Putting on a Silver Robe and Wizard Hat

by David Silver

193 - In Loyal Service

Luna's magic swung open the door to the hallway. "We require the assistance of one guard."

One of them turned to peek in and slowly advanced. "As you summoned?"

"Good." She gestured to Samantha. "I would like your assist--" She cut off as she saw the guard give a most unpleasant expression. "Is there an issue?"

"He wanted to procreate with me," reported Samantha. "I'm flattered, but refused."

Luna blinked softly. "Is this true?" She peered at her guard with building ire.

"N-no! I..." He failed to find a good way to say he was trying to get her to go away. "No!"

"I see..." Luna shook her head slowly. "Very well, since we have started on that hoof. Guard, if you were approaching Samantha for purposes of..." She smirked. "Procreation, how would you?"

He trembled a little, wishing to be anywhere else than where he was. "I was..." He looked at Samantha a moment, then cleared his throat. "Um, miss? Would you... care to go out?"

Samantha's eared perked. Should she act like she was interested? To turn him down seemed like it would spoil the experiment entirely. "Where to?"

He glanced away. "Ah, um... how about... The Belfry?"

Luna clopped her forehooves gently. "That's very good. When we meet a pony we like, asking them on a date is a polite first step. Was he asking you out before, Samantha?"

Samantha thought back to their meeting. He had told her to go... "I think he was. Oh! I misunderstood him." She dipped her head toward the guard. "If you'd like to visit this belfry of yours after my lesson with Luna, I would be happy to." She wouldn't be intimate, but some sight-seeing and maybe dinner didn't sound awful.

He was flushing a deep red color. "M-mistress, why... Why is she here?"

Luna raised a brow. "She is my ward, and I intend to train her well, to avoid incidents like the last one. As my ward, why wouldn't she be here? Now, I expect you two to have a good time, and I want a report from both of you when you are concluded with your own observations, behaviors, and how you saw the other."

Samantha peeked at the other dummies. "Wasn't I graduating to a new practice?"

Luna pointed to the guard. "Here he is. Just as with the dummies, I expect him to be treated with all respect and dignity. He will be telling me how you did, so be on your best behavior."

Samantha saluted sharply. "I will take meticulous notes." Though she hardly needed to promise that. "Will you be leading me to this belfry, or will you tell me its location to meet you there?"

The guard coughed into a hoof. "U-um, if we're... My name."

"Oh yes! I am Samantha." She dipped her head towards him. "A pleasure to meet you."

"Y-yeah... I'm Midnight Bell." He quirked a little smile, forcing the gesture. "Let's have a good time?"

"Yes, let's!"

They walked from Luna's room, leaving her alone. She was not as oblivious as some claimed her to be, especially with the workings of pony's minds. She saw the discomfort in the guard, and heard the acid in his tone. She would keep an eye on him, them. Both of them needed a chaperone. She would just have to be subtle about it.

She could do subtle.

---

"Get rid of it." Night glared at Silver, perched on his desk.

"Why?"

"It doesn't belong." She bristled a little. "Besides, you never finished your course on transmutations, nor am I wearing a crystal, so kindly be rid of it before I end up with a memento of the occasion."

Silver tilted his head at her. "What if I thought you would be better serviced another way?"

"What way would that be?"

His magic closed the door and latched the lock.

Night glanced back at the door, only to feel Silver's breath over sensitive bits. Maybe she could wait... just a moment.

They kissed, even if Silver's aim was tragically misplaced. By the time it ended, Night was limp and sprawled over the desk. She was also back to being a mare, a fact that pleased her, even if... "Do you wish I was different?"

Silver perked an ear. "Cer--"

With a pop, a small figure fell on his head, then a crash was heard across the room as Clear Twilight pulled something off a shelf. He winced even as he lifted Morning Glory from his head.

Night staggered to the floor and rushed to rescue Clear from the mess she had made.

Silver hugged his son, blushing. He had forgotten they were there at all, and... oh my... "Worst parent of the year."

"There are two of us." Night returned with a foal in her grasp. "Is it wrong that I miss Samantha's foalsitting almost as much as the rest of her?"

Silver nuzzled both foals gently. "We should remember we're parents, and be proud. How about we go out for lunch, somewhere sunny and warm and with plenty of room for little foals to run wild?"

Night smiled gently. "That sounds lovely." She dropped Clear onto her back. "Let's go."

They cleaned up, then departed, off to enjoy Celestia's sun and simply be a family. It sounded delightful.

---

Lunch was well-received, and the foals ran around with uninhibited joy. There were a few other families around, so there was company for them as well. A motley gang of about half a dozen foals had formed of ages ranging from Morning Glory and Clear Twilight being about the youngest, to a larger filly that could compete with the Cutie Mark Crusaders.

Despite that age difference, they all played with enthusiasm. Silver smiled a little, watching them play a rousing game of 'defeat the dragon', with the larger female playing the part of the fearsome beast.

Night nudged his shoulder with a hoof. "Can we talk?"

Silver blinked, ceasing to focus on the foals and looking to Night. "Anytime. What's up?"

"I..." She glanced around, then back at Silver with her penetrating gaze. "I'm not perfect."

Silver blinked softly and sat up. "None of us are. What brings that on?"

Night reached for one of his hooves. "But I want to improve."

Silver pressed his hoof against hers. "Of course."

Night glanced away then back at Silver. "Do you believe... in ancestors?"

Silver blinked at that. "In people before us? Well, they were there, or we wouldn't be?"

Night shook her head. "No, current tense, like... ghosts?"

Silver drew a soft breath. Was Night coming clean to him? "I've been touched by that sort of thing before."

"You have?!" She sat up, surprised. "When?"

"Before I came to Equestria..." Silver rose his un-held hoof to his cheek. "I've called spirits, as a ch--foal, with varying success..."

Night blinked at the revelation. "Why don't you do that now?"

Silver quirked a smile. "It was the active imagination of a child, er, foal, and I have a more concrete magic now."

Night glanced towards the foals and back at Silver. "What if it was concrete? Would you be... scared?"

Silver leaned in and kissed Night gently on the nose. "If you were doing it, I couldn't be scared of it."

That was the right answer. She smiled gently. "Everyone else in the herd, everyone... even those trying to get into it... They all know magic. They all get better at it, and can practice, and learn spells."

"And you are a more than lovely lunar p--"

She pressed one of her hooves to his lips, silencing him. "I know you're about to say you'll love me just as I am, but that's not enough... I want magic too. I want something I can practice and learn and be better at... I don't have a horn, so unicorn magic is right out... but I have ancestors..."

"What about fighting?"

Night leaned forward and nuzzled him gently. "I would rather be with my family."

Silver blushed at her admission.

"Our herd is full of magic. I won't be left out." She spread her wings wide. "Will you accept your ghost-calling wife?"

Silver spread his own wings and brought them in to meet hers as he pressed in close. "I will, and do... How did you learn?"

She suddenly looked guilty.

Silver tilted his head. "It wasn't a forbidden tome, was it?"

"No! No..." Night clicked her tongue softly, her fangs licked over before she sat up tall. "I asked Nefertari..."

That... made sense. "I thought you were angry with her?"

"I was..." Night tilted her head at Silver. "But she's taken her role as teacher seriously, and I've learned a lot..."

Silver smiled with anticipation, almost vibrating. "Will you show me?"

"No... not yet." She glanced away and back. "Will you wait a little longer?"

The news was disappointing, but to be let this close was encouraging. "I'll wait, but please. I want to see what amazing things my clever wife has learned."

A loud cry rang out as the 'dragon' was felled, collapsing to the ground under a pile of other foals. Morning Glory sat on the top of the pile, quietly pleased.

Silver rose to his hooves and approached the squealing mass. "You've defeated the fell dragon, but awakened the true monster!" Silver spread his wings wide as he took on an imposing stance. "How will you defeat them?"

The 'dragon' switched sides almost instantly. "With friendship!"

"Arg! My weakness," proclaimed Silver as he staggered back. "But I am not defeated, just weakened. Let's see if your conv--" He was barreled into by an eager little colt and laughed as he almost fell over. The fight was on and he began gently tossing the foals around. He let his magic out in a cloud, catching them whenever one was hurled a little too far, or fell from too high. No child would be hurt by or around him, so far as he could help it.

In the end, he was defeated. He had to be. He slumped to the ground as little ponies clambered over him to claim victory over the dread elder being that they had bested through teamwork and persistence. The day had been won, by the youth at least.

"Wild Song!" came the voice of a mare. "Time to go home!"

One of the little shapes bolted out to get to his mother, and soon the others were dispersing.

Night scooped up her own two little foals and smiled at Silver. "Come on, dread beast, let's get going."

Silver rolled up to his hooves and shook off the grass that clung to him. "I'll win another day!" He giggled a little as he walked alongside Night. The energy between them felt healthier, and he was pleased.

Author's Note:

That chapter had a nice ending. Surely it's just hiding the typos to come...

Comments

[Booster Spice]

When Luna says she can do subtle, why do I get the image of the Angry Moon from Majoras Mask? to the song Bad Moon rising?

[Daremo]

He had forgot they - He had forgotten they

dropped Clear on her back - dropped Clear onto her back

Any time. - Anytime.

Only one small continuity issue:

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

She never climbed back onto the desk after that, so it doesn't quite mesh with

"Get rid of it." Night glared at Silver, still perched on his desk.

*****

Act 1: Glorious! The only thing missing is the gales of laughter from the other guard once the door is closed, but I can imagine that just fine.

Hmm... I am anxious to see this 'subtle' that Princess Luna speaks of. She's not a foal, and she does have powerful magics at her disposal. But...

Act 2: Also glorious, and also quite steamy. At least the foals had the good sense of timing to wait until after their parents were finished to cause too much mischief.

Act 3: Delightful and heartwarming beyond imagination. Night quite skillfully skirted around the reason that Night met with Nefertari in the first place, but a mare has to have a few secrets, yes? Especially a powerful shaman in training.

I really like the direction things are going, it's a great release of all the tension that had been building from the previous chapters. Quite literally in the case of Night Watch and Silver

[Shadow Lance]

well, what next? finding the skull of one of her ancecters? giving them a corporal body?

[David Silver]

7283313 Typos kept away from the foals. Won't someone think of the foals?

When will Night feel confident enough to show off the tricks she's learned? What will her grandfather think of the prince she's bagged?

How can the night at the Belfry go anything but smoothly?!

[Daremo]

7283321
When she feels she feels she is ready, I imagine. She still has to visit her folks and bring them up to speed on what she is now. How that plays out will likely affect how she shows Silver.

Her grandfather seems to be a good soul. No pun intended. But prejudices can run deep. I imagine Silver's alicorn status will settle any ruffled wings, or Night will have to exert full control over him for the first time.

I'm very eager to see how our clever author will handle the date. Comedy? Drama? Friendship and rainbows? Some combination of those, plus other factors I have not imagined?

Also, thank you for the early breakfast. Much appreciated.

[Bernkastel988]

This was too adorable almost had a heart attack

[No one is home]

The infamous Belfry? I've heard stories about what goes on there. I wonder what could be in the cards for this outing?

[terrycloth]

7283319 Encasing the skull in clear plastic and using it as a self-guided weapon?

[Shadow Lance]

7283829 more like taking energy from it like necromancy

[tsaukpaetra]

Haha that guard gets his own comeuppance! At first we thought it was the easier-going guard, but this is much more poetic...
Keep going! ;)

[Vutava]

7283829 But where's she gonna find a willing bowling shop?

[harts fire]

a vary sweet chapter a super good read.

[Cursed Quill]

Night not insisting after being interrupted from "change me back"? Fool. Just as Silver is for not immediately complying.

[David Silver]

7285263 A happy couple.