Silver roused to Sunny's gentle nudges. He sat up and looked down at her. "What are you doing in here? We're still sleeping."
Sunny gave an understanding smile, but didn't budge. "We must speak, I'm afraid."
Her serious tone awakened Silver quickly. He slid carefully to the floor, trying to be quiet, and followed after Sunny. A sharp nip at his flank made him jump and squeak, just to find Night had discovered his attempt at stealth.
"Going somewhere?" She grabbed her glasses with a wing, slipping them into place.
Sunny nodded. "Come along. There's little time to argue, but I fear it may make you uncomfortable." She turned back to the door and led the way with both following her.
Night leaned in towards Silver as she went. "Uncomfortable?" Silver had as little idea as she did and simply shrugged back at her as he went.
They came to a small, mostly bare, room. There was a little set of tea laid out and a few cookies. Silver smirked at seeing it. Some parts of Celestia wouldn't change, large or small.
Sunny sat beside the table. "As you are both aware, Silver has had a number of prophetic visions."
Night's expression soured. "It's difficult to forget."
Silver simply nodded.
Sunny rolled a hoof. "There is a particular facet that I feel is absolutely vital." She raised a hoof at Silver. "You must interact with Starlight Glimmer. She will need your talent, perhaps even just as inspiration for what she must eventually do."
Silver paled at the idea. "But she... Why would you risk that?"
Sunny shook her head. "I have considered that risk, and there's nothing preventing her from trying it without you, possibly with far less success, and more collateral damage. She may become a good pony in the end, but we have to get her that far, even if it means making sure her wickedness progresses smoothly."
Night let out a loud huff. "Alright, time to bring me up to speed or I'm sitting on him and he's going nowhere."
Silver giggled a little. "Please don't do that. Starlight Glimmer is a unicorn of extreme magical talent that crosses paths with Twilight in a hostile way. She eventually followed after her and found me, taking interest in the potential of my cutie mark. After a lot of struggle, we eventually reached a measure of peace, even familiarity."
Night raised a brow in silent question.
"Just once." Silver colored. "I don't think that part will be repeated. It was an extremely specific situation that literally can't happen. But the important part was when she snatched my cutie mark towards the end and used it to create a time travelling spell she used on herself and Twilight. By the end of it, she and Twilight had reconciled their differences, but..." He looked to Sunny. "My time."
Sunny raised a hoof. "I have read your journal. I know, in your vision, your personal time was severely interfered with. I believe that to be false."
"And if it isn't?" Silver raised a brow of his own. "I really like the present I have right now. I don't want to lose it."
Sunny hung her head only a moment. "I'm sorry to even ask this of you, and it remains entirely your choice. As a friend, I'm telling you what I think and what I feel is best. You may or may not follow my advice." She took a slow breath. "If it does go afoul, I will spare no expense scouring the libraries for a spell to put it to right."
Night clopped a hoof against her head. "Be a potential hero, or keep what you have. That's a choice right out of a storybook." She glared at Sunny. "Tell me I can help."
Sunny frowned a little with thought. "I'm not sure how that could be done... This is a personal interaction between two ponies. One who has no friends, and another willing to be her friend."
Night rose her head. "This isn't his vision. If he has to do this, I will walk that path right at his side. We'll make it work, together."
Sunny smiled gently. "You're a good pony, Night Watch." She spread her hooves. "I would come with you, but I don't see that making things any easier. Instead, I will remain and help your parents care for the foals as best I can. I do hope you'll allow me a slight extension while you're away."
Night scowled with renewed trepidation. "W-what? Leave the foals behind?"
Silver looked conflicted. "Taking them along to who knows where, to face an angry unicorn..." Not that he looked forward to leaving them behind much better.
Night let out a little breath. "We're not going to fight her. We should come, as a family. Our mission is to gain her trust, right?"
Silver gave an uncertain nod at that. "I suppose having foals along would make us appear that much less threatening."
Sunny smiled a little. "If that's how you feel."
With a bright flash of magic, Celine appeared. "I will come too!"
Sunny's smile soured just a little. "Celine, sister, we must not. Two ponies is already stretching things. An entire herd of ponies will never be able to approach her."
Celine looked to Night. "You're the head mare, you decide."
Night recoiled, but sat up. That was right. She was the head mare, alpha of their group. It was her decision... "I don't think Sunny's wrong. This is an angry unicorn, desperate and alone. Coming in a huge group is more likely to threaten her than to win her trust. I appreciate you wanting to come along, Celine."
"But your foals..."
"Are in good hooves." Night smiled. "You two believe in destiny so much, I think that works both ways. From the way Silver's been acting, these miracles of foals have survived a lot to get this far. Their time isn't up, and neither is ours. We'll get this done." She turned to Sunny. "The time we're away doesn't count."
Silver felt pride swell in his chest and settled beside Night. "Then it's settled. We'll go looking for Starlight."
Sunny nodded. "I can point you in the right direction. The first step isn't even far. Twilight will be visiting the city with some old friends, and I feel it is imperative you be there. Not with Twilight, but at the eatery."
Night blinked behind her glasses owlishly. "You're kidding. All that and we're just going to a restaurant? I thought we'd be going halfway across Equestria."
Silver shook his head quickly. "Near or far, we're still dealing with an angry pony with tremendous personal power and a need for revenge about as deep. Let's not make light of the situation. I do agree with Sunny, she will become a good pony, but she isn't one, yet."
Night looked to Sunny and Celine. "Alright, so when do we need to be there?"
"Tonight." Sunny nodded. "I would have given early warning, had I known earlier. Silver, you understand how this works."
He did, and nodded back in sympathy. "In some ways I'm glad I got all my prophecy over and done with in one big burst. I'm looking forward to being past it all and living in the present. Man, this is like when I first arrived and knew what was going to happen around the Mane Six."
Celine raised a brow. "That is the human moniker for Twilight and her friends, is it not?"
Silver pointed at Celine. "Right on the first try. In the human stories of this world, Equestria, she is the center, along with her friends."
Sunny smiled gently. "Well she is not the center of this story. Equestria moves even when she is not around, as wonderful a pony as she might be."
The mission was clear. Night and Silver departed together back to their room to find Trixie and Rough already caring for fussy twins. Night leaned in a bit closer to Silver. "One thing bothers me." She didn't stay close to hear a reply as she hurried to the twins and helped calm them down.
So Silver followed after her. "Good morning, Father, Mother. Night, what thing is that?"
Night popped a bottle into both of their waiting snouts and rocked them in her strong wings. "Why would she ensure the time didn't count against her if it's just one evening?"
Silver frowned a little. That seemed a valid question. "We are de--"
Trixie waved a hoof between the two. "Why are you two speaking of things Trixie does not understand?"
Rough settled a hoof on her shoulder. "Easy there. You know what they get up to."
Trixie huffed and turned up her nose. "She wants to be involved."
Night smiled a little. "You're not the first. We're just going out for an evening dinner. We should be back in a few hours after that, assuming nothing goes wrong."
Trixie levelled a flat look at Night. "Chance of that?"
Night's smile wavered a little. "25%?"
Silver nudged against Night gently. "Are you simply unable to lie when giving odds?"
Night turned red in her cheeks and rose to her hooves, still holding the foals. "I'm going to get some breakfast, who's coming with me?"
The conversation of Night's odd habits was put on hold to fetch some food and enjoy the day. Even Trixie's grumblings settled down with some food in her belly. "Are you ready to progress to the next chapter, Silver?"
Silver perked up, expression brightening. "I think I am. I've got a good firm grip on feeling and seeing with it, but there's something I want to do first."
"Oh?"
Silver bobbed his head. "With my shield refined, I feel ready to try re-making the fire shield spell into something that I don't pass out attempting."
Night raised a brow. "So you're going to refine the spell?"
Trixie shook her head. "That's not how Silver's talent works precisely. He can blend spells, not 'refine' them. It's a very powerful talent, as befits any foal of mine, but it does have limits." She flashed a smile at Silver. "I approve. We don't want to be remembered for sloppy work, now do we?"
Silver clopped his hooves with a sudden burst of joy and pulled out his spellbook as a quill popped into being beside his head.
Rough twitched an ear at the sight. "Right here?"
Night shook her head at Rough. "Welcome to my life. At least he looks so happy when he gets swept up in it."
The loud scribbles of a new spell being born became the soundtrack of the rest of the meal. While Trixie peeked over his shoulder occasionally to see how it was going, he was largely left alone as they chatted a lot about nothing in particular.
Life would move on.