Furious scratches of a quill echoed through the room, the noises of a pony busy at work. Night turned an ear towards it. "I thought you already gave Cadance your death spell?"
"Not a death spell." Silver rolled his ears back. "At least, not for good people. It's for an emergency that I hope never comes up."
"Alright, but what are you working on now? Looks too arcane to be an actual proposal." She licked over her lips. "It's nice to see you living up to your mark for a change, I admit."
Silver let out a slow breath. "This is our escape, to get into the city without being swarmed, or not even allowed past by the guards."
"Why not teleport? Can you do that now?" She hopped down from the bed. "Ever since you went to sleep, you woke up with enough spell knowledge to be a proper graduate of that school instead of somepony that was quietly shown the door."
Silver shrunk a little. "I'm not sure if you realize, but you're being very hurtful right now. I need and want your support, can I have that?"
Night's ears perked. "I wasn't trying to be. I think it's remarkable, and a bit amazing." Her teeth found his ear in a soft nibble. "I love you, my scholar, that hasn't changed."
Silver turned to her, and they embraced warmly, all slights forgotten swiftly. "Sorry, maybe I'm being a bit sensitive."
"Tell me what you're doing? What is this spell supposed to do, if all goes right?"
He reached up and adjusted her glasses for her before kissing her nose. "A little gift from our former herd sister." He tapped at the open book with a hoof. "We'll walk out as bland looking ponies."
Night raised a brow high. "A fine idea, but that sounds like a very advanced spell, and not that I doubt your skill, can your body handle it? You're still a small, young, pony." She leaned in, nuzzling. "My small, young, pony, but still small and still young."
Silver snorted softly. "You weren't personally present, but I worked with the warlocks before we stormed the changelings. This isn't as intense as the fire shield." He turned to the book and let out a soft sigh. "Shall we try? Worst case, I slip and you turn back to normal."
Night tilted her head. "Problem number two. I don't have a heart crystal. Are you advanced enough now that you don't need them?"
Silver brushed against the purple crystal hanging around his neck. It was the only tie to Twilight he had after what felt like so long at her side. Remembering it sobered him for a moment. The time when she would have come to him and created Morning Glory was soon at hoof, and there was no way he could think of to make that happen. He was a stallion, and would bear no foals, even temporarily.
Night reached out and put a hoof on his shoulder. "What's wrong? You look haunted suddenly."
Silver shook himself out. "This is the Crystal Empire. It shouldn't be too hard to get a heart crystal here."
Night raised a hoof. "But then everypony knows we bought one."
Silver smiled. "Which is why I'll hide myself, go out, buy one for you, and come back."
Night tapped him on his nose. "Right, that sounds fine, except now you have to leave and come back as a 'bland pony'. Why wouldn't the guards stop you? I doubt they let just anypony wander in here."
Silver frowned with renewed thought. "Alright, so, normal ponies can get in to go to court, right?"
"Sure," allowed Night, watching him warily.
"Is there a restroom they would be able to get to?"
"To sit down?"
Silver snorted. "More 'urgent' business than that. I'm sure they don't send ponies dashing outside to piss."
Night blushed lightly. "Oh! Yes, we passed one on the way in."
Silver flashed a bright smile. "Then we're good to go. I visit that bathroom in my disguise, emerge quietly as Silver Lining, and just walk to my room, and nopony's the wiser."
Night looked thoughtful a moment. "I suppose... that would work. I'll wait here, and tell anypony that comes looking for you that you're not to be disturbed for any reason." She kissed his cheek. "Be careful though... I'm supposed to guard you, and I won't be there, so watch out for yourself and make it quick, alright?"
Silver bobbed his head as he looked to his newly forged spell. It borrowed elements from other spells, and was as wild a concoction as any of the spells he'd made so far. He began to play it along his horn while focusing on himself and his heart crystal. It warmed against his chest, and he felt a wave of tingles run fiercely through him from the end of his nose back through his tail.
"T-Trixie?! You're hiding as your mom?!" Night stared, mouth agape.
Silver blinked his eyes open and hurried for a mirror, to see Trixie looking back at him. "This is the opposite of bland..." He flopped over and reached back, finding that he was a stallion, though it was concealed quite thoroughly. "Fast would love to know this trick, to share." He rolled up to his hooves. "This is what I get for trying to include magic in a spell. Oh god, I even sound like her, minus the third person."
Night raised a brow. "All spells have magic or they're not very good spells."
Silver waved off the comment. "Innate magic, special talents. I tried to invert Trixie's attention drawing, and instead, here I am, Trixie." Silver turned back to the mirror, looking himself over again. "At least I'm a pretty mare."
Night put a hoof over her face. "I married a stallion, so you get things done and get back here as yourself, please?"
Silver snorted at her. "You're just jealous of Trixie's spellbinding charisma."
Night slowly blinked. "Silver?"
Silver turned his head to the side. "There is no Silver, just Trixie, who is far superior in any event. You should be pleased to bask in her pres--" Giggles burst free of him, interrupting his acting. "Sorry, sorry."
Night shook her head. "You're a nutter, just to remind you. Go get that heart crystal, and fix that spell, unless you think two Trixies will somehow be subtle."
Silver folded his book shut with magic and set it aside in the room for later. "I'll be back as quickly as I can, promise." He grabbed a pouch of bits and tucked it into his saddlebags, just for Night to put her hoof down on them. "What? They aren't going to give it to me for free."
Night raised a brow. "Somepony may notice, probably not, but could, notice you wearing Silver Lining's saddlebags. Them having your cutie mark does not help at all. Just put it in your pocket."
Silver blinked slowly with Trixie's eyes. "I don't have anything I could describe as a 'pocket' that I would want to put things in."
Night grabbed the bag of bits and circled around Silver. "Oh my Luna, you really are a foal at times." She stuffed the bag into Silver, just slipping it under his skin about halfway back on his body, where it promptly vanished. "Ta da."
He could still feel the bag, pressed against him, but it was somehow pressed flat. "That is very odd." He shook his hips back and forth. "How do I reach in there to get it out?"
Night tapped at her head. "You're a unicorn. Just imagine grabbing it out."
Silver did just that, his horn glowing silver, undisguised, and the bag seemed to just start existing again. "Oh wow! Neat..."
Night smiled softly. "If I didn't know your origins, I would be rolling around laughing. Do humans really not have pockets?"
Silver pressed the bag against his side, rubbing it around and trying to find the pocket again. "Only the ones we put in clothes. Another reason we like clothes so much."
Night reached a hoof out, helping guide the bag back to his pocket, where it slid in gently and vanished. "Got a hang of it?"
He had to go through the motions several times before he felt confident enough to nod. "Alright, I'll be back as soon as I can." He turned and trotted for the door, slipping out into the hallway beyond.
"Oh, Trixie was it?" Silver span to see Flash Sentry in his armor standing there. "Did somepony call you for a performance?"
"Oh, yes, of course. Who could resist Trixie's mesmerizing feats of prestidigitation?" He smiled brightly. "I--Trixie apologizes but she can't quite place your name?"
Flash shook his head. "That's alright. I've seen one of your shows, but we never really talked. I'm Flash Sentry, a guard here in the castle." He waved a hoof. "Where's your usual getup?"
An excellent question that Silver didn't have prepared. "Oh, one of Trixie's amazing tricks required they be left at home. She really should be going, her amazing performance has left her a bit winded."
Flash smiled and leaned forward a little. "We could go get a wheat shake? I know a stand."
Was he being hit on? Silver tensed with worry. "Oh, very thoughtful, but no. Trixie's on a diet right now." She tapped her cheek. "Also Trixie is married."
He was caught off guard by that, and Silver made good his escape without lying. He wondered a moment how Rough Draft and Trixie were doing.
He trotted through the hallways, drawing few looks from the guards. Was Trixie so well known? That was good and bad. He went right out the front doors and descended down into the city. It was as large as the last time he had visited, which was pretty large! He wandered in a loose circle at first before he worked up the courage to approach one of the crystal ponies. "Pardon. Where might one purchase a heart crystal?"
The crystal pony looked confused a moment. "I'm not sure what that is, but if it's made of crystal, that store has a lot." She pointed to a lustrous building cut to look like a diamond. "They have all kinds of gems and crystals."
Silver smiled with relief. "Ah, that will do nicely, thank you." They shared nods and off he went, trotting eagerly.
~You've finally escaped them.~
Silver stopped dead in his tracks. He knew that mental whisper.
~You know us? We've never met you.~
Silver clenched his teeth. ~Leave me alone. I don't have time for you today.~
~It is not your choice. We have much to discuss, spellcaster, bearer of Twilight's magic.~