//------------------------------//
// 139 - Night and Day 
// Story: Putting on a Silver Robe and Wizard Hat 
// by David Silver 
//------------------------------//

Celestia's horn glowed as she gently raised the sun. Beside her, Luna eased the moon to bed. It was their most basic function in Equestrian society, and one that still brought them some measure of joy.

"You cannot be his peer, you realize."

Celestia raised a brow faintly. "And why is that, sister?"

"He is in your employ, to say nothing of being your subject." Luna sighed gently. "Though we suppose the latter is true for ourselves as well."

Celestia rolled a hoof gently, showing no sign of being particularly disturbed by her sister's words. "And you think that is improper?"

"We know it is." Luna perked her ears. "Unless he is made truly a peer, and that would make his family unhappy. His wife would have to be elevated to royalty alongside him."

"But he is not with 'us'." She glanced aside at Luna. "He is with our diminutive counterparts."

Luna tapped at the ground. "And you know as well as I that those are us. There is no difference outside of physical stature. If he displeases us in some grand way, we can have him punished just as easily. No. This is a most unfair courtship."

Celestia gave a little nod as she turned to head back inside from the balcony. "So you no longer desire him?"

Luna glanced away a hot moment. "I didn't say that, but we don't always get what we want. As... adults we should let him be. That would be the responsible action. Alien or not, he is a pony, and a citizen of our nation. He trusts us to do right, so let's do just that."

Celestia reached out a wing, folding it around her sister and drawing her close suddenly. "Then we'll do that, but you musn't hide yourself away. I know some ponies you may wish to meet, after this has calmed down in your heart."

"Sister..." Luna shook her head. "You're not attempting to play matchmaker with me, are you?"

"And if I am?" Celestia smiled gently. "I love you, I hope you realize that. If you want a stallion at your side, I will search all of Equestria and beyond until I find the right one."

Luna leaned in against Celestia. For the moment, words faded away between them.





The piercing alarm call of a disgruntled Clear woke Silver from bed. He half-rolled/half-fell and began making a messy trot into the nursery with bleary and mostly shut eyes. "I'm coming..." It was the unfun part of being a parent, but he'd babysat before. It wasn't an entirely new experience, just a far more personal one.

Silver's horn began to glow as he lifted Clear from her crib and nuzzled the little lunar earth pony in greeting. "Hello there. My, look at you, getting bigger every day." He smiled. His foals always made him smile, even when he was tired. Clear bopped his nose and got him back to work. He had her changed and fetched one of the bottles Night had set aside. "These things still confuse me..."

Was Equestria so sanitized for such a basic bodily function that mares could just summon milk bottles and didn't even realize how magical that was? He shook his head as he slipped the bottle into the waiting hooves and snout of Clear, who sank back into a half-curled position and began nursing it eagerly.

Silver looked at Morning just in case, only to find the colt was already looking back at him. He was quiet. There were no stinky smells and he seemed perfectly calm. Silver leaned in and kissed the baby unicorn on the forehead. "You remind me of myself a little..." Silver had been a very quiet child at times. It annoyed some people when he would just... stare... He had a lot of thoughts, and not a lot of practice focusing those thoughts onto anything.

He had no fears for Morning Glory. He would speak when he had something to say, and that was fine. With both foals settled, he trotted back to bed, but he wasn't ready for sleep anymore. Besides, the sun had already risen. So he grabbed his book of telekinesis tricks and set it out, ready to get some practicing in while the others slept. Before he could get started, a letter slipped in under the door.

He snatched it up with his magic and tuned his magical senses carefully with spells he was still working on mastering. He could smell somewhat with a supportive spell. It smelled like... Celestia? He undid the seal and began reading.



Dear Ambassador Silver Watch,
It is with some sadness that I withdraw my attempt at courtship. It is not with bitterness or anger, for I do hope we can remain friends. Enjoy your family, as they are all very pleasant ponies and they love you very much. You know how to find me if you have questions or concerns.

Looking Forward to Seeing You at the Gala,
Princess Celestia



Silver perked an ear. Is that where Sunny and Celine had gone off to? On one hoof, he was sad to see them go, on the other, that was the least dramatic way he'd been broken up with by far. He just couldn't quite muster any real anger towards Celestia. She had given it a try and had been honest from start to finish, and he did want to be her friend. He set the letter down on the dresser. "Night... might be happy."

"About what?" Night slid off the bed with a ruffling of her leathery wings. "Who's the letter from?"

Silver only considered trying to keep the letter obfuscated for about a second before he revealed it entirely. "Sunny and Celine have gone back to being royal sisters. No hard feelings."

Night twitched a tufted ear as she moved over to claim the letter and see it for herself. "She doesn't say a thing about Celine. What makes you certain she's involved?"

He glanced around. "Well, if we see her again, we can ask, but they both vanished about the same time, so I kind of assumed they were together."

"You're probably not wrong." Night kissed his cheek. "Thanks for handling the foals last, I needed a few more minutes."

Silver returned with a nosebump. "Are you happy?"

Night blinked at the question as a wing reached out to fetch her glasses. "With you? Yes. With the foals, of course."

Silver stuck out his tongue a little. "With this." His magic shook the letter a little. "I know you had... ideas."

Night suddenly advanced on him, nuzzling his throat and nipping at the soft fur and flesh there. "Royalty is too complicated. I..." She settled to her haunches. "I think becoming a mother is a transforming experience." She adjusted her glasses a moment. "I was being immature, a foal... I didn't know Luna. I was in love with the idea of it. So if she's happy moving on, then I will be too."

Silver smiled back. He pulled the other two marriage shoes from his pocket and set them on the dresser. "So are we wearing those?"

Night licked her lips. "You probably think I'm being as foalish as they come, but it doesn't feel... right."

Silver waved the one shoe he wore. "We're already wearing one each."

Night raised her clad hoof. "We are, but I feel like those two belong to somepony else. It's just a feeling. You know how I am. There's a forty percent chance it belongs to somepony we haven't realized yet."

He tilted his head towards her slightly. "And the other sixty?"

"Twenty percent it instead belongs to two ponies, thirty percent chance I'm being silly about the whole thing." Night tapped him on the shoulder. "You won't make fun of me about it, right?"

"I wouldn't dream of it." He leaned in and they kissed gently. Their marriage was left with the door cracked, just in case.

Silver stretched in place before pointing to the door. "How about we go on duty today?"

She blinked. "As an Ambassador?"

"That is my title." He smiled at her. "We can start by catching up on the mail that's probably piled up. Bring the foals along. I doubt any visiting humans will be that upset at those adorable bundles of fur."

Night nodded and smoothly walked into the nursery to fetch the foals. While she was gone, Silver snatched up the two shoes that had no hooves to match them, and tucked them away in his pocket.

Together, they moved to slip out, only for Rough Draft's voice to interrupt. "Where are you all headed?" He was watching them from his and Trixie's bed. "Everything alright?"

Night nodded at him. "For once, yes. We're going to get back to work. The office isn't far, do you remember where it is?"

He did, so with a final parting wave, they stepped out  and started down the hallway until their way was stopped by a figure that hadn't been there a moment before. "Good day, Ambassador."

Silver looked up to Nefertari. "Good day, Ambassador."

She flashed a bright smile. "Are you returning to active duty? And these are your pups? Adorable." She reached, even as Night tensed, and gently scritched each foal behind their ears. "What are their names?"

"Yes, yes, and--" Silver pointed at each in kind. "Morning Glory and Clear Twilight."

"How poetic." Nefertari looked between them. "The day's start and end on an undisturbed day. It is a scene I can savor. Have you a moment, Ambassador? I wished to test myself against your magic. Last time you caught me unawares. That stung quite a bit, I will admit, but with pain comes lessons. I will not be fooled so easily again."

Night blinked up at the jackal. "You will not harm him." She moved to put herself between Nefer and Silver. "He's my husband, and my client. You'll have to go through me first. What kind of Ambassador ar--"

Silver set a hoof on her shoulder. "Night, relax. I think she means in a friendly way. A spar."

"Exactly so." Nefertari seemed pleased that Silver understood. "We are both ambassadors, after all. If this were a matter of officiality, we would duel with words, not claws and magic. I understand my position well enough for that. Now, what say you, Ambassador of Ponies?"

Silver seemed to consider it a moment with a frown before he nodded. "I have new magic I want to practice."

Night raised a brow behind her magnifying glasses. "Really? You want to face her?"

"Pain brings lessons," echoed Silver of Nefer's own words. "Let's just keep it friendly. I don't want to have my return to duty cut that short by being sent to the infirmary. Any blood, any at all, and we stop."

"Deal." Nefertari exposed her sharp teeth. "Show me this new magic of yours."