Fast tapped the ground. "So, the way I see it, if you really want to do your thing, you should."
Night smiled a faint moment but it was overtaken by a frown. "But I leave all of... everyone... Nobody will follow me."
Fast tilted her head. "It's lonely being a leader. You want to lead, right?"
Night scowled at Fast. "You're a 'leader', but here you are surrounded by--"
"Strangers I learned to love." Fast snorted softly. "It's kept me away from those I love... Make your choice, but do so. Don't leave Silver thrashing on the wire."
Night got to her own hooves, shaking. "But... I thought you loved me too?"
Fast raised a brow. "I like you... I like you a lot, in fact, but there was one pony that insisted, insisted that I was worth being with just exactly the way I was, and it wasn't you. Heck, even the changelings prefer me to wear my carapace or my unblemished form... Even they..." Fast glanced away suddenly. "If you won't accept him just the way he is, I will. I will gather up his broken pieces and nurse him to health. I will..." Tears began to fall from her face. "I will... He didn't abandon me, I won't abandon him."
Night shrank back from the emotional display, and her sharp mind went to work. "You're hoping I leave."
"Yes!" confessed Fast. When a changeling came in, likely to see what had made his que--princess make such a noise, she pointed right back out the door and they fled. "Yes... He loves you, more than anything in the world, and he'll do what he has to for you, but... if he loses you, then maybe I have a chance..." She smiled a little. "I'm horrible, but no more horrible than you."
Night glanced around feverishly. Her plans were crumbling to ash before her. All she thought she could gain easily was so much soot running between her hooves. "B-but..."
"Have your herd." Fast snorted. "I will marry him, either alone or..." She tapped the book Silver left behind. "I'll share him with the other princesses if I have to. Go and be free."
"I don't want to be free," whispered Night in a small voice, shivering.
"What do you want?"
Night didn't know. She felt like she didn't know anything.
"You ran away from your own foals." Fast snorted softly. "You ran away from the stallion that has known only love and awe for you. Go!" Fast rose to her tall stature. "Go on, go! I only have room for one stallion, and you're not it!"
"F-fast..." Being spoken to that way, it hurt... Night didn't need her! She could... She ran the numbers in her head and paled. She sank to the ground. How had she ever allowed the odds to become so skewed against her?
"Go!"
Night sniffled and cried, it was all she could think to do. A spectral form appeared beside her. "You didn't call... but I couldn't ignore the pain." Her grandfather set a wing over her prone form. "What happened? Did he do something?" She wailed all the harder.
Silver had left. Night was in a safe place, or so he thought. With Fast seemed like one of the safer places he knew, and he took wing back to the castle. Though he still shook just faintly, he had control of himself. He was a prince... He had to act like it.
He marched through the castle just to see a familiar face and smile. "Prince Blueblood."
Blueblood looked up at him. "Hmm? Yes?"
"I was hoping to get your advice on a few things." He dipped his head at Blueblood. "I may be an alicorn prince, and that's fine, but you were born to it, so--"
"--So you thought to approach a natural." Blueblood smiled, his ego happy with Silver's logic. "This way. Princes like us shouldn't speak in view of the common folk." He began to lead Silver away down some side hallways into a luxuriously appointed room, even by Canterlot's standards. "My room. Please, make yourself at home." He settled beside a table and began to mix a drink. "I was wondering if you'd try to make do on your own, in fact, you've lost me a little wager."
Silver looked embarrassed, but he smiled. "Oh think nothing of it. I'd rather lose such a wager than have a poor prince installed. Besides, I didn't bet too much." He poured the drink out into two shots and slid one down with magic towards Silver. "So tell me, sources say you were not a unicorn to begin, not even a pony, and here you are. Is this a power play?"
"No no no!"
"Oh the look on your face. You're either being truthful, or you're an exceptionally poor politician." He raised a brow. "You strike me as a bit of both. No need to be shy. You've risen from nothing to the highest rank we offer. Surely some part of you thrills at the opportunity."
Silver lifted the glass he was offered and let his magic run through it. It wasn't as if he could 'feel' poison, but he felt safer somehow. He slipped softly. "I want to do right by Equestria." It tasted... of alcohol. He had no sense of the nuances.
"You sound like Auntie." He leaned up a little. "That's a compliment, by the way."
Silver quirked a smile. "Would it be wrong to say I hope to be as good a prince as she is a princess?"
"Lofty." He tilted his glass towards Silver, only bringing it back after they clinked softly together. "But let's start with the small things. Foal steps, as they say it, but I dislike that saying. Foals will take more steps than they can manage, and often end up belly down on the ground."
Silver nodded stiffly. "I'll try to avoid that, look, Blueblood..." He rolled a hoof. "How much flak should I expect?"
"Hmm? Well, you have an inherent issue... Cadance, well, she was, and is, breathtaking. She won over the hearts of the populace just by smiling at them, mostly. She was also competent and composed, no, she did not have it hard, despite not being well known at the start. Despite all that... she waited such a long time before her proper assignment, being little more than Auntie's niece, and she became a figure over time. Hmm, Auntie was shrewd..."
"What about me?" Silver pointed at himself. "I have to be crowned, but I don't have to ru--"
"Not the same thing." Blueblood shook a hoof. "To start, you are already a known adult. You have a position, and you have a record. You can't hide behind Auntie so easily. No, I'm afraid you're going to make a splash whether or not you want to." He downed the last of his drink. "So, if it's going to happen either way, why not make the best of it?" He raised his brows together. "You're entering the pool on the deep end, a smooth entry is impossible, so... at least make it a splash worth remembering, perhaps to a purpose you can support."
Silver nodded, then wobbled a hoof. "May I ask something potentially personal?"
"Hmm? Something about me? You've captured my curiosity."
"No, I mean, marriage."
"No, thank you."
Silver blushed. He had been shot down by Blueblood. "Not what I meant. I mean, I--"
"I'm just teasing you." Blueblood gently nudged him. "We're to be peers, we should know a little levity." He poured a fresh drink for them both. "I know of your tangled romantic life. Auntie asked me about it a few days ago, in fact. You already have a foal, two in fact. The simplest answer would be to wed Night--"
"What if she doesn't want to?"
He frowned at the thought. "Well, that complicates things. If she insists on not being wed, well..." He rolled a hoof. "Remember that splash? You could be a stallion clinging to the old ways and become a prince with a herd, but that won't work, not with things as they are."
"Why not?" The idea that it could work at all had Silver's attention.
"Oh that's quite simple." He raised a brow as he tipped his glass. "You only have one mare. The other is insane. You can't marry her, and even after she gains a clean bill of health, it will remain something of a... questionable move. Regardless, not so soon as to matter to your coronation, so she's out. That leaves Night, and that's one mare." He held up a hoof. "One mare does not a herd make, not in the eyes of the people. You're just playing both sides of the field, as it were."
Silver's ears perked. He thought of Celestia and Luna, they may agree to such things, but would Night? Would Blueblood like the idea of him going after his 'Aunts'? "What about Fast Change?"
"The changeling?" He tapped his chin. "Actually, if you made it part of your theme... Yes. Imagine this. What if you married one of every race you brought to peace? Of course, that'd mean you have to find an Umbrum that catches your interest, but it would fit your title..." He brought his forehooves together in a clop. "Maybe a human female as well? Many would blush, but none would argue your right."
The umbrum female hadn't done it, but the mention of the human female, that made him blush...
"Of course, that would involve you bringing the lunar pegasi to proper peace."
"Hmm?"
He gestured. "While many of them live quite peaceful lives, many more are dissatisfied. You've met a few, to say nothing of the trouble raised against them because they're 'scary'." His snout wrinkled at the word and he drew from the smooth alcohol. "You would be the one to fix that. I would make that your first 'official' business as a prince, this herd business completely aside. The whole matter is a nasty wound on the side of Equestria that we've been ignoring dutifully for too long. I doubt you will, however. You don't like to ignore things." He smiled a little. "At least, that's what I expect."
Blueblood slid to his hooves. "You must be overwhelmed. You've barely put forward any ideas of your own. Relax. The coronation is all well and fine in Auntie's hooves."
Silver stood up as well and thanked Blueblood for his help, but he was gently being shown the door.
"We simply must do this more often, but I have things to do, as do you. Good luck, Prince."
Finally I hope this will make Night a more humble pony. And damn you for making me sit on the edge of my seat and press the reload button on the page everyday around this time.
this is a vary interesting chapter.
so much to think about.
Too be honest, Night needed a large dose of humble pie I think. That and she needed to be pulled out of her jealous mindset. It's been a theme with her for this entire series. Every time something happens to Silver that makes him more powerful, she suddenly feels the need to either become his equal or be more powerful than him. We saw that in the dreams, with the armor set, and we're seeing it now with her interest in Shamanism. It's all the same, she's never content with what she has, she always feels as though she needs to be more powerful, and better. At least that's my impression on what's been happening anyways. And it's good to see that Fast Change is giving her that kick in the flank that Night's been needing for a while now.
wow, that interaction between Night and Fast was intense...
Hmm...wonder how well Silver could handle himself against an angry spirit? Sure, he did pretty well in the dream world but there are discrepancies so he could overestimate himself and suffer for it.
I really enjoyed that piece with Blueblood. I actually don't remember previous encounters with him in this story, so to see Blueblood giving actual thoughtful advice with intelligence behind it, really makes me like the gentleman he is and that maybe he isn't so bad after all. Unless he starts stabbing people in the back.... which has a high chance of probability. But I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.
Poor Night. I'm sorry hun, but you really needed that kick in the teeth.
"You're a 'leader', but here you are surrounded by--"
You use Blueblood as 2 words here for 2 instances but use it as one word 11 times, you should change these two for consistency
7331294 Woops, should be one word, fixed! Hope you liked the chapter:)
You know things are getting messy when you have to take reasonable advice from your enemies and the leaders the local populance otherwise deride or despise.
Is Night losing to the spirits through them being stealthy infusing corrupters, demonic style? or is that fiends, or devils?
Never thought I'd say this...Even with the likely chance of backstabs, but...
Praise Blueblood's sensible advice (From what I have seen), that was one impressive conversation!
7331379 Blueblood were never his enemy in the entire series.
So... the idea of a hard is back on the table? And to pick a theme such as one of everything, it could work, and also nicely head off any attempts by gold diggers to worm their way into Silver's herd once each type is filled. If that's not a bold belly flop into the political scene, I don't know what could be bigger.
7331295 So when is he going to get his flying teacher?
7332462 Who?
7332498 Who? Are you trying to tell me their are other characters in your story that are so posed to be privately tutored in horse flying laws.
stable or table?
sipped
Why does Blueblood sound moderately smart & interesting all of a sudden, is he steering Silver down a shady course, isn't Nefer a potential herd member too? This needs to be sorted before the coronation.
were so much soot - was so much soot
beside a stable - beside a table
as it they say - as they say it --or-- as it they say
flack - flak
Auntie's neice - Auntie's niece
No thank you. - No, thank you.
clinging the old - clinging to the old
Would Blueblood like the idea of him going after his 'Aunts'. - Would Blueblood like the idea of him going after his 'Aunts'?
*****
Hmmm... the similarity between Blueblood's counsel and Princess Celestia's feels as important as the discrepancies.
Now we know that Princess Celestia sought counsel from Blueblood. It's another thread in the tapestry being woven that shows a bit more of the larger picture. She didn't necessarily come up with the possible options that she presented to Silver on her own, but the bias against herding certainly seems to be her spin on the options more than Blueblood's.
In the end, Bluebloo... actually, for the rest of this I'll call him Bb. In the end, Bb's idea of allowing the coronation work itself out and focusing instead on fixing the challenges facing the lunar ponies as a justification for herding with Night, seems solid, based on what he knows of the situation and Silver's desires. But most importantly, Bb rather gently urged Silver to come up with other options to discuss with Bb in the future, they may be able to suss out a better solution or at least a different path to follow while a solution is sought.
I found it very interesting that Bb is aware of the ponies inclination to live life in a bubble and ignore anything out of the ordinary unless it affects them directly. I begin to suspect that Bb is a somewhat progressive thinker within the constraints of Equestrian society. If he continues to deal with Silver with candor and integrity, he will be as valuable a resource, and perhaps a friend, as Fancy Pants has been.
I wonder who he set that wager with. The implication is that Bb didn't believe that Silver would seek his counsel and would be a poor prince, which would account for the little unicorn test from many chapters ago. Someone else had a higher opinion of him and his desire to be a good prince. Hmmm... indeed.
And then there is the elephant in the room.
I feel a lot of empathy for Nightwatch, sympathy too. It's heart-rending to see her suffering like this, even if a good portion has arguably been brought on by her recent actions. It's seeming less likely that this has been brought on by some sinister outside force and is instead a manifestation of her own fears and feelings of inadequacy.
Fast Change seems to be the tragic heroine in all this, the one she loves has never been farther out of her reach, though the situation has made him feel tantalizingly close.
In case it's not clear from all verbiage above, I really liked this chapter. I like them all, but the best are the ones when the ice starts to break up and the story begins to flow forward again, and this is definitely one of those.
I'm pretty sure that should be flak, but spellcheck isn't complaining about either spelling.
7332873
7332848 Typos fixed!
A heavy chapter to be sure, but there was motion, and it was good motion, overall.
Will Fast recover? Will Night? What path will Silver trot along?
7331843
Granted, having one of each race is full of problems. That is the equivalent of one my Caucasian friends saying that since that have a black friend (me) that they no longer have to look to make friends with other black people.
7331104
Large slice of humble pie and being voted off the herd themed survivor.
Most of Fast Change's exchange with Night Watch this chapter felt like a verbal Curb Stomp Battle which was strangely gratifying. I always saw Night Watch as the Betty and Fast Change as the Veronica. but now the roles have switched.
7331148
What is spirit Gramps going to say: "Well boyo, you didn't want a dick in your ass? Why not?! She's your wife.... oh, she wanted you to be the first wife... oh.... well.... you still made her cry for not going along with something that is not only not in your best interest, also career damaging as well.
7331263
It seemed more like Night Watch was repeatedly kneed in the teeth while in a choke hold.
In the end though:
DOWN WITH NIGHT WATCH! MAY FAST CHANGE REIGN FORVER!!
So, reuniting the original herd?
but where else
7331104 Meh, being satisfied as you are isn't the theme of the week. Look what that got Night Wing. ...I think I see where Night Watch is headed now.