Putting on a Silver Robe and Wizard Hat

by David Silver


141 - A Quiet Meeting

"Twice."

Samantha's ears perked up and she spun around to look around what had been an empty infirmary to see Nefertari standing there, looking agitated. "Were you responsible for those readings? They just started to normalize before you appeared."

Nefer snorted softly as she approached, claws tacking on the tiles. "Greetings to you as well. Has he become your subject as well?"

"How could he not?" Samantha looked incredulous at the very idea that Silver could somehow avoid being her subject. "He knows too much and he has a variety of mental quirks as well. I couldn't call them dysfunctions, mind, they don't stop him from doing his job or anything."

Nefertari leaned towards the scientific mare. "This reminds me. What, exactly, did he tell you?"

Samantha raised a brow. "Nothing I didn't already know."

"Which was?" She rolled a hand slowly.

Samantha shook her head. "Classi--"

Nefertari grabbed the would-be doctor at both of her cheeks. "You're forgetting who owns whom in this relationship. The ponies were quick to forget your sins, but I have them catalogued nicely. They may be slower to forgive when they're laid out for them." She suddenly freed one side of Samantha's face to swipe backwards, bisecting an incoming dart in the air. "I've had enough failure for one day. Now speak."

Samantha shrank back. "They're letting me do science, real science. I could make the world a better place..."

"Yes yes, and I will let you return to that. What. Did. He. Say?" Nefertari scowled at her uncooperative minion.

"He knew about my mother, and that she wasn't a pony." Samantha sank to her belly, her head held up in Nefer's deadly fingers. "Satisfied?"

"Hmm." Nefertari seemed to consider a moment before she released Samantha's cheeks and petted the top of her head instead. "Keep an eye on him, just like you're doing. What are the odds that he is also of mixed heritage?"

Samantha's depression faded instantly at the new idea. "Oh! He mentioned something about that, I think? I wasn't paying full attention at the time, I admit." She frowned a little, but it turned back into a smile. "I'll ask him next time I see him. He seems to be comfortable around me."

Nefertari rolled her eyes at that. "That pony is comfortable around everyone that isn't actively harming him that very moment. The rumors I've heard..."

"Tell me!" Samantha approached Nefertari, her tail wagging like an eager dog. "I told you something, now it's your turn."

Nefer raised a brow and cocked her head. "That's not how this works, but it's harmless enough. He was sexually assaulted as a colt and it became a legal scandal shortly thereafter. It would be enough to make most people a wreck and to harbor grudges fit for a lifetime."

Samantha nodded slowly. "Was that the rumor?"

"Oh no, that much is plain fact." Nefer smiled a little. "That he was with the mare that had attacked him, speaking as if they were old friends, that is the rumor. Mental quirks indeed, keep an eye on him." She was gone before a reply could be given.

Samantha frowned a little at the space Nefertari had occupied. "That's rude." She turned in place back to her notes and a quill floated over in her magic. "So many notes to make today." She began to scribble excitedly about what she'd learned, both about Silver and Nefertari. They were both star subjects in her book, as literally as they could be.


A clopping sound drew Silver and Night's eyes to the door to their office. "Come in," called Silver as he sat up in his seat.

He hadn't expected who would enter. Rough Tumble came in with eyes downcast and legs moving as if made of wood. He stiffly moved in a few feet and stopped without saying anything.

Night looked at him up and down, then glanced towards Silver and back. Silence was the ruler of the room.

Silver broke it. He smiled at his once bully, once friend, and ever-so-briefly lover. "Rough, it's good to see you!"

"Y-yeah..." He half mumbled it out, his voice small and sullen.

Silver's expression darkened. "Rough... what's wrong? You can talk to me."

"C-congratulations..."

Night nodded at him. "Thank you but, as Silver asked, what's wrong?"

Rough stepped back slowly. "N-nothing, just..."

Silver smiled at him. It was a forced smile. "Rough Tumble, please. Whatever it is, I want to hear it. No laughter, no mocking. We were friends, you know. I hope we still are."

"Yeah..." Rough slowly sank to his haunches. "Look..." He sank lower to his belly. "You see..."

Silver hopped down from his chair and circled the desk towards Rough Tumble. "It's alright. Do you need a moment?" His magic pushed the door shut across the room gently as he approached Rough. "We have all day if you need it."

Rough frowned a little before the expression wore away into sullenness. He let out a slow breath as he watched Silver's approach. His eyes darted to the left, where a small foal was approaching just as easily. He blinked at the earth pony foal with tufted ears and slit eyes. She was odd in his eyes.

Clear Twilight sat down in front of him and reached out a hoof, tapping him right on the nose. "Bah."

Rough's face broke into a bright smile. He didn't know why he was smiling, but it was hard to resist doing so at the behest of the friendly little pony. "Who's this?"

Silver sat down beside his daughter. "Rough Tumble, meet Clear Twilight. Clear Twilight, this is Rough Tumble."

"Bah," was her reply as she tapped him again and flashed a fanged grin at him.

Rough sat up, looking at her a moment before he raised his eyes to Silver and Night. "She's yours, both of yours, right?" He reached out and patted her once on the head. "I guess... that's what mares and stallions... do..."

Night inclined an ear at him. "I'm sorry things went sour, back then."

Rough flinched back as if burned. "Y-yeah..."

Silver put a hoof on his shoulder and Rough turned to face him instantly. "Rough Tumble, where are you?"

"Huh?" He blinked. "I'm right here?"

"No, wider than that. Do you have a job? Do you have friends? Where are you, in life?"

Rough's jaw worked silently a moment. "Aw shoot... you..." His eyes lowered towards the ground. "No."

"No...."

"I don't have... I hate my job."

Silver tilted his head lightly. "Did you ever get another truck?"

Rough frowned at him. "How the hay would I get another truck? I'm not rich!"

Silver lowered his hoof to the ground. "Do you still want one?"

Rough rose to his hooves as he took a step back. "Look, I just wanted... I should go."

Silver popped out of existence and appeared on the other side of Rough, between him and the door. "Relax. We're not judging you, Rough. We're friends, right?"

Rough backed up the other way, producing a squeak from Clear as he stepped on her, only for her to throw him off in a fit of premature strength. He stumbled to the side before flopping over. "T-this was a mistake. S-sorry, okay?"

Silver thought back to the different faces of Rough Tumble he had experienced. More than anything else, Rough was at a crossroads and could be so many different things, from grand to miserable. "Rough, I believe in you, and I mean that from the bottom of my heart. Do you believe in you?"

Rough blinked owlishly at the proclamation. "W-what? Why would you even say that? What is there to believe in?" He stood up, shaking like a leaf, but there was an emotion there. "I don't have nothing. I didn't get anything done I wanted to do. I ain't got nopony."

Night smiled patiently. "If I know Silver, you have at least two ponies."

Silver nodded quickly. "She does know me. Rough, will you accept our help? I'm not the only friend you had. Together, as a team, we can fix this."

Rough shook his head. "L-look, I don't want to just be a moocher. I just came to say hi. So, uh, hi."

"Bah." Clear prodded him on his fore left leg.

With a flash, Morning appeared beside Clear.

"Bah." Clear pointed at Rough. Morning nodded at her and looked up at him, fixing his eyes on him.

Rough looked back and forth between the two foals. "W-what? Did I do somethin'? Stop staring at me like that." He took a step backwards only to trip and fall to his haunches.

Silver smiled as he approached the three. "That's Morning Glory. He has that look. He doesn't mean anything bad by it." He sat down with the two foals and drew them closer. "They can tell you're upset."

"Oh, uh, sorry?" Rough tilted his head at the little ponies. "So... I'll just..."

Silver reached out a hoof and set it on Rough's shoulder. "You don't have to go, or stay."

Rough licked his lips as he stood up. "Look, okay... let me just... I'll come back. Promise, alright?"

Silver nodded. "Pinkie Promise?"

"Huh?"

Silver showed the motion. "Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye." He put his hoof over his eye to complete the gesture. "It means you solemnly swear."

Rough suddenly snorted, which turned into a laughing fit. "Where'd you pick that up from? Sure sure, Pinkie Promise." He moved his hoof in a quick emulation of what he'd just seen. "But I ain't sticking cupcakes in my eyes. Cupcakes are for eating, stupid unicorn." He went deep red, realizing what he had just said, but Silver was still smiling at him. "So, uh..."

"Come back when you're ready. We have plenty to talk about."

"Yeah... See you later, Silver, uh..."

"Night Watch."

"Yeah, Night." He clopped his hooves with recognition. "Take it easy." He trotted for the door without opposition and made good his escape.

Night shook her head at the closed door. "If you didn't scare him away forever, he'll be back sooner, rather than later."

Silver perked an ear at his wife as he played with his foals. "What makes you sure of that?"

Night squinted faintly. "It's not obvious? You're the richest, most successful pony he knows. You work for Princess Celestia for Luna's sake! You have money. You have influence. By what measure could he rate you as less than wildly successful?"

Silver frowned a little, which got him prodded in the nose by Morning Glory. The expression melted back into a smile as he nuzzled at his foals. "We'll help how we can, but I hope to put him on the right path, not drive him down it. His initiative is part of what gets him there, and today he showed some of it by coming here."

"I'd tell you to take it easy on that." Night rolled her eyes. "But that'd just encourage you. Just remember he's a living pony, with feelings. Be careful."