves, stretching herself out. "I remember you wanting to be held by a true stallion, and made to feel a mare in every possible way. Has that changed?"
Twilight raised a brow. "I suppose it has somewhat... Maybe you and Fast are having a bad influence on me. The idea of being with you... Mare or stallion... I'm alright with that. No, I want that." She became a mare as she shook herself out. "I've fallen in love with you. I guess your outside is mattering less and less."
Silver nuzzled into her side. "And maybe you're starting to like things as a stallion."
She flushed warmly. "Maybe a little..."
Silver wagged her tail as she smiled. "Only fair. Being a mare has grown on me more than a little. Both are very appealing."
Twilight softly cuffed Silver as she trotted past. "Let's get home and be sure nothing was set on fire while we were away."
They departed the train and trotted side-by-side until they ran into Pinkie Pie loitering just outside Sugarcube Corner, chatting animatedly with Discord.
Twilight tilted her head and moved directly for them. "Hey, Pinkie Pie... Discord? What brings you two out here?"
Discord winked at Pinkie Pie. "Oh, we're just having a sweet time."
The pun was enough to give Pinkie a case of the giggles. Silver gave a little chuckle, getting the joke but little more. "Hey, any cupcakes left?"
Pinkie sat up sharply and pulled one out of her mane with blue frosting and offered it to Silver. "Here ya go!"
As Silver munched happily at the confection, Twilight leaned in closer towards Discord. "Since when do you two just... hang out?"
Pinkie shrugged. "We were having a good time, just trying to cook up some mischief." That one sent Discord into a few laughs. "Oh! I have to get things ready for the lunch crowd! Good to see you back, Twilight!" She vanished in an animated scurry, off to get to cooking.
Discord tipped a hat he wasn't wearing. "I really should get going too. Ta ta!" And he was gone with a wet pop.
Twilight returned to Silver's side. "Tell me I wasn't the only one that thought that was kind of... strange."
Silver shrugged a little. "Maybe he's trying to be a better pony. Would that be so bad?"
Twilight frowned. "Or he's up to something! You haven't been around him at his worst." She trotted off, leaving Silver to catch up as she hurried for home.
She pushed open the door to her castle to find all her friends, even Pinkie Pie, were already there, with Discord right in the center. "Surprise!" they all yelled in unison as Pinkie let confetti fly wildly.
Twilight hopped back as Silver reared up to catch up. "W-what? I mean, hello... everypony. I wasn't expecting that." She squirmed and Silver set her down carefully. "What's been going on while we were called away?"
Discord waggled his brows. "Orange-you glad to see us?" Several of the other ponies laughed and giggled at the inside joke that Twilight and Silver didn't get.
Spike waved a claw. "They've been hanging out all weekend long while you were away. How did that go, by the way?"
Twilight raised a brow at her assistant, who loitered at the table, munching on some rubies. "Is that all they did, hang out?"
Rainbow landed beside Twilight. "Well it wasn't just hanging out. I was working on this awesome new stunt and Discord offered to help out and then we got to racing and he's not bad at it, even without cheating!"
"I wasn't cheating!"
Rainbow stuck out her tongue at Discord, then looked back at Twilight. "He's not so bad."
Fluttershy smiled gently. "Well, you already know we're friends. Isn't that right, Discord?" They shared a gentle hug. "You never miss tea time, and I appreciate that, and your jokes always slay me."
Twilight shook her head. "I... I don't understand. I was only gone a few days. How can you change your minds so quickly!?"
Applejack gestured at Discord with a flick of her head. "The big galoot tried hanging out with us, one on one, as ponies, instead of as one big crowd. We got to know him, and he paid attention to us. It was just what the doctor ordered."
Twilight turned to Silver. "Do you see any magic on them?"
Pinkie Pie tilted her head. "Wha?"
Twilight pointed at Silver. "She can see magic! Are they enchanted to like Discord all of a sudden?"
Silver looked over them all, but saw no new magic lingering around them. "They look alright, if a little miffed you just accused them of being brainwashed."
Rarity crossed her forehooves. "I should think so, darling. We are in full control of our faculties, I assure you."
Discord popped up beside Twilight. "You just think it's funny because we haven't had our little date yet."
"D-date?!" Twilight's wings went stiff as she backed away in a hurry.
Rainbow burst into laughter. "He's just messing around with you, Twi."
Silver looked to Spike, who shrugged, then at Twilight, who smiled gently. "Give him a chance. He's a nice person when you get to know him."
Twilight deflated with a loud sigh. "Fine... So... what do you like to do, Discord?"