Putting on a Silver Robe and Wizard Hat

by David Silver


151 - Suddenly

Silver's magic gripped the knob to his room and attempted to twist it, but it wouldn't turn. He jiggled it to no avail before a frown developed. He raised a hoof and clopped on the door. "Anypony in? The door's stuck."

He heard faint voices from within and alarm raised within him. Without much thinking, he blinked out of the then and there and slipped between space to appear on the other side of the door. Where he was expecting bandits, assassins, or some other nefarious force, he instead saw Night speaking with a teary-eyed Samantha. He blinked with surprise. He'd never seen Samantha show that emotion before. "Everything... okay?"

Night shook her head. "Everything is fine." She prodded Samantha lightly. "This would-be suitor locked the door to have me alone."

Samantha smiled a little. "It seemed like a good idea at the time." She dipped her head a little towards Silver. "You're not upset, are you?"

Silver approached cautiously. "That depends. Night, was she polite?"

Night gave a little smile. "She was fine, and made a fish dish I plan to extract from her."

He relaxed and nodded as a smile of his own developed, but then the reason for the dinner became clear. "O-oh, um, so..." How to put it... "Did she mention what she was hoping?"

Night raised a tufted ear. "You already know then? Subtle is not Samantha's general tactic."

Samantha perked her ears. "Should I have been?"

Night shook her head. "No. I'm happy to have someone approach so unapologetically straightforward and without deception, big or small." She adjusted her glasses a moment as she looked over Samantha. "Silver, what do you think of her?"

Silver tilted his head left and right as he settled onto his haunches. "I think she's a bit manic depressive, but I'd be lying to claim I don't have any faults. She's a nice pony and I have no particular issues with her besides keeping her urge for science to a gentle roar."

Samantha smiled brightly suddenly. "Does that mean I'm accepted?" She clopped her hooves with an assumed yes. "I never had a stallion before, and an alpha-mare." A notebook appeared beside her head and writing began to be scribbled on it by a quill held in her magic. "The observations I can make. Please, I'm new to this, so inform me how the order goes. Do we share him at once, or take turns?"

Night's cheeks darkened at the bold topic shift. "I... think that depends how much we grow to enjoy each other's company, but you're going fast." She reached out a hoof. "All I'm willing to say is that we're not throwing you out."

Samantha tilted her head, one ear flopping. "Oh, I'm not accepted yet?" The book vanished in a puff of magic. "I thought... No matter!" A new book appeared, the book on romance. "I'll move on to the next step. You'll be swept off your hooves!" She flashed a bright smile.

Silver looked between Samantha and Night before leaning in towards his wife. "I think she's going to be romancing you until you say yes or no clearly."

Night glanced up at Samantha before replying, "Maybe I like being romanced..." The idea that she'd be chased by the needy unicorn was somehow... exciting. It was nice being the target. She usually hunted, but perhaps, just once... she could be hunted in turn? "One thing. No making a mess while I'm on duty. Silver's an ambassador, dealing with confused and harried humans and ponies, which means no popping in on our office. Romance is for off-duty hours." She frowned a little. "Is this what it was like for you, Silver?"

Silver blinked. "How do you mean?"

Night rolled a hoof. "I thought you were just... being a stallion, but having somepony declare their love and mean it..." She glanced around guiltily. "It's nice..."

Silver smiled a little, but before he could speak, Samantha raised a hoof. "I won't interrupt your duties, but prepare to be romanced!" She spun around and galloped out of the room, the door opening for her magic without hesitation and closing behind her just as easily.

He shook his head. "This is a bit of a change from when you just thought of her as an overbearing doctor."

Night rolled her eyes. "She's still overbearing... but she's being better about it, and... she means it." Night rubbed at one of her still-warm cheeks. "We attract interesting ponies... Are you mad?"

"Mad?"

"I just half-accepted her. She's going to be around a lot more often, I imagine. She will want to see this through, and if I say yes, she becomes a part of this herd that had been only two members for so long." Night squirmed in place a little. "Oh. Where're Trixie and Rough, and the foals? I presume together."

He didn't know and shrugged to show as much. "If I had..." A thought settled on him and he rushed for the closet. Throwing it open allowed Trixie and Rough to spill out with the foals squealing as they got to ride the sliding ponies. "She really needs to break that particular habit."

They got their parents unbound and Trixie sat up with a scowl. "When she gets her hooves on that unicorn, she will do especially nasty things. She hasn't even seen the start of Trixie's fury!"

Rough set a hoof on her shoulder. "Easy there. You heard them. She's a pony in love."

"She'll be a pony in traction!" Trixie shook herself out and huffed before letting out a slow breath. "If she approaches Trixie again..." She stormed off, her fury ebbing to an angry simmer.

Silver gathered up all three foals, nuzzling the three representatives of the pony tribes. A thought tickled at him. "I hope you all get along. What adventures will you get into together?"

Night snorted softly. "They've already survived an attack by a manic scientist. That counts, so they had their first before their first birthday. Not bad, little ones."

Rough laughed softly. "They take after their parents, but are you, um, serious? I mean..." He looked awkward a moment. "Are you going to go through with it? With her?"

Silver lifted his shoulders. "You know us well enough."

Rough smiled. "I suppose I do. Look, maybe we should get out of your manes. We've visited for long enough anyway, the way I see it." He pointed at Silver. "Next time, maybe you'll visit us? You remember where I live, don't you?"

Silver bobbed his head. "I do, and that would be nice. How is everypony?"

"Oh, they're fine." He smiled a little. "The town doesn't change much or very quickly. Our house expansion was about the newest thing they saw last year."

Trixie approached with a raised brow. "Did she hear correctly? Did you plan to leave, husband of mine?"

"With you, of course." Rough nodded. "We've v--"

"No." Trixie shook her head. "Unacceptable. We're still working through that wondrous book, and Trixie has grown accustomed to studying beside her colt."

Rough nuzzled into her shoulder. "We can't stay forever. He has his own life, and we've been making his bedroom awkward. How would you like your parents always there, watching you, when we--"

Trixie's thrust up a hoof, her cheeks reddened. "She gets the idea... But it doesn't mean she has to like it." She thrust a hoof at Silver. "You'd better keep working. Just because she isn't around is no excuse to slack off. You have too much potential to waste it."

Silver quickly bobbed his head and promises were exchanged, along with firm hugs. All too soon, Trixie, Rough, and their young Sapphire Streak were on their way out.

Night watched as the door closed and glanced aside at Silver for a quiet moment. "I've almost forgot what it's like to be alone."

Silver flashed a smile. "We're already set to ruin that with an eager unicorn."

"You?"

He wrinkled his nose. "I meant Samantha and you know it."

"Hard to tell the difference at times, my unicorn." She leaned in and kissed his cheek.

A sudden pair of wails drew their attention. Both foals were looking at the door and clearly very sad about it.

Silver snatched up Clear as Night took up Morning and they consoled their grieving foals.

He nuzzled at one of her tufted ears. "Don't worry, they'll be back, or we'll go find them. They're not gone forever." Besides, he hadn't given up his silly idea of his foals becoming the next cutie mark crusaders, with or without cutie marks.

The idea of 'catching up' on alone time was shattered, but neither of them begrudged their foals and they all retired to their bed. Pressed between the warmth and safety of their parents, Morning and Clear settled to sleep between them, and peace was had.