117 - New Responsibilities and Old Friendships
Penny rapped gently at the door. She hoped this was the right place, she had followed the directions a guard had given her.
The door swung open, revealing a stallion that was grayish towards the front and brownish as one went back. His ears were pricked at the guest. "Hello?"
“Oh, uh, sorry, I think I have the wrong room. I was after Silver Lining?” Penny blinked a few times, she knew she was getting more distracted by things, but had she really messed up the simple directions?
He shook his head at the mare. "Oh, no, that's my fr--son!" He offered a hoof to the mare. "Rough Draft, nice to meet you. He just stepped out a moment to get a bite with his wife. Do you want to wait for him or pass a message?"
The mare lifted her hoof to return the gesture, her light blue dress ruffling a little. “Oh drat, I had wanted to catch them both actually, you don’t happen to know where they went?” The mare quickly blushed. “Oh, where are my manners. Penny Farthing… wait, son?”
The stallion touched hooves lightly. "Pleased to meetcha." An ear lifted. "He didn't mention? I'm his father."
"Adopted," came a feminine voice from within the room before Trixie poked her head out. "Oh, hello there. He's gone off to this predator's haven of an eatery. She seems to like it."
Penny perked up a little at the news. “Oh, wow, okay yeah, I was wondering, seeing as he was, well, not a pony.” It was a hard urge to fight, for Penny, but she managed to not say the mare’s name before she spoke it. “Thank you, I will try and track them down, I am pretty sure I know the one he will be at.” She gave a wave of a hoof to Trixie and turned, swishing fabric as she made to gallop off.
Any explanations died in their throats as the mare broke and ran before it could be spoken. Trixie shrugged softly as she looked at Rough. "We've done our part, now get back in here and remind me just how Great your partner is while we have some time to ourselves."
The door shut quietly.
Penny was aware she probably shouldn’t gallop in her condition, but she just felt like she needed to. It was a lovely day outside, the pegasi had made sure of it, and she was free of her obligations. She did start to slow as she spotted the place she was sure Silver would be at. Stepping inside, she tried to look around but couldn’t spot her friend. “Excuse me,” she found a waitress, “I was looking for my friend, Silver… oh, young stallion unicorn, about this tall, here with his marefriend, a lunar pegasus?”
The griffon looked over the exotic lunar pony. Who was she to judge? "He's right over there." She leveled a claw with a booth towards the back. "Hard to miss a couple like that."
The lunar unicorn smiled brightly to the griffon. “Thank you so much.” She trotted over to her friends’ table. “Don’t suppose there is room for another at this table?”
"So basically, what I'm say--" He trailed off as a new pony arrived. "Penny, hello there."
Night perked her ears. "I called something coming up about then." She slid a bit to the left, making room. "Come on. Being on leave only works so far."
Silver shook his head quickly. "Penny's my friend. This isn't working."
The unicorn mare blushed as she fit herself down beside Night. “No, definitely not work, if it is a problem, I can always catch up later… although it is something I need to get done soon.” Penny looked down to her own side, the bulge there not easily visible past her dress.
Silver failed to spot the subtle glance, but Night's sharp eyes didn't, and earned her extra staring from the rotund mare.
He smiled, pushing over his own glass of water, untouched yet. "We were just about to order. Why does everything in Equestria seem to have the timing down pat?"
“Magic?” Penny chuckled but stopped and sobered a little at Night’s stare. “Anyway, I had something important to ask you, both of you.” She looked from Silver to Night, settling on the mare as the more important of the two to convince. “I am, well, with foal. A filly as I found out yesterday.”
Night flashed a smile. Whatever she had been imagining was apparently worse than what she was told. "Who's the father?"
"Congratulations!" exclaimed Silver before any answer could be given. "I thought you were… kind of avoiding that sort of thing?"
“My cycle started and… I made a few decisions about how I want my life to be. They are good ones.” Penny couldn’t stop a smile, damn her emotions for swinging around so much of late. “Stick is the father, it doesn’t seem possible but I guess love finds a way, here.”
Silver perked an ear. "I don't know much about how… changelings work that way, but if you two are happy, fuck everything else."
"Language." Night reached across the table and gave the consenting Silver a swat on the head. "His sentiments right. Congratulations to you both."
Penny beamed at the pair. “Thank you. But that is exactly what brings me to being here. I want to be a good mother and a responsible one. But I am not perfect, none of us are. If something ever happens to me, and Stick… and Hay, I want to know if you two would protect her?” Her hoof reached down and rubbed her side.
Night's ears lifted, tufted edges dancing. Her mouth opened to speak, but no words came out.
Silver filled in the void easily. "Of course, though I'd hope that wouldn't ever be needed." He slid a menu towards Penny. "Have you been here before? They have every kind of meat Celestia allows here."
Penny reached her hooves, one to each of the two ponies. “Thank you I… where I came from, we called it being ‘god-parents’.” She smiled and looked at them. “It warms my heart to know she will be safe.”
Silver's ears pricked up. "Oh? Is that what it means? I thought it was something else entirely." He accepted the offered hoof and gently squeezed it between two of his own. "I think this worked out."
"Worked out?" Night seemed more stunned, looking between the two rapidly. "How do you mean?"
"I almost did something stupid and hurtful to Penny. I'm glad we veered away from that, but we still get to be family."
Penny blushed a little and nodded. “Those things are in the past now, when are you due?” She looks to Night. “If it isn’t too personal.” She hastily adds, taking up a menu and browsing through it.
Night let out a slow breath. "I was going to mention, over dinner…" She rolled her ears back. "But fate conspires, as it always does." She put a hoof to her chest. "Please, forgive me. I'm… a little wound up today. Ignore me if I get too crabby." She forced a smile. "No one likes a crab."
Silver thrust a hoof suddenly, poking her right in the chest. "It takes one to know one, and you're sitting on your feelings like a nervous bird. Please, we're friends here. If you're mad, be mad, it's alright."
“I like crab… in fact…” Penny poked at the menu. “I might just order some, haven’t had some shellfish for a long time.”
Silver clopped his forehooves. "Crab for everyone then, if that's alright with you?" His eyes were on Night.
She took a little breath before she nodded. "That sounds pretty good. I keep forgetting you've probably tried this all, just… not as a pony, either of you, I guess?"
“Not crab, but I have tried fish.” Penny put down the menu. “This is a bit of a treat actually, normally I have a hungry changeling to feed while I eat.” She feigned looking around as if one would appear out of nowhere.
Silver tilted his head. "Where is Stick, speaking of which?"
Night waved at Silver. "Stop that. Now you're just taunting it."
“She is with Hay, they were visiting the hive today.” Penny giggled at Night’s apparent resignation that the universe will complicate things.
"Hay?" Silver waved at the same griffon waittress that Stick had approached. "Hey, a full round of crab please."
"Anything to drink?"
"We'll stick to water." Silver smiled. "We have two expectant mares."
"Busy boy." She wandered off without giving him much chance to defend himself.
Penny lifted a hoof and bopped herself on the forehead. “Now there is a rumor we don’t need. But yes, Hay.” Penny’s expression changed as if she had just bitten into the sweetest of pastries. “Hasn’t been long, I know, but we became good friends, all three of us.” There was some implication there.
Silver's attention zoomed in on Penny. "Oh no, you're following in my hoofsteps, and those are not good steps to go tracing."
“They aren’t?” Penny looked a little confused, her head turning to Night. “Why, what happened? You didn’t mention anything… well…” She blushed.
Night picked up her glass with a deft wing, taking a sip before she nodded. "This oaf's first visit to a city? He has not one but two mares he wants to get with, and maybe take his now-adoptive-father right along with them. Shame? He had none."
Penny laughed. “It’s not quite like that, Hay is very special to Stick and me, it feels so natural to be with her. My heart leads, I can’t help but follow it, particularly when Stick urged me to.”
Silver squirmed, his face darkened with shame. "At the time, it felt natural for me." His eyes darted up to meet Penny's. "It was Lyra and Bon Bon."
“And you did it anyway, right? It felt good at the time?” Penny inhaled deeply, seeing where this had likely gone, or so she thought.
Silver shook his head. "Not if you're thinking that. We just talked a lot, then things happened… And behold, I became a pony, and got caretakers who would become my adoptive parents." He smiled. "It worked out in the end because it led to Night." He gazed at her fondly, making her squirm.
“I am not you, Silver. Stick is not Night and Hay is not… okay, this isn’t working, but the point is, I have to try and have this work. It feels right and for us, it seems to be right.” Penny grinned. “Besides, you seem to be happy together, does following your heart seem like such a bad idea?”
Silver shook his head quickly. "Oh, crud, no. I wasn't trying to discourage you. I was just amazed at how you were following the same crazy path I started on." He lifted an ear. "I hope it leads to happiness."
“It already is. I also had this I needed to give you.” Penny reached for her dress and fiddled with it, producing a letter and passing it to Night. She smiled to the mare, “I hope you can both make it.”
Night glanced at Silver before she held up the letter with her hooves and tore it open with her wings. Her eyes scanned back and forth rapidly. "Oh, now you have to make a choice."
"A choice?" Silver lifted an ear.
Night rolled a hoof. "She's getting married on the same day as somepony else." She flashed her teeth. "You went and taunted it, and here's your punishment." With a flick, the latter landed before Silver.
Silver leaned forward to peer at it, then tapped his chin. "Are you sure you have the date right?"
Night looked as if she had been accused of murder. "When's the last time I got a date wrong?!"
“Please, there is no stress, whose wedding is around the same time? I know there will be one in Ponyville around then, but I made sure to pick the day before that.” Penny smiled.
Night stiffened. "The day before?"
Silver reached across the table. "It's an easy mistake to make. Nopony here's upset."
"What if I'm upset!?" She brought her hooves down in a clop before she caught herself and slowly lowered her hooves to her sides. "Sorry…"
Penny reached a hoof over to Night. “Hay, don’t get mad, it is fine to be upset. I mean, it isn’t like somepony would mess up their invitations or anything.”
Night trembled faintly. "That'd only happen if they put a fat, slow, stupid mare in charge of that…"
"Night." Silver crossed his forehooves. "I will not have anyone besmirching the most wonderful mare I know, even herself."
Penny paused, took a deep breath and looked expectant. She opened her mouth wide… then closed it. “Darn, I really hoped a song would start, those always cheer me up, maybe it would help you too, Night?”
Night looked baffled at the suggestion. Silver smiled at Penny. "Ponies don't notice when they're in song magic. Night." He focused on her, his silvery magic wrapping around her and gently lifting her from her seat. "You're hurting right now, and I'm going to take care of you."
“But they do react to it.” Penny conceded, smiling at the two and suddenly feeling like a third wheel. “Uh, maybe I should get mine to go…”
Silver held out a hoof. "You came for crab, we're having crab." His magic gently lowered Night beside himself. In his firm grip, she had begun to weep almost silently, and he gently nuzzled into her messy cheek. "We'll get through this, as friends and family." He glanced across as he licked away a tear. "One day you may fall apart too, and I won't run away."
Penny sat silent a moment, wondering just what roller-coaster she had signed up for. Thankfully, she was saved as their food was brought out. “Oh wow, that smells amazing.”
Silver bobbed his head. "They make everything here pretty well." Without Night to support, he used his clever magic to grab a fork and a set of pliers. With a loud snap, the meat of the crab was freed and he stuck the fork into it, just to bring it to his distraught wife. "Say ahhhh."
"I'm not a foal…"
"You're better than that, you're my everything."
Penny giggled at the sight. “Stick does the same thing to me, Night, I gave up and just let her have her way.” She shrugged and started on her own meal, getting a loud crack as she broke the shell with the heftiest eating tool ever.
Silver eyed the crab a moment, an idea brewing in his head.
Despite her state, Night spotted it quickly. "Whatever you're thinking, don't do it."
"Aww." Silver crossed his forehooves. "It'd be so cool."
"I can only imagine it'd make a huge mess and I don't even know what you were thinking."
“Would it be an awesome mess?” Penny nibbled some of the revealed meat from her crab. “Because if it is, it isn’t like we can’t clean it up.”
Silver clopped his hooves. "One of my shields makes anything that tries to pass through it is violently torn apart. If we erected a shield around the crab to keep it contained, then I gave it a brohoof…"
Penny stopped in her enthusiasm. “But then you would end up with crab meat and a whole lot of shell shredded through it, I don’t know as it would be edible then.”
Night prodded Silver. "Listen to your friend. Don't do that."
Silver's mind was still scheming. "If we isolated the meat… and just sent the shell flying everywhere, then we'd have lots of tasty crab without any shell in the way."
“If you are going to isolate the meat, couldn’t you just turn the shell into something else? Or even teleport it?” Penny’s magic wobbled a crab-leg in the air. “Then you could just make a neat pile of empty crab shells and piles of delicious meats.”
Silver's expression turned into a manic grin. "Teleport!" All eyes in the place turned towards him and he had the sense to blush and go quiet a moment before conversation resumed. "Of course, right, teleporting…"
“I can do apples to oranges, but I haven’t learned to teleport yet. Tough?” Penny mused, bringing the leg up to her snout and sucking the meat from inside it.
Silver nodded. "Not a trick I'd suggest doing without serious tutoring, unless you like the idea of transporter malfunctions."
Night suddenly threw herself at Silver, knocking him over sideways. Even as he opened his mouth to squawk, she found it with her own snout. His magic experiment, aborted with a kiss.
Penny nodded. “Yup, Stick tends to use that same trick on me when I try to do something silly. Works every time.” The lunar unicorn mare returned to trying to exfiltrate the delicious meat from the crab on her plate.
Night drew back from a quieted Silver. "Please."
Silver sat up, his ears back and an unsure expression on his face. "If it's that important, then alright." He leaned in and they nuzzled, peace had.
“So, will you be coming then?” Penny set down the last of her crab shell, not a sliver of meat remaining in it. “To the wedding I mean… my wedding.”
Night nodded to Penny. "Of course." She reached with a wing to claim some herself, seeming to be recovering from her episode. "We wouldn't miss it."
Silver bobbed in agreement even as his magic worked to extract a bit for himself. "I'll have to think up something appropriate for a gift. What do your herdmates like?"
“Herdmates?” Penny blinked at the expression. “I never really thought of it like that but… well, Hay loves working with… oh, I know what they would both love. Dresses.” Penny grinned widely, considering this payback.
Night tilted her head. "Neither of us are seamstresses or know their size. That's a tall order for us to fill."
Silver leaned against her as he nodded. "We'll try, sure… Nothing a little less… customized?"
“Well, Stick loves music, but I don’t think she has ever tried making some herself. Hay… I think that girl would go nuts if you could find her something to build, like some kind of model or such.” Penny’s idea of ultimate revenge on the pair was sunk.
Silver clopped his hooves excitedly. "Now that I can work with. As for you, oh yes, I know what to get you…"
Night raised a brow. "Is it something I will have to be upset about?"
Penny looked at the pair, her eyes suddenly dancing. “What about you two? Planning on a big day too?”
Silver sat up suddenly. "That reminds me. Night, didn't you say you were going to tell me something?"
"Oh!" She brushed at her eyes with her wings. "Yes! Yes… Samantha, the doctor. She said everything was ready to go. I mean… I could burst any moment."
“Burst? Oh, have your foal?” Penny clopped her hooves together at the good news.
Silver recoiled a bit. "That's fantastic news… and it's going to happen at Penny's wedding."
Night wrinkled her snout. "I'd put bits down on it."
Penny nodded too. “I will invite a doctor, don’t worry.”
Night raised a hoof. "If Samantha wasn't there when it happened, she would cry herself hysterical for a week at my estimation. Is it alright if I just invite her to the wedding?"
“She is your doctor? Of course it is okay.” Penny levitated her plate up to the griffon when they swung by to collect dishes.
Silver flashed a sudden smile. "Hopefully, we're being too paranoid and we won't try to steal your limelight. You and your herd deserve to have your day to yourself."
“The day wouldn't have any ‘limelight’ if my friends weren’t there. But this is Equestria, and you can be sure that if something crazy can get crazier, it will. Is there a Murphy’s Law here?”
Night shook herself suddenly. "I am going to enjoy this crab." She proved her sincerity by attacking the poor defenseless animal, tearing into its succulent meats with artful prying with her deadly fangs.
Silver leaned away a little even as he laughed at the brutal attack. "Did I mention I love her? I'm pretty sure if it wasn't mutual, she would have killed me by now."
Even Penny was a little surprised by the vicious attack. “Well, if she was trying I doubt she would fail, I would really not want to be on the wrong side of you, Mrs. Lining.” Penny tested the effect of her probe, having not missed the artful avoidance of the question earlier.
Silver leaned forward towards Penny. "Let's let her enjoy her dinner now that she's thinking about it instead of other things. I'll be there. We'll be there, so be sure about that, alright?" He smiled at his friend. "It's nice having a friend from back 'then' around."
“Yeah, I have kinda tried to put a lot of that ‘then’ behind me, there wasn’t a whole lot of good from back then, I am just glad most of it is here now.” Penny smiled and settled back a little. “Well, what will I do with myself, I got a whole day off. No school. No planning for the wedding. I don’t even have to feed my marefriends today.”
Silver hiked a brow. "You feed both of them?" Click. "Wait, are they both changelings?!"
“Well, Stick is. Hay… is complicated. To put it simply, her father was meant to be an undercover agent from Chrysalis’ hive to try and lure ponies, from Dodge. Love happened.” Penny shrugged as if love was a cosmic force that couldn’t be challenged. “She only found out recently, Stick has been helping her explore that side of herself, Princess Fast too.”
Silver shook his head. "Humans. I swear we're a magnet for the loose pieces of Equestria, picking up the iron filings from between the cracks without fail."
“Maybe we are needed here, we surely didn’t cause this, but are we helping?” Penny turned philosophical too. “Is the Text, was that what you called it? Is it trying to help the world as a whole?”
Silver raised a brow. "I don't rightly know. It seems to enjoy happy endings, but loathe happy worlds, or, at least, happy 'stars'." He put a hoof to his chest. "Lucky me, I'm one of those, so I'm not allowed to just be happy."
“You aren’t happy?” Penny frowned, looking at her friend, then to Night. “You really could have fooled me.”
Silver grinned. "I've adapted, but I'm also on the watch out. Like we talked today. We're waiting for something to explode. Maybe it won't, but chances aren't good."
Penny giggled. “There is two things here that are going to explode, but only one of them soon.” She looked to Night.
Night coughed at the joke, aborting her feast as she sat up. "That was terrible." She licked over her lips. "Even if technically true."
“Hopeful too. If that is the big event you are sensing, then, at least, it is a wonderfully happy one.” Penny couldn’t help but grin wide, showing off a little fang as she did.
Night turned an ear. "You know what? Let's just go with that." She slid from her seat. "I choose to assume the arrival of our foals is an event significant enough to keep whatever it is happy. Thank you."
Penny followed suit, working herself up and out of her chair. Checking her dress, she makes sure it is sitting properly. “We should catch up more often, or even work on something. I must confess I haven’t been writing nearly what I used to.”
Silver tapped a chin. "You mentioned you were in school?" He hopped down with everyone else. "Trixie's been taking me to task for making up too much as I went along. She's no formal teacher, but she knows her way around magic, and it's helping I think. You could join?"
“Learn magic from The Great and Powerful Trixie? Are you kidding? That would be awesome.” Penny beamed. “Well, I best leave you two.” The lunar unicorn put down some bits on the counter where the griffon was waiting for them to pay.
Silver looked guilty when Penny rushed to pay, though how to phrase it escaped him. "Oh, if you call her that without being sarcastic, that will get you points with her right away."
Night waved a wing at Penny. "Good evening. We'll be seeing each other soon."
Penny looked around, then back to Night. “If you are expecting a big event, I would avoid ominous phrases.” She giggled and got her change from the waitress. “See you both around.”
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I wonder if crabsticks are banned in Equestria, due to their production? Which I havent seen yet, but theres its relation, pink slime.
Equestria relys on Murphys three laws.
First law. Discord.
Second Law. Pinkie Pie.
Third Law. CMC.
Anything else is just the Everfree biding it time.
In regards to love finding a way. i feel the need to quote Ian Malcolm: "Life finds a way."
Thought it was a collab, sorry but some of the sentences seemed to clash slightly & gave it away. Awkward grammar aside it was a very good chapter but thought there might have a been a bit more consternation on the god parent thing that would have taken a little more discussion. Seemed too easily gotten over, don't know, just bouncing ideas, what do you guys think?
th03.deviantart.net/fs71/PRE/f/2011/090/0/3/shrugpony_twilight_sparkle_by_moongazeponies-d3cvkds.png
(Need an emoti of twi shrugging, this will have to do.)
super good job team a exultant chapter.
Heh, looks like Penny didn't get the memo about Silver's name change. Well, guess she'll find out soon enough.
plyers - pliers
Penn shrugged - Penny shrugged
iron filing - iron filings
Penny follows suit - Penny followed suit
*****
This was a lovely chapter! Even better that it's a collaboration between my two favorite authors on Fimfiction.
Penny brings the cute and sweet with her wherever she goes, and Silver and Night have enough clever between them to minimize most troubles below Princess or Elements of Harmony level. My opinion only, of course.
I can hear Penny saying tellyport as I'm reading. The cuteness has been doubled. I beg Damaged's forgiveness if they don't speak that way.
Oh, and it seems Night has discovered the perfect way to interrupt Silver's train of thought before it careens out of control. All things considered it has to be one of the more pleasant methods.
7047581 Typos, they double in collabs, and it's a double-length chapter. We were doomed from the start...
Still, a productive chapter! Important things were shared all around. Glad you liked it! If it helps, you're one of my favorite readers.
7047533 I'm not sure what there is to 'get over', really. If someone asked me RL 'Hey, can you be the godparent of my kid', I'd be surprised, sure, but my answer would also be yes, provided they were a friend/family.
7047623 It helps, thank you!
7048121 ???
7047628 It's probably just my family overly christian background talking, usually when someone asks this there's usually a big discussion over it & when I was present in my younger days at such a discussion, I'd take off to find something to do before being bored out of my skull by it. Just a quirk of perspective I spose?!
7048371 Sure, and that makes sense from that angle. From this angle, there is no religion involved. It's just 'Take care of my kid of they need it'. How do you respond to that from a friend in any other way other than 'yes'. Or maybe they weren't that good of a friend?
7048383 It's not so much the yes as 'how do you want he/she raised, what sort of schooling, what religious upbringing, what life goals would you like for them' those sort of nitty gritty bits, My parents were asked to do this for a couple of my cousins when I was around 8 or 10, not sure, but I do remember being bored stupid by it, just wanted to go out & play.
7048937 Those are some people taking this far more seriously than Silver and Penny, not for lack of desire to do right by one another, but a separation from tradition. This is how I would act, for better or worse, probably worse.
I found a few more typos lurking in the halls of Canterlot castle and under the restaurant table. I must have been in too much of a hurry this morning. Sorry...
*****
ran before it could - ran before they could
His sentiments right. - His sentiment's right.
She looks to Night. - She looked to Night.
She hastily adds - She hastily added
universe will complicate - universe would complicate
the latter landed - the letter landed
she makes sure it is - she made sure it was
tapped a chin - tapped his chin
*****
Well, she did make Silver an offer he couldn't refuse...
7048951
7048991 Sorry for the confusion, I let my past lead my comments, probably not a good thing I'll have to watch that in future. (probably didn't help staying up late eager to read the next chapter, sleep warps the mind)
7049042 Don't stress. You didn't bother me any.
So Cranky's wedding, then Penny's, then ???? We forgot as well...
Are they why Celestia and Luna forgot the gifts?
Keep going! ;)
7047866 I've got 50+ chapters in my story, yet only a couple weeks ago did someone notice a typo in chapter 7. These things just happen.
7049073
so, afraid to add any more action? what if the text got bored and thy ended up in ever glow or everglow ended up their, what if suddenly the planet everglow was in the same solar system or the other way around and it was close enough for strong beings to fly and or teleport the distance. what is the text was your god version of discord from everglow?
pegasus
added
pegasus?”
Run-on sentence! Period at end of spoiler.
filly,
are
A lunar pegasus. One pegasus, two pegasi.
7700094 Fix'd!
All this talk of popping, bursting, exploding... I now expect Night to fire those foals clear across the wedding stage when her time comes.
i.redd.it/v7to2nlj3ag11.png
Careful ponies, humans know why the crab is to be respected . . . They have relatives.