Putting on a Silver Robe and Wizard Hat

by David Silver


159 - Even Endings Have Endings

Silver held up a hoof. "Let me go check on him." He trotted in the direction of where Tumble had dashed off, leaving Samantha and Nefertari to themselves.

Nefertari glanced sidelong at the smiling scientist and her 'cute' nurse outfit. "While we are alone, we have matters to discuss."

Samantha turned to the taller female. "Hmm? Are you enjoying yourself?"

"I'm doing just fine." Nefer crouched before Samantha. "You are now a member of this herd. If you do not wish me there, you become another impediment to my--"

"Don't be absurd." Samantha grinned. "You're one of my best subjects, of course I want you close by."

Nefer frowned a little, perhaps caught by surprise by how easily Samantha's support was obtained. "Then you will support my bid to join this?"

Samantha bobbed her head. "If you wish. I'm surprised you want to at all, to be honest." A pad of paper appeared beside her head. "Could you tell me why?"

Nefertari brushed the pad aside. "I am honor bound to offer myself to the one whom I have challenged thrice to no avail."

Samantha tilted her head a little. "What if he says no?"

Nefer tensed at the very notion. "Then I would look an utter fool."

Samantha raised a brow. "To who?"

"To everyone!" Nefertari was louder than she meant, and she quieted as curious eyes turned on them. After a moment they returned to their activities. "To... everyone."

Samantha lifted her shoulders. "You're not home. Ponies here think everything you do is out of sync with their usual customs. Marrying Silver is just as strange to them as not marrying him. If you don't want to do it, nopony would be aware of anything out of place."

Nefertari reached to stroke over Samantha's scalp. "My delirious doctor, are you saying this to keep me away from this?"

Samantha frowned a little. "I just said you being close is a significant advantage to my studies. That wouldn't be logical." She clopped a hoof on the ground. "But I want you to be healthy and happy as well. We will be great friends whether or not you join the herd."

Nefer started faintly. "Friends?"

Samantha blinked up at Nefertari. "Isn't that what we are?"

Nefer became quiet for a time. Were they?


Silver emerged from the crowd. It was becoming far less occupied as he ventured into darker alleys and twists and turns. Feeling nervous, he conjured his refined shield, just in case, but pressed onwards. "Rough Tumble? Are you there? Everything's alright?"

He heard the sound of retching and turned towards it. Around the next corner he saw Tumble hunched over, upending the alcoholic contents of his belly out onto the street in a mixture of vomiting and little sniffling cries. He was a mess, and Silver approached with a little smile. "It's alright, Tumble."

"Get away!" He waved a hoof and turned away from Silver. "Don't look at me."

"It's alright." Silver sat down rather than chase the upset stallion. "I'll wait here until you're feeling a little better. You're safe."

"I'm never safe..."

"I'll protect you."

Tumble looked up at Silver with a wide-eyed blink. "W-would you?"

Silver reached out a hoof. "I'm sorry I was such a lousy friend, and a terrible stallion for you. Can we be friends now?"

Tumble snorted up loudly as he ran a leg over his snout. "You don't wanna hug me right now. I stink."

"I want to help you, and if that means inviting you to ride on my back, well, by gum, I'll do that to get you somewhere better than this alleyway." Silver turned away from him. "Come on."

Tumble approached, but to stand at his side. "I can walk..."

Silver smiled at him. "Good, but I'm here either way. Did you have some fun tonight?"

Tumble snorted softly and began to walk. "Not really."

"No?" Silver kept pace with him. "Not even seeing Nefertari get startled for a change? I thought that was kind of funny."

Tumble's face contorted in a brief smile. "She had that comin'... Look, uh, Silver, you're obviously kinda, you know, taken."

Silver turned to him suddenly. "I'm asking to be your friend, not your stallion."

Tumble suddenly pressed forward, delivering a kiss that tasted of upset bellies and smelled of drying alcohol. Silver wanted to escape, but fighting Tumble felt incredibly wrong.

The moment the pressure eased, Silver took a step back, panting for breath. "Tumble..."

"You weren't scared." Tumble frowned a little. "Not like last time."

"I'm not scared of love." Silver smiled a little and gestured back where they had left the others. "I just have so many to help protect, but I'd make room for one stallion, one special, wonderful stallion that has so much potential bouncing around inside of him that he doesn't even know."

"Who?" Tumble blinked owlishly at Silver.

Silver prodded him in the chest. "You, of course. You're not living at home anymore, right?" Tumble shook his head. "Great. What do you say to undoing one little harm they did so long ago?"

"Whattaya mean?" Tumble looked curious.

"I mean it's time to get you that truck you always wanted, but I need a promise first."

Tumble raised a brow. "Here comes the catch."

"Always. One, the truck is not a toy. You're to use it to make yourself into the pony you want to be and to support yourself."

"Alright?" Tumble tilted his head. "I mean, of course."

"Two, no more of this." Silver gestured over Tumble's messy front. "Now come on, we both need to clean up. Let tonight be the last night you spend trying to forget."

He led the way back towards the light and smiled, realizing there was some Equestrian Symbology at work. He was guiding his friend towards the light, or so he hoped. He was guiding him towards ponies, and belonging, and away from dark forgotten places where he would die miserable and alone. Tumble deserved so much better than that.

Tumble moved back up beside Silver. "So, uh, you don't mind kissing colts no more?"

"You're hardly a colt, Tumble. We're both stallions. Heck, you were a stallion before I was by a few years."

"You're still barely a stallion..." Tumble licked his lips as he went. "Why do you talk like you're so old?"

Silver laughed gently. "I just like to pretend I have something wise to say. Ignore it. I'm just winging it, like most everypony else."

"Don't say that." Tumble bumped into him, sending him staggering. "You say plenty of smart things."

Silver quirked a little smile. "If that's true, prove it." He found his stance and emerged onto the central lane. "Take this gift I'll give and run with it. Make all of Equestria see how great you are. You put your all into it, and I'll be happy, rain or shine."

"What are you two talking about with such serious faces?" Night landed before the two of them. "Silver! What've you done to your costume? Have you been drinking?" She scowled. "I thought you didn't even like the stuff."

Tumble thrust a hoof in the way. "No no! It was my fault, sorry... I'll just... clean up."

Night flipped her ears back. "No wait, sorry. I shouldn't have come storming in like that." She flicked a tongue over her lips. "It's been an... interesting evening. You alright?"

Tumble nodded. "Yeah... I really think I am." He looked like a weight had been removed from his shoulders. "I am going to clean up though. I'm a mess. See you later, Silvs, Night." He turned away.

Night turned back to Silver after a parting wave. "Where'd everypony else go running off to?"

Silver called out to Tumble, "Come on by the office tomorrow!" He turned to Night and leaned in for a nuzzle, only to be gentle rebuffed. "Do I smell that bad?" She nodded and he sighed. "Let's go clean up then. I should have learned a cleaning spell."

"You can't solve everything with magic." Night rolled her eyes as they walked off. "Seriously though, where's Samantha and Nefertari, and did you pop the question on Samantha?"

Silver glanced towards where he had left them. "They're probably having some fun together, and I did. She accepted."

"That it?" Night raised an eye. "Was she happy?"

"Deliriously." Silver chuckled softly. "She remembered we hadn't dated properly and wanted to fix that, but mostly she's just really... happy." He thought of the Samantha of his dreams, full of manic drive and utterly zero empathy. The waking Samantha had become so much better. "Are you happy about it? I mean, you nominated her, but are you happy with her, really?"

Night twitched a tufted ear softly. "I had to think about it, but... yes. I think I could get used to having her around. I think she likes both of us deeply. It's not... not the same as Fast, what could be, but she is ready to learn what love is, and she already gets along so well." She tilted her head faintly. "She gets along with the foals quite well, and I feel safe when they're with her. She genuinely cares about us. That genuineness... It's deceptively rare."

Silver rubbed along her side gently. "I think I know what you mean." They passed into the castle and got to their room, where Silver shucked off his disguise and hopped into the shower to regain a pleasing aroma.

While he washed himself, Night took the soiled clothes and got to washing them, perhaps to use the next year.

It had been an eventful Nightmare Night and one they would not soon forget.

Night gazed out the window where some fireworks were playing in the sky to celebrate the evening and she let out a happy sigh. It had been a good holiday, nay, perhaps the best Nightmare Night she had ever experienced.