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// 116 - Price to Pay 
// Story: The Silver Stars 
// by David Silver 
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Luna stood tall as she retook her true form, large and dark. "For one, you will have the public acknowledgement of brave action in the service of the crown."

Stand In huffed softly. "That sounds nice, but what if it doesn't turn out that way?" She flashed a smile. "What if you're wrong, and our sniffing turns up nothing. How are you going to spin that?"

Silver took a step forward. "That's simple. We won't be telling them exactly what you did in the first place, just emphasizing how brave it was to do, and how thankful we are for it."

Stand glanced between them. "If it were less than two damn royals saying it, I'd tell you to make up something more plausible. Fine, that's a start, but forgive me for wanting something more... concrete."

Luna glanced aside at Fast, who was a unicorn again, and Silver. "Very well, allow us to ask, what is it you seek in repayment?"

Stand In smiled sweetly. "Oh, I was hoping you'd ask that..." She pointed at Silver. "I want his love for a week, to start."

Fast gasped with alarm. "You'll hurt him, you jerk."

Stand waved it off. "If you don't want my help."

Silver snorted softly. "You'll have your week." Stand smiled. "But not at once."

Stand's smile inverted instantly. "Very well... One day a week for seven weeks, in the pods."

Fast clearly didn't like the idea, but didn't speak up again.

Stand raised a hoof. "This assumes nothing happens. Every injured changeling is another day. A dead changeling... How do I even price that?" She fixed her gaze on Fast. "Some of us understand the meaning of hive loyalty."

"Hey!" Fast snorted loudly. "I set this place up, and I didn't make any illusions that I'd be going after everyone was ready to handle it without me. I'm a pony, alright." She leaned against Silver. "I'm not going to feel bad for making that choice."

Luna clopped a hoof on the ground. "Unacceptable. You'll get your week and no more. We will see to the care of any injured. To those lost, they will be treated as any soldier lost in battle. Their next of kin will be entitled to life-time support for a modest living, and their names inscribed for memorial. We do not forget those who fall in the name of a better Equestria."

Stand raised a brow. "And if their 'next of kin' is the hive as a whole?"

Luna lifted her shoulders. "A stallion or mare would generally select their mate or child for such a thing. The entire hive is too much for any one pony. We could pay the monthly stipend to be used for the changelings here. I trust you would furnish someone skilled in accounting to make sure it was done correctly?"

This seemed to please Stand and she sat up straight. "We can work with this, presuming it's required... Ideally, all of my children, and friends, will be safe, but I can't just assume that."

Silver nodded softly. "Of course not. I wish we didn't have to ask this of you at all, but here we are."

Fast waved a hoof about the hive. "Not to change the subject, but, you know, really, what is going on around here?"

Stand looked to Luna, who let out a little sigh. "That is not a question we get to ask today. Very well, know this, none are above suspicion. All should be examined."


"Even you?" Stand smiled at Luna. "And him." She turned to Silver.

Silver snorted softly. "I don't live here in Canterlot, and don't plan to."

Luna clucked her tongue against her teeth. "None."

Fast tilted her head at Luna. "Woah, a bit thorough, don't you think?"

Luna scowled. "If my mind has been subverted, I would know of it, and defeat it. If the same can be said for those around me, I would free them as well. I do not believe I, nor Silver, have been entirely replaced, but I see no harm in being watched for strange behaviors." She looked to Stand. "You will report daily."

Stand scowled. "How? That will increase the risk for all involved."

Luna waved it off. "Either I or Silver will come for you in your dreams and have our answers. Daily. Be ready for that and have news for us."

~Can we do that?~ Silver glanced towards Luna. ~She isn't a pony.~

~She dreams, and is close enough.~ Luna nodded at Stand and turned away. "I look forward to this being behind us. Perhaps you will stand closer to our light, be it the silvery glow of the moon, or the brilliance of the sun."

Stand nodded lightly. "Right. Then we have work to do." She inclined her head towards the exit. "You know the way, I trust."

They had been dismissed, and knew it. They turned away from her and began trotting away to be stopped a dozen steps away by a changeling landing in front of them. "Did you tell the truth?"

Fast perked an ear. "About what? I didn't lie about anything."

The changeling slowly nodded. "Were..." The changeling became suddenly nervous. "I should go. Good luck!" And he took off in a frantic buzzing.

Silver licked over his lips but kept to himself until they were outside and no changelings were in sight. "Fast?"

"Hmm?"

"I didn't see any of the intelligent leaders there from when you were in charge, besides Stand In."

Fast paused, rewinding back through the conversation mentally. "Huh... no... You'd think they'd want to come out for that kind of conversation..."

Luna scowled. "Your friends may be dead."

Fast almost fell over, recoiling from Luna and her words. "What? No way! They were great ponies!"

Silver held up a hoof. "Don't be so hasty. These aren't my nightmare visions."

"Nightmare?" She tilted her head at Silver. "You think death can only occur in nightmares? You are gravely mistaken."

Fast moved closer to Silver. "Still, he's right. We don't know yet, so let's hope they're fine, if maybe tied up in a basement somewhere. We'll find them and set them free."

Luna had the tact to not push further on the topic. "We won't find more just standing here, what should our next course of action be?"

Silver considered a moment. "It may be a bit anti-climactic, but returning to where we should be seems the most wise."

"Aye, let's not give those who have turned against us any more clues that we suspect their ruse, or what we may be doing." She glanced around, then became her smaller self with a sparkle of lunar magic. "Go back to Ponyville. Tonight, I'll show you how to check in on the changelings. Travel safely, Silver, Fast."

Fast nodded at the smaller Luna before she became a cross-eyed grey pegasus with a grin.

Silver burst into laughter as he became his smaller unicorn self. "Derpy, really?"

"What?" Fast peered at Silver in two directions. "Are you making fun of Muffins? She's a nice mare." She paused only a moment. "I mean I'm a nice mare! Stop making fun of me!"

Silver hugged the wall-eyed mare gently. "Aw, don't be like that. Your eyes are adorable, though they can't compare to the lovely gazes of my wives."

Muffins gave a bright smile before spreading her wings wide. "Let's go. Next stop, Ponyville!" She spoke with the bubbliness Silver would have expected from the mare, even if he knew it was Fast beneath the grey fur. Silver scrambled up onto her and held her gently, and soon they were airborne, leaving the city and its troubles behind for the moment.

Once they were comfortably away from the city, Fast looked back at her passenger. "Are we telling anypony else about this, or keeping it to ourselves?"

Silver frowned with thought, licking the back of his teeth. He wasn't used to having flat teeth again, with no fangs to follow. "We don't know who's listening on the 'wrong' side. I think keeping it quiet may be the best course until more's known."

Fast flashed a bright smile, her eyes somehow crossing all the more. "So I'm part of something big and important and secret for once? Finally! I won't let you down!"

Filled with a renewed energy, Fast, masked as Derpy/Muffins flew quickly over Ponyville, just to crash into the real one and almost drop Silver in the process. The real Muffins grabbed Silver before he could fall. "Hey, you gotta be careful when you have a passenger like... that?" She noticed how familiar the other pegasus was and went slack jawed.

Fast leaned in. "What's wrong? Did the crash knock something loose? I'm so sorry about that! I didn't mean to bump into you."

"Huh? Oh, yeah, maybe that's it." She descended, setting Silver down carefully. "Kinda crazy... Maybe I should go sit down." She trotted off rather than flying, looking terribly confused.

Silver watched her go before looking up at Fast. "That could have gone worse."

Fast giggled a little. "She'll forget about it in a moment, I bet, once she gets home. We can go back to normal now, we're in the home stretch."

Agreeing, they both returned to their normal selves in time for Fast to press in for a kiss. "I won't let you down, promise."

Silver hugged her firmly, holding her close. "I know you won't. Let's keep our heads on straight and work through this, with as little drama or explosions as possible."

Fast stuck out her tongue. "That sounds boring, but you're in charge of this one." She looked around a moment. "Why don't we grab a snack to eat before we go home? All that flying and shapeshifting takes it out of a girl."

"No harm in that." Silver brushed against her before leading the way towards Hayburgers. "You know, I'm suddenly curious how healthy this place is compared to human equivalents."

"Why don't you inspect it?"

"Hm?"

"You're royalty, if you say you want to inspect the kitchen, they probably wouldn't stop you." Fast pointed at the Hayburger. "Go ahead, take a look, ask questions. Enjoy the privileges of that crown."

The temptation became too much, and Silver nodded firmly. "I'll do just that. Come, let's tour the local eating establishment and see how they make hayfries so tasty." He chuckled softly as he trotted up to the fast food store and opened the door with his magic, heading inside to quench his curiosity, and appetite.

Fast followed after him with a giggle. "Side benefit, they'll probably give you a freebie after the tour's done to make sure you say nice things about the place."