Silver regarded himself in the mirror. He normally put in close to zero thought into what he wore, but that night was an exception. His magic plucked lightly at the suit to get it to sit right on his equine form. "Everypony all set?"
Trixie nudged Rough Draft's side with an extended hoof. "Are you certain you don't wish to come? We have a suit for you and everything."
Rough flashed a timid smile. "I would just stand around awkwardly. I'll keep an eye on the foals. I like their company just fine."
Trixie snorted softly. "How do you attend your crowded conventions, but this frightens you?"
Rough shrugged a little. "I can't talk to them about Humanway and most of them will stare at me oddly if I rant about Ogres and Oubliettes. No, I'm fine, promise." He leaned in and nuzzled Trixie gently. "You go and shine. You look splendid, and I'm sure everypony will notice."
Night tapped Silver on the shoulder. "Don't even think of using that excuse."
Silver gave a crooked smile, cheeks a little warm. "Tempting, but I was invited specifically. Celestia would be upset if I didn't show up." He turned for the door. "Let's just keep our hopes modest. It may be cheating, but if the Mane Six are coming, this has a good chance of not being boring in ways we are not expecting."
Night followed after even as she raised a brow. "Main Six? Right, Princess Twilight and her friends? They did cause quite a stir the last time they attended. Are they coming to this one?"
Trixie lifted her shoulders. "We will know when we arrive. Let's be off! There's no time like the present for ponies to begin admiring Trixie's fabulous dress." She trotted out the door without delay, eyes closed and nose lifted just enough to make it clear the strut she was offering. She was ready to be admired.
Side-by-side, Night and Silver left after her. Night waved a wing as she went. "Thanks for keeping an eye on the foals. You know where the bottles are."
"Don't worry. I'm ready." Rough gave a single firm nod before the door closed. He turned to the nursery and walked inside at a leisurely pace. "They say foals are a bit young to learn complex games, but I say you can never be too young for a good story." He leaned in over Clear and Morning's crib. "How about we make a story tonight?" Their excited coos were answer enough.
Curiously, they had to leave the castle before coming in the right way. Ambassador or no, there was exactly one way for guests attending the gala to come in, and they obeyed the propriety. They were far from alone, with dozens of other ponies in fine attire around them and following the same path.
"Trixie? Trixie Lulamoon?"
Trixie turned sharply towards the female voice and her expression expanded into a wide smile. "Evening Luminescence! We haven't seen you since..." Her expression faltered a moment, but she was grabbed up into a fierce hug by a unicorn the other two didn't recognize.
"Oh it's so good to see you! You're looking fantastic! Just look at you!" Evening was all smiles and no reservation. Her purple fur and fancy dress clashed in just the right way to bring attention to herself. "You haven't aged a day, not a single day!"
Silver tilted his head, but said nothing. Night wasn't so reserved. "Friend of yours, Trixie?"
Trixie started. "Oh! Yes! Evening, meet our wonderful family." She waved a hoof over Silver and Night. "My son, Night Watch, and his wife, Silver Watch."
He snorted softly. "Mother, relax, you got that backwards."
Evening gave a little giggle. "Well hello, Silver, Night. I'm Evening, and it's nice to meet you. Now Trixie, where have you been? Your son looks too old! Oh Celestia!" She glanced left and right and leaned in. She whispered, but it wasn't that quiet. Even in the crowd Silver could hear it, to say nothing of Night's sharp ears. "Is that why you dropped out?"
Trixie began to try her best to imitate a tomato as she started back. "N-no. Silver is adopted."
Evening blinked softly. "Oh." She looked Silver from top to bottom and leaned off to the side to eye his tail. "He has a strong family resemblance." Her tone wasn't shy in its suspicions. "But that's alright, Trixie. You always were the mysterious one. Let's go inside." She pointed the way and got to walking.
Night leaned in, whispering a bit more quietly, "Interesting mare. I think she's the first that met your mother while she was in school, that we know of."
Silver gave a silent nod, and soon they passed through the large doors into the large ballroom. Twilight and Celestia were smiling and greeting guests as they came, and many wanted a chance to speak with either of them, forming a queue of impressive magnitude.
Night flashed a smile at him. "Watch as I skip that line."
He put a hoof on her shoulder. "I'm sure you could, but let's not upset all these ponies waiting. We don't need more enemies."
She hesitated a moment before she nodded. "You have a fair point there. Did you want to say hello to either of them?"
Silver considered a moment before he shook his head. "I can say hello to Celestia when I want. This evening is for others." With his roaming eyes, he picked out some of the crowd. Octavia was playing in the instrument section. There was... oh my. He couldn't help but smile at the Cutie Mark Crusaders all dressed up and fancy. They were simply adorable, but he dared not approach them or their guardians.
Night followed his eyes effortlessly. "Thinking about our foals? It'll be a few years before they can come to something like this. I'm sure they'll look adorable when they do." She nodded lightly. "If they can fight off too many curious ponies asking them awkward questions."
That wasn't exactly what he had thought, but he rolled with it. "We'll raise them right, and they'll swim these colorful waters." He spotted Fluttershy, speaking to a strange green pony with a far-away look to her eyes. Were those dreadlocks? There was so much to see, Silver felt a little overwhelmed. "I'm going to get a little snack."
He roamed towards the spread of food and couldn't help but giggle. To think Applejack once tried to sell food at a catered event. That was not one of her--
"Howdy!" Applejack slid up beside him. "Fixin' to wet the whistle? If'n ya kin handle it, they got some apple brandy that'll knock you right off those manicured hooves ah yers." She pointed to a wide selection of drinks and a bottle in particular.
Alcohol was no favorite drink of his, but an apple beverage couldn't be too bad, right? He reached with his magic and plucked up the bottle before pouring out a small bit into a glass and swapping the bottle for the glass to give it a try. "Nice to see you, AJ. Enjoying the Gala?"
"Shoot, ahm just here to hang with ponies I know. You fer instance." She nudged Silver. "Go on, try it."
So he did, sipping gently before the flavor washed over his tongue. It was sour and he puckered, but the apple taste was nice. He felt obligated to finish what he had begun and sipped again, draining the small portion he had served himself. "It's not bad."
"Now that's a white lie if ever ah heard one." Applejack nudged him roughly. "It's alright. Ya won't hurt mah feelings none." She wandered off towards the fillies and her friends.
Night emerged from the crowd. "What's that you have there?"
"Apple brandy." Silver set the empty glass down. "It's alright, but I never liked alcohol much."
She shook her head. "If what you fear is true, this seems like a bad night for drinking."
He raised an ear. "Don't ta--" he trailed off, noticing Discord enter the room in a fine suit but accompanied by an ooze. It was no tiny ooze as was the ones he had conjured, but a great beast taller than a pony. Silver was far from the only one gawking at the new guests.
Night shook her head. "Exhibit one. I'd say you were right on the nose with that one."
Silver clenched his teeth a moment. "We shouldn't be rude. Just because it looks odd doesn't mean it can't be friendly." Determined, he trotted directly for Discord and his friend. "Hey, Discord. How's it going?"
He looked distracted, but heard his name well enough. "Oh, David. How's it going? Have you met Smooze?"
Silver raised a brow. "I haven't gone by David in a while." It was almost strange to hear his human name uttered. "But no, hello Smooze." He'd heard that name before. Where from, where from... He couldn't place it. He offered a hoof towards the slime.
"Well, you two enjoy bonding. I'll be right back!" And Discord slipped away effortlessly.
The Smooze smiled at Silver, but said nothing. Its ribbon and top hat were among the only hints to even know what direction it was facing. It approached him, which was unsettling as they were already close.
"Easy there bi--" He was devoured. The Smooze just flowed smoothly over and around Silver, drawing him inside its jelly-like interior. Silver gave a full-body spasm of terror as he was hugged from all directions at once. It was so strange! He could feel it flowing through his fur and tickling places that need not be tickled.
All too suddenly, he was thrown clear, slimed and dripping. Something was wrong. Something was very... He began patting himself down before it became clear when he looked to the Smooze to see a purple glow fading away from inside it. It'd taken his pendant! "Hey, give that back!" He struggled to get upright, but slid on his covering of slime. By the time he was standing, the Smooze had wandered off to terrorize some other ponies.
"Not your best idea." Night offered a small napkin. "Still, you wouldn't be you without trying." She had a little smile.
He tried to lift the napkin in his magic, but the magic failed to leave his horn. The slime seemed to seal it in, sort of like an anti-magic ring, but different. He didn't feel congested, but nothing could actually escape. His magic was sealed. "Uh..."
"What? Clean yourself." Night raised a brow, then it clicked. "You can't. Silver, what am I going to do with you?" She leaned in and began cleaning him off with the napkin, only to have to switch to another. Once she got his horn thoroughly clean, he was able to join in the effort and they soon had him presentable. "Now we can explode that thing, right?"
Silver raised a brow. "That's a strong reaction. I'm sure--"
Night nudged him. "It took your watch. That was my gift to you."
Silver looked down, it was indeed missing, as was his wedding shoe. "The heck. Does it like jewelry?"
"Whatever it likes, we should stop it before it gets out of hoof." She had no humor in her tone and looked ready to attack.
Silver put a hoof on her chest. "Please, relax. It's Discord's friend. Blasting or tearing it apart would be... rude at best. We should ask Discord to fix this."
Night shook her head. "Ambassador to the end. Fine, there he is, bothering Fluttershy." Night pointed to where Discord was sharing an animated conversation with Fluttershy and her green friend.
Silver nodded as he began pushing through the crowd, trying to reach him. He popped out beside Fluttershy's table just in time for Discord to not be there. He was on the performance stage, giving a sudden skit in comedy, but it wasn't going over very well with the ponies.
The green pony's eyes settled on Silver before they began to widen. "Woah... your aura... You're out of this world." She spread her hooves slowly. "It's so... wow..."
Fluttershy glanced between her friend and Silver. "Oh, uh, Silver, meet Tree Hugger. Tree Hugger, this is Silver Lining."
Silver raised a hoof. "Nice to meet you, though I go by Silver Watch recently."
"Far out." Tree smiled placidly. "But none of those are your real name, are they? I can feel something." She waved her hooves in a nonsensical pattern. "Your aura's freaking me out, man... Oh, I feel like I just got closer." Her eyes settled into a half-lidded state that they were naturally in. "I need to relax and even out my chakras."
Silver became curious. Just how much did the hippie pony know about him? He had a mission, alas. "We should talk another time. Enjoy the gala." He turned to try to win his way towards Discord.