//------------------------------//
// 123 - A Toxic Relationship 
// Story: Putting on a Silver Robe and Wizard Hat 
// by David Silver 
//------------------------------//

Night led Silver down a slender alleyway. "Be polite. She's worked for more important ponies than either of us." She clopped on a metal door three times, paused, then twice before stepping away and waiting.

Silver perked an ear curiously. "Code knocks?"

Before a reply came, a slot on the door opened with the swish of metal on metal. "Night Watch? Can't get enough of me?"

Night smiled up at the door. "Hey Hem. Meet the husband." She gestured with a wing towards Silver. "We have another bit for you to look at, small one this time."

The rounded, non-lunar, eyes looked towards Silver. "That the one that got my little watch not-so-little? Bring him in so I can thank him properly." The slot slid shut and the door opened into darkness with no pony in sight.

They proceeded inside. Night Watch led the way with confidence, and Silver kept just behind her. Reaching with his magic, he could feel the hallway around them and managed to not blunder into any walls so long as he allowed his magic the chance to scout the terrain around himself. "That book's already paying dividends."

"Hmm? Oh, the unicorn book?" Night nudged open a new door and entered a new room with dim lighting.

A pony with green fur and light white mane and tail was seated there, smiling at Night. "Little watch!"

Night colored faintly as she moved to greet her friend. "Connie!"

Silver looked around curiously at vials and beakers. "Connie? I thought it was Hem?"

Connie waved it off. "Hem Lock is my proper name. To this mare, Connie. To you, Hem Lock." She hugged Night briefly before moving towards the new stallion in her workshop. "So, you're the one giving my little watch headaches?"

Night gave Connie a light swat on the back. "Stop calling me that, you're embarrassing me... Only my parents get to call me little watch like that."

Connie snorted softly. "You bring strange stallions to my shop, you deserve it and more. You're lucky I happen to like you. Now what am I looking at?"

Silver produced the sliver from the depths of his saddlebag. "Here you are. Nice to meet you, Hem, and thanks for taking the time."

Hem smiled a little. "At least he's polite. Pity he's so... he." She lifted the sliver away in her own magic. Brought to his attention, Silver squinted in the light and could make out her delicate horn. She was a unicorn, like most ponies in the city. She trotted away with the suspect bit of metal towards a desk. "I'll have this checked out in no time at all."

Silver slid in next to Night, leaning close to her ear. "So, she doesn't like stallions much?"

Hem snorted from where she worked. "My ears do work you know, and no." She waved a hoof. "Don't you worry. You mind your manners and we don't have any problems, other than my blinding jealousy that you got my little watch." She dropped the sliver in a small test tube and began humming as she worked.

Night shook her head with warmed cheeks. "I didn't even... know until the last time I visited."

Hem rolled her eyes as she shook the tube with some strange liquid inside of it, her horn glowing with innate magic. "If I had known the next time I'd see you, you'd be ripening like a fruit left on the vine too long, I would have made a move for your hoof a long time ago. Too late for that now." She held up the tube close to her eye with a thoughtful murmur before she set it down on a little rack and pulled down a book from a shelf above.

Night tapped a hoof anxiously. "We were friends, Connie... I thought... I wasn't looking for that."

Silver felt increasingly awkward being between the two friends that might have been more. Anything he could say, he could see exploding in his face dramatically in new hurt feelings.

Hem looked up at him with a sudden grin. "You found a nice one. Pretty sure most stallions would have defended themselves by now." She tapped at the vial. "It's got stuff on it, but nothing I'd rate as an attempt to hurt a pony. I think you've been scared by an antiquated ceremony without a manual."

Night raised a brow at that. "From the way you say that, I gather you know how it goes then?"

Hem lifted the sliver from the tube, shaking it dry. "Oh sure. It's a little test, between unicorns. Popular around some of the stuffed crusts we call nobles. If you're a good and proper unicorn, you shouldn't even notice it. Magic doesn't get pricked. If you grab it in your mouth or a hoof, you might prick yourself, and it'll hurt for a while, but nothing harmful." She set the sliver down on the countertop. "The coating makes sure it stings good. A little message to 'improper' unicorns." Her eyes lifted to Silver. "Congratulations, you passed, then went for extra credit by finding it despite holding it the unicorn way."

Silver let out a huff of relief. "All that, for a little practical joke?" He smiled as he sank to his haunches. "I feel silly. Thank you, Hem."

Hem flashed a smile at Silver. "Not a problem, just take care of my little watch, or the next won't be so nice."

Night glared at Hem. "Connie, that's not funny."

Hem waved it off. "Just a joke. Look, your stallion's smiling." She began cleaning her supplies diligently. "He'll take care of you. I feel fairly certain about that. Maybe we could be friends."

Night glanced up at Silver and back at Hem. "I'm sure he wouldn't mind that. He seems to like collecting friends, when he can be pried away from his studies."

Hem snorted softly. "A stallion after my own heart? Careful, or I'll steal him from you."

Silver's ears rolled back, which only made Hem laugh. "Oh yeah, he loves you. You take care of him too, alright?"

Night slid in against Silver. "I will." She licked her dry lips, suddenly awkward. "We're still friends, right?"

"What? Of course we are, my lovely little watch." Hem trotted towards Night directly. "Night guard or not, I hope you don't go trotting out of my life like that." Without hesitation she walked right up to Night and kissed her on the lips, making Night recoil in surprise, but Hem followed her.

Silver went a bright red through his fur. Jealousy rose, but was shoved aside. He didn't want to come between them in that awkward moment and remained quiet.

Hem glanced up at him as she sat back. "I expected more from him... You either trained him well or he's... No matter." She flashed a bright smile. "Go on. I'll be here if you need me." 

Night shook herself out of shock then slid to her hooves. "Yes, right... Take care, Connie."

Soon they were back in the alleyway and Night sank against a wall. "I had no idea for so long... It makes a lot of sense, looking back on it."

Silver nuzzled into her side gently. "Does it make you sad?"

Night's ears pinned back. "I'm not unfaithful!"

Silver sat on his haunches. "It's not unfaithful to think, Night. That was clearly a close friend. Did you... like her, that way?"

Night shook her head fiercely. "Until Fast, I never even considered mares like that. It's likely why I never even considered Connie's feelings. I still prefer stallions." She reached out and prodded him in the chest. "Especially this one."

Silver smiled and gently pulled her closer with his magic. "And I love a particularly bright mare, touched by the night, blessed with a powerful mind and keen insight."

They met in a gentle kiss, embracing there in the darkness for a moment, and all emotional turmoil was set aside in the comfort of their shared commitment to one another.





Rough pulled back from a similar kiss with Trixie, not knowing how well their timings had worked out. "What book has you so enraptured?"

Trixie pointed at the tome. "Since our colt has permission, she saw no reason not to take advantage as well. It's as interesting as he promised, even if Trixie plans to do it the right way and not hurry through it."

Rough nuzzled into the side of her neck. "You're even lovelier when you're excited."

Trixie giggled softly. "Then you should get her more rare books of magic, dear husband." She ran her magic over him, petting him with enhanced feeling. "Shall we experiment a little?"

Rough Draft had no objection, so they did.

The test was quite successful.





Celestia looked up at the sound of a door banging open. Luna stood there with ruffled wings and determination in her eyes. "I'm ready."

"Ready for what?" Celestia tilted her head at her sister. Silently, she was glad Luna came to speak to her of whatever it was. Progress was being made.

Luna approached Celestia quickly. "I am ready to face my feelings, for good or ill."

Celestia smiled slowly. "I'm glad to hear that. How do you plan to go about it?"

Luna raised a hoof to her head. "He was eager to barge into the dream world and even mine own dreams, I will turn the tables on him. I will intrude on his, and we will speak where none can interfere."

Celestia tilted her head a little. "And what do you hope he'll say?"

Luna's determination dwindled and she sank slowly to her haunches. "I'm uncertain..."

Celestia poured a fresh cup of tea and lifted it in her magic towards Luna. "What if he agrees to your desires? What if he wishes to be your stallion, despite, or even because of, what he's been through?"

Luna accepted the cup and stared into the amber fluid a moment before she sipped from it. "Then I will approach his wife. I will not try to separate them."

Celestia raised a brow. "That would be prudent. Do you intend to make him a Prince Consort?"

Luna darkened in her already dark fur. "Should I?"

The fact that the question was asked made Celestia's heart jump. They had grown closer. A wall was wearing down. Celestia spread her wings and spread them over her sister, embracing her quietly. "Let's consider this, together."