//------------------------------//
// 164 - Change 
// Story: Putting on a Silver Robe and Wizard Hat 
// by David Silver 
//------------------------------//

Night prowled the hallways with a perpetual scowl. The guards had already learned to avoid the lunar mare  as she went. It was with great relief that she declared the castle was clear.

"I told you that," reported Samantha at her side. "He's not anywhere in here."

Night turned to Samantha. "Then where is he?" Her tone was strained and steely-edged. "Can you tell me that?"

Samantha's ears fell a little. "Wherever he went, it's out of range for my usual tracking equipment. I'm sorry..." She glanced left and right. "There must be something we can do better than this though."

Night delivered a withering glare, but she took a slow breath, marshalling herself. "Right... right... Look, we both went to bed in the same room as him. Waking up with him gone? Even when he thinks he's being sneaky, I hear him creeping off. This time, I didn't notice a thing. I woke up and it was like he never was there in the first place." She drove a hoof against the carpet. "What do you expect me to do? Really, tell me."

Samantha moved in and threw her forelegs around Night's neck, hugging her close. "He'll be back, he has to be."

Night jumped a little in surprise, but started to relax bit by bit. It was nice having Samantha around. "Y... You're right, he does. When he does, he's getting an earful."

Samantha tapped her chin with a curious expression. "I want to know where he went that I can't get a reading on him." She smooched Night's cheek and righted herself. "Let's get the foals and all have breakfast. There's no point in moping around." She led the way for a change back to their room to fetch Morning and Clear.

Night shook her head a little as she followed. "You're being the logical one today."

"That's alright. A herd is a tactical unit, is it not?" Samantha peeked over her shoulder. "That means we have to be ready to fill in for each other when an emergency strikes."

A thought suddenly struck Night and she gasped. "Have you seen Nefertari?"

"I have not." Samantha half turned. "Should I check for her?"

"Yes, immediately." Night made a shooing motion. "Go on."

Samantha gave a sharp salute and pulled free her tracking device. She turned it in her magic, twisting a dial. "There we go. Ah, NefNef is in--"

"NefNef?"

Samantha blinked. "I read that shortened nicknames that are easier to pronounce are a sign of affection, so I assigned NefNef to Nefertari. Like it?"

Night put a hoof to her face. "You're too much at times." She moved in and returned the smooch given moments before. "Where is she?"

Samantha did a slow turn in place until she thrust out a hoof. "Thattaway. Gauging from distance and trajectory, she's in day court."

Night snorted softly. "She is an ambassador, that checks out, but... if she's busy in there, that leaves us with an opportunity." Night turned in the hallway leading to their room instead to face Nefertari's door, which wasn't very far away. She marched across the hallway and casually reached a wing to the door. "Not locked..."

Samantha followed hesitantly. "I thought respecting privacy was part of showing affection and understanding?"

Night raised a brow at Samantha. "You really are learning, but this is an exception. She wants to join the herd, remember. Surprise inspections by the alpha mare aren't out of bounds."

"Oh." Samantha relaxed easily, convinced by Night like a flipped trigger. "Should I wait outside?"

"Why don't you get the foals? We still need to go get breakfast, remember?" Night slipped into the room, leaving Samantha to go get the young ones. Inside, Night looked around. The room was mostly as it was furnished by Celestia to begin with, but a few hanging bits of Anugypt art, including an ornate onyx and gold mask of the face of an Anubian rested on the wall across from the bed. It felt largely spartan, the gold excepted.

She slowly walked in, peeking around for traps.

"Hello there," whispered a voice similar to Nefertari's from the air itself. "Aren't you a brave pony, intruding on Nefertari's domain."

Night's fur stood up in a surprised flinch, but she stood her ground. "I figured there was a good chance she had some defense if she would leave her door unlocked. I'm looking for Silver Watch, my husband."

"The bedroom of a female is a curious place to find a lost husband." The voice moved around Night, hovering near an ear. "Warriors have been put to death for smaller crimes. Are you ready to levy such a charge on your wayward husband?"

Night snorted softly. "It's not as cut and dry as that. Nefertari wants to join our herd. Have you seen him?"

"I see nothing, not in the way you imagine. Still, no. There have been no males in my presence, and that is just as well. They disgust me. Walking sprayers, taking pride in their ability to defile females. The creation of the next generation is their only saving grace, and they are only required for a short time for that."

Night gave a slow blink. She had not been expecting such a scathing review of masculinity along the way. "Sorry to hear you feel that way." She turned to depart. "I'll be going now."

"Not so fast." The voice moved through the air, cutting Night's escape off. "You have intruded on Nefertari's domain. You have wronged her and will face your punishment."

"I already told you, she's trying to join our family. Family visiting one another is hardly 'intruding'." Night crouched a little lower, her wings extending a few inches in readiness.

"Trying, but not yet successful. Are you here to deliver good news?" Night was silent a moment. "Then you are intruding. Fortunately for you, you are a female. You may yet be reformed." Dark magic began to swirl in the air and Night jumped back as it lashed at the place she had been standing a moment before. "Accept your punishment. You are guilty by the laws of both our land and your own."

Night darted ahead, trying to get past the voice before it could unleash a fresh bolt, but the voice had some substance to it. As she galloped through the space that held it, a frightful chill encompassed her form. Everything went stiff and she couldn't move any of her limbs. She crashed to the ground with a weak grunt, sliding a few inches with the momentum.

"There we are. Relax and be still. Nefertari will come to deal with you."

A soft knocking came from the door.

"Today will have no rest for me..." The voice moved towards the door. "Your presence is not welcome!"

"NefNef?" came Samantha's voice through the door. "Can you send Night out? I have the foals and we're ready to get something to eat. Why don't you come along too?"

The voice hesitated a moment before whispering in Night's ears, "Your wife is much kinder than you. For her, I will release you, but you are marked and will stand for your crime."

Night spasmed as a sudden fit of pain was felt on her face, but she could move again.

"I am not feeling up for it, but here is Night Watch." The voice lowered as it 'turned' to Night, "Go."

Night staggered to her hooves with an angry snort, but she took the opportunity given and scurried from the room.

Samantha smiled brilliantly on seeing Night emerge, but it turned to some confusion. "Were you exchanging tattoos? That's..." She tilted her head with confusion.

Night blinked at that, then quickly folded a wing back, grabbing a mirror from her pouch and bringing it into view. Strange Anugyptian writing graced her left cheek in angry red and green lettering.

"That's a sign of extreme trust!" Samantha suddenly clopped her hooves together. "Does that mean you've accepted her? Are we all herd-sisters now?"

Night shook her head. "It's not what you think." She tucked away the mirror as she began moving for the exit of the castle. "Can you read it?"

"I never learned Anugyptian, sorry." Samantha tilted her head. "I could try to look it up? Doesn't NefNef know?"

She likely did, but that didn't make Night in any hurry to rush and find out. She led the way free of the castle to find there were two suns out that day. They both blinked in confusion, glancing up towards the glare to see it was lowering towards the ground quickly. They were far from the only ponies gaping at the odd sight. Guards and random ponies watched the light warily, all wondering what it might be.

The ball of light touched down on the ground and gently faded away, revealing Silver sprawled out on his belly, seemingly unconscious. Night rushed for her fallen husband as their foals cooed with delight on seeing their father. He rose as she approached, new wings spreading out wide and bringing her to a stop.

No physical force stopped her. She felt her jaw going limp, taking in her modified husband. Was this a trick, as Fast Change had performed? Why was Silver larger? "Silver, are you alright?" She took a slow step forward.

Samantha held no such reservations or shock and rushed for Silver, trotting around him quickly. "Look at you! Look look! This is... beyond easy description, but it's amazing! Oh wait, I just did describe it."

Silver reached out a hoof, patting Samantha on the head before he shook himself out, regaining his wits. "I'm back."

Night stepped up to Silver. "Back from where?!"

He brought around a feathery wing and gently brushed her cheek. "What's that?" His eyes were on the new mark. "How long was I gone?"

Samantha stuck out her tongue with thought. "Approximately four hours."

"Only four hours?" Silver frowned a little. "Time is funny." He was distracted from the mark, a fact that quietly relieved Night. "I'm glad I didn't keep you all worried for too long." He turned and nuzzled each of his foals in turn. "I'm so glad to be back."

A guard approached and kneeled. "Sir, your majesty... Celestia should be informed immediately."

Silver rose his head to full height. "Ah... you're right. This isn't something I can be very discreet about..." He looked back at his fluffy brown wings. "I have no idea how to care for these..." He already missed the relatively simple leathery wings of his dreams, though the feathery wings were far less intimidating.

Night gestured across his modified form. "You're terribly calm about all of... this."

Silver leaned in to touch noses with her. "I'm screaming on the inside a little, but... I've been here before. You'll be pleased to know we've basically left the dream behind. It's over, mostly..."

Night prodded at him. "Are you alright with this?"

"Alright or not, here we are." He spread his wings out, examining them. "I plan to do it right this time. I accept this responsibility."

Samantha clopped her hooves excitedly. "Oh oh! That means Night and I are technically royalty now, aren't we?"