//------------------------------//
// 192 - Lunacy 
// Story: Putting on a Silver Robe and Wizard Hat 
// by David Silver 
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Samantha bounced down the hallway in an energetic trot. Sure she had to go to learn more about proper social behaviors, but she slept with those she desired to and they had wished her well as they all went to their respective duties. This just happened to be hers. She would rather monitor her smallest subjects, but she would take any project seriously, this included.

"There she goes, getting another audience with the princess."

Samantha looked off to see a pair of ponies peering at her. They went quiet when she looked though. "What?" The delicate nature of politics was not her strength and she trotted directly for the two. "What's wrong?"

The larger of the two frowned at Samantha. "The princess should not be rewarding you for attacking her!"

"That is correct." Samantha nodded as if it were obvious.

"Then why are you practically dancing down the hallways?"

Samantha tapped her chin. "Should I be less enthusiastic about the opportunity to learn? Learning and recording is my purpose." She dipped her head. "Perhaps my notes will one--"

"The ravings of a madmare," interjected the smaller.

"At least Luna will have her chance," stated the larger. "She'll teach you to respect your betters."

Samantha tilted her head. Nopony was better than she was. Nopony was inherently worse. They were all different specialized pieces of a fine machine of ponykind. She turned away from the ponies since they seemed to be done speaking to her and resumed her trek towards Luna. As she walked, she realized she didn't record the sexes of either pony. That was sloppy of her.

She chastised herself on her poor observation and produced her notepad to make quick notes of the event.

She arrived in the hallway leading to Luna's room and approached it only to be met with two stern lunar guards.

"Hello! I'm here to see Miss Luna to continue our--"

"She's not here."

Samantha tilted her head. "She's the one that told me not to be late. It wouldn't be logical for her to not be here." The fact that her tracker told her Luna was beyond the door was another hint, but she could learn! She knew ponies didn't appreciate good observations as she did. Why would those ponies not want her to see Luna? 

One of them leaned in, making a classic male figure of domination. "She isn't here. Why don't you threaten somepony else?"

Samantha tilted her head. Was she being solicited? Oh my! She'd never been approached by a male for that specifically. "I'm sorry. You look like a very healthy specimen, but I've entered a social contract with Night and Silver Watch that requires I not share physical intimacy with others."

The male looked shocked, so she continued, "It's not that you aren't desirable, not at all. I'm certain you're a fine specimen and will successfully reproduce."

The other guard suddenly burst into laughter, falling to his belly with how paralyzed with the outburst he was. The first, thoroughly darkened in his cheeks, angrily pressed forward. "I wasn't asking for that!"

The door opened, admitting Luna's head to peek through. "What's all th-- Samantha. Do come in." She backed up and the door swung in wider.

Samantha strolled past the guards, one still laughing, the other glaring angrily. The door closed, likely with Luna's magic. "I'm here and reporting for duty."

Luna nodded at Samantha. "I appreciate your punctuality. Let us be--"

"Before that, I need to inform you of an error."

Luna raised a brow.

"I've been educated to the golden rule, which states that one should only do to others what one wishes done to them." She tilted her head at Luna. "Do you wish your significant others scared?"

Luna blinked softly. She hadn't been expecting that. "No, of course not."

"Then why did you scare Silver?" She tilted her head the other way. "Was that not in violation of the rule?"

Luna drew in a slow breath before releasing it in a noisy sigh. "It was, and I was wrong. You did not come to chastise me, did you? We're here for your reformation, not mine."

Samantha shook her head. "Because your infraction didn't cause physical harm, you have not been acted against, but you should be informed at least." She put a hoof to her chest. "I would want a pony to tell me if I did wrong, even if no immediate harm came of it. By the edicts of the golden rule, I should tell you as well."

Luna was furious at first. Who was this little mare to 'educate' her?! But the moment passed. She wasn't... wrong. Luna let out a slow sigh and her magic gently hefted Samantha up. "You are a very special pony."

Samantha smiled wide. "My father always told me so."

Luna winced, hoping it was in a good way but having no way to confirm either way. "Samantha, I... Samantha, would you be opposed to my..." Should she even be asking? A part of her said no loudly, but she grit her teeth and asked anyway. "If I wanted to be your herd-sister, would you be opposed to this?"

Samantha rolled an ear back, then the other, flipping back and forth oddly. "I see no particular reason to object to that, but you would have to follow the golden rule as well. The stallion taught it to me, and if he lives by it,  I will as well, and I would like all members of our herd to do so."

Luna smiled a little. At least one mare would not stand in her way... If only... "We should begin." She set Samantha down gently. "I think you've graduated from Mister Happy..."





Silver sat in his office. Night was there, as were the foals, crawling around and exploring everything. He scanned over a letter curiously. "Twilight... has been up to the strangest things."

Night glanced up at him. "Oh? What'd she do now?"

"She reached across dimensions and just grabbed a human."

Night frowned sharply. "Do we need to take action?"

Silver held up a hoof. "No need. She realized the error of her ways. The more troubling thing is that, apparently, two humans ended up in Equestria, and one of them may be an outlaw, or just a jerk. Nobody knows either way."

Night rolled a hoof. "So we should grab him?"

"Extra twist, they look exactly the same."

Night blinked slowly. "Is that normal for humans?"

Silver pushed the letter away. "With identical twins, sure, but in this case, they both became the same pony, physically."

Night shook her head at that. "Princess Twilight needs to not do things like that."

Silver smiled down at his wife. "Would she be Twilight if she didn't?"

"I suppose not." She reached out a wing and suddenly cut off Clear Twilight's path. "And here's another Twilight trying to get into trouble."

"That's what foals do." Silver smiled gently, watching his young play. "At least I didn't name either of them just right."

"Just right?"

"Midnight Shimmer, Sunspot Strobe... Assures the pony will run into Twilight at some point, likely in an antagonistic role."

Night scowled at him a moment. "You're not being serious, I hope?"

"Just a little." Silver floated away the letter to grab the next one. "Tumble's doing well with the truck startup, you'll be glad to hear."

"I am." Night smiled a little. "Do you miss him?"

"Hmm?"

"Well, you were married to him, if briefly."

Silver flushed red. "I don't miss him that way... I hope he finds a nice, sane stallion that will only have eyes for him and him alone." He put a hoof at his chest. "You're a saint for putting up with me..." He glanced away, which was enough.

"What happened?"

Silver considered trying to hide it, but hiding things from Night was a foal's game. "I was approached."

"By who?" Night rose a brow high.

Silver sagged a little. "Both princesses have an eye on me... I th--"

"Again?!" Night bounced to her hooves. "You told them no, right?"

Silver winced a little at the outburst. "I told Celestia I wouldn't even consider it while she was hurt. And she is, hurt that is. She didn't like running that trial anymore than we liked being there..."

Night's anger fizzled a little. "That doesn't excuse her..."

"I think she just wants to be a normal pony."

"She isn't..." Night sank to her belly. "That is sad."

Silver quirked a smile. "Is she bad?"

"I have a feeling she's a buy one and get two whether you want it or not special." Night frowned at him. "As kind and gentle as she usually is, there's no way you can start treating her as other than a princess without her sister turning more green than Surprise. It'd be better to put both out of your mind, and what was Luna's excuse?"

"She didn't really hit on me." Silver waved it off. "It was more that she was angry, mostly at herself, for fucking it up so bad."

"Language."

Silver had the dignity to blush a little. "She was sad, not hitting on me."

"That's better..." Night squirmed a little. "Did..." She glanced away and back at Silver and went quiet.

Silver leaned forward onto his desk. "Did what?"

"Nothing..."

"Did they mention me?"

Silver looked at the squirming Night silently a moment before magic played over his horn.

Night gasped loudly as she became a stallion where it mattered. "Silver!"

"If you go to them now, they would probably accept you."

Night turned a cherry red. "Silver!"

"I wouldn't stop you."

"Silver!" She jumped suddenly onto his desk, even if the motion made certain parts a bit close to him. "You stop this this instant!"

Silver learned forward despite it. "They seem mostly straight. They respect you, a great deal I imagine, but..."

She swatted him across the snout. It was far lighter than she could manage if she wanted to attack. "You wouldn't..."

"Wouldn't what?"

She went quiet again, settling down on the desk on her haunches.

"Night."

"Yes?"

He leaned forward and kissed the end of her nose. "Do you..."

"No!"

"I didn't ask yet." Silver quirked a smile. "You're the one that wanted a herd. You're the one that wants that, remember?" He put a hoof on her chest. "Do you want them?"

She jumped off the desk suddenly. "No! I shouldn't!"

"Shouldn't is not an answer." Silver raised a brow. "Do you sometimes imagine either of them?"

Her blush only grew more intense. She didn't reply, not that words were required.

"Fast really had an impact on you."

"As if you're one to talk!" Night shook herself out violently. "You, the one that feared colt cuddling so much..."

"I got over it, and I think you did too, well, fillyfooling, same thing, different, you know."

"Why do I still have this?" She pointed at the new organ.

"You don't want to use it then?" Teasing Night was fun, and he was genuinely curious. "You could master the moon, or tame the sun..."

Night's flush only worsened. "S-samantha deserves it long before either of them."

Keeping her so modified took a constant, but not large, effort. If he could get her to wear a... Unlikely. For the moment, he kept her with it. She'd face her emotions one way or another. "I just ask that you tell me what you've been up to, my curious wife."

"I'm not curious!" she denied hotly, turning away from Silver.