Trixie hopped free of Rough Draft and trotted towards Silver with a frown. "Silver Lining! You've kept your mother waiting long enough, what's going on?"
Celestia softly coughed into a hoof, drawing Trixie's attention.
"Oh! Hello, Your Majesty." Trixie smiled brightly, if nervously. "Trixie didn't mean to bother you, she is just upset at her son."
Rough Draft dipped his head towards the ruler of their land. "A pleasure to meet you, Your Highness."
"The feeling is mutual." Celestia smiled gently at Rough Draft before looking back at Trixie. "Be at ease. Your son was injured, as you can see, but he's in good hooves."
"Inju--" It was as if she had just not noticed the bandages and cast before, hidden by the dismal perception that ponies could have. "Silver! What's happened to you?!"
Silver hadn't ever really stopped laughing at the whole thing. Every line was enough reason for a guffaw. Even if it hurt a little to get out the laughter, it felt good, and his spirits were lifted. "It's good to see you, Trixie."
"That's mother to you." Her horn glowed as she pulled a stool over, hopped up onto it and reached for him, gently petting over his cast. "Now talk! What happened to you? Who does Trixie have to have a stern talking to?"
Rough approached Celestia more timidly than his opinionated wife. "Sorry for all the fuss."
Night perked her ears at Rough Draft. It'd been some time since last she saw him. "Hello... father?"
Rough jerked in surprise. "W-what?" His eyes went to Night's rounded form. "Can you explain that?"
A small door swung open and two ponies fell out, bound and gagged. Celestia put a hoof to her face. Those two she knew. With a twinkle of magic, she released the doctor and nurse. "Everypony, please, have a seat and we'll get this all straightened out.
Samantha trotted back into the room, only to pause and pale at seeing the nurse and doctor standing freely.
The nurse spotted her first and thrust a hoof, drawing the doctor's attention. Before either could say something unpleasant, Celestia glowed brightly. Suddenly everypony was seated side-by-side. Even Silver had been dragged, with his bed, to join the lineup.
"That's better. Now let's have a conversation." She clopped her forehooves and a guard rushed in. "Fetch us some tea and cookies if you would be so kind."
"Of course, Your Majesty." The guard hurried away.
"Now then..." Celestia smiled at the gathering of ponies. "We have much to go over. Let us begin with you." She looked towards Samantha. "While your intentions are laudable, the means are ... less than desirable."
Samantha perked her ears. "I just--"
Celestia held up a hoof. "Doctor, what has been your experience?"
He cleared his throat and sat up straight. "She's aggressive and violent towards actually certified medical staff."
Celestia raised a brow. "Have you been harmed?"
"Well... no, but being thrown in a closet and bound against my will is certainly violent." He nodded and his nurse bobbed her head with him.
Celestia could have approached the matter legally, but that didn't feel like the right tactic. "Samantha."
"Yes, um, Princess Celestia?"
She inclined her head towards the two irate ponies. "How do you plan to share your findings if you create a wall between yourself and your peers?"
The nurse sat up. "Peer?! Who?!"
Celestia held up a hoof that silenced her, Celestia's eyes set on Samantha.
Samantha squirmed a little. "I was hoping my research and findings would speak for themselves."
"An interesting notion," spoke Celestia in her gentle way as she nodded. "But would it not be easier with them on your side? You're all concerned about the well-being of your fellow ponies. You should be united against injuries, maladies, and the unknown, not pitted against one another, don't you think?"
The doctor clopped softly. "Your Highness, she has no accreditation. She's not qualified to take a pony's blood pressure, let alone conduct medical research."
"Despite that," Celestia's horn glowed as a heavy collection of paper appeared and fell to the ground. "She is driven and her notes are meticulous, almost to a fault. In fact..." She lifted a hoof towards the doctor. "I would like to see her educated in proper doctor to doctor and doctor to patient etiquette."
The nurse leaned towards Samantha. "Will she stuff us in a closet again?"
Trixie huffed suddenly. "What does this have to do with Trixie?"
"Patience." Celestia nodded towards Trixie before looking back at Samantha. "Do you understand why what you did was wrong?"
Samantha trembled in place, licking over her lips. "Setting them aside made them angry with me, which makes my work less likely... to be recognized, despite its other qualities."
The nurse rolled her eyes. "How about just not attacking ponies that aren't attacking you? Didn't your mother teach you manners?"
"She's dead."
An awkward silence flooded the room. The guard returned with the tea and cookies, setting them out before Celestia before he made himself scarce. Celestia began to pour out cups and floated them out to each pony in turn. "It's not too late to learn. Samantha, are you willing to be taught? You're eager to learn and discover, this is just one more thing to absorb, and I'm certain you can do it, if you put your mind to it."
Samantha sipped from her cup and lowered it, empty and revealing her sip was more of a chug. "Will I get to continue my projects? I really enjoy helping Night Watch, and I never did get to ask Silver Watch how he knows about me."
Night's ears went erect. "You said my name. You said both our names."
Celestia nodded. "Progress. Doctor?"
He grunted softly before he gave his own nod. "I'll oversee her, but if she attacks us again, I'm calling the guards!"
Samantha bounced a little in place. "Why would I do that?! I can continue with my observations, with help!" She clopped her forehooves together. "This is great!"
Celestia let Samantha be excited and turned her gaze to Trixie and Rough Draft. "Your son was involved in a little... misunderstanding with my sister that resulted in his current injury. He's in good hooves and recovering."
Trixie looked around curiously. "Did you upset Celine? Is that why she's not here and Luna did this to you?"
Silver cringed at the conclusion. "Not exactly, no."
Night was far more to the point about it, snorting. "Celine killed herself, being reabs--"
Celestia raised a hoof. "That's quite enough of that. Not everypony here needs to hear the details of that particular event." She rose to stand. "Perhaps it's time we departed. Samantha, you stay here and do as the doctor instructs you. He is now your teacher and employer. I expect to hear good things from him about you."
She led the way from the room. Even Silver came along, being pulled by his bed in Trixie's magic. Soon they were in a less coldly tiled sitting room, one of many that Celestia received guests in.
Celestia saw Silver's eyes wandering towards the baked goods on the table and lifted a small cookie to his snout, where it promptly vanished behind the smile of a satisfied unicorn. "Now then. Night Watch, if you would like, you may continue."
Night nodded as she settled beside the table. "Celine was a part of Luna, and she returned to Luna, so she's gone. Simple as that."
Rough Draft shook his head. "Why? Did she plan on it being temporary?"
Trixie poked Silver in the side lightly. "What did she say when she first made this Celine?"
Silver let out a little sigh, thinking back to that fateful day. "I was in front of Cadance and Luna, and she demanded I make a selfish request, so I made one so over the top I thought she would say no. I asked her to be the first mare of my herd until the end of my life, er, natural lifespan, I think I said..." He squinted a little, trying to plumb his memories.
Celestia drew in a soft hiss of breath. "Did she change the promise?"
Silver shook his head. "She said 'I agree.' Then she created Celine and gave her to me, or rather Celine gave herself to me."
Trixie clopped the ground. "Very well, if she promised to be yours until the end of your life, where is she?"
Rough tapped Trixie on the shoulder. "You missed something, dear." Trixie looked to him with a raised brow and he pointed at Night. "Our son has a new wife, who's name is Night Watch, much like his own name now."
Trixie put the pieces together and started. "Trixie has a daughter-in-law?!!" Trixie focused on Night Watch, then down to her round belly. "Trixie is going to be a grandmother?! Trixie is too young to be a grandmother!" With a thud, she collapsed to the ground, consciousness fled her.
Night's ears flipped back. "Is she..."
Rough shook his head. "She's not upset at you, dear." He offered a hoof towards her. "She's just startled at the idea of being a grandmother." He chuckled softly. "I'm tickled at the idea of being a grandfather, and a father-in-law. Night Watch is it? Please, call me dad. I would be honored."
Rough Draft's warm welcome brought a smile to Night and she nodded at him. "Then I'll do just that... dad." She winced suddenly. "They're awake... Do you want to feel them?"
He perked his ears. "They? Twins? David, you sly dog..." He did reach out, hoof resting on Night's belly until a motion was felt by it, his face becoming a bright thing, joyful at the sign of life. "A miracle..."
Celestia smiled at the exchange of a family bonding. "Would you like a moment alone?" She gestured to the table. "Help yourself. You are all guests. I'm sure Silver can show the way to where he is staying."
Silver nodded at Celestia before a thought clicked. "I know ponies can recover from this sort of thing at times. Any clue how to go about doing that?"
Celestia raised a brow at him, then an old thought surfaced. Silver had never received her invitation. It wasn't the right time anymore. She lowered her horn at his injured form and let the power of the sun flow through him. "I'm not a healer. We'd have to find her again for that kind of miracle, but this should ease the pain and perhaps hasten your recovery."
Trixie pulled herself up from the floor, shaking herself as she did so. "Daughter! Trixie always wanted a daughter. She had been... I'd... I might have prayed to have one." She smiled at Night, hints of tears in her eyes. "Trixie didn't expect her to be so..."
Night's ears flicked back. "Lunar?"
Trixie threw her forelegs around Night. "Perfect."
The tension in Night melted away and the two hugged warmly.
Rough chuckled softly beside Silver. "As if Trixie would have a daughter that was any less than perfect?"
"Of course!" Trixie flashed a bright smile. "She is Great and Powerful, just like her mother-in-law."