Putting on a Silver Robe and Wizard Hat

by David Silver

243 - Huntress on the Prowl

Nefertari slipped between here and there, but never made it there. Something got in her way, which was a very unusual thing to have happen. She was standing in a hallway she had meant to pass and Night Watch stood before her, wings spread wide. She had hoped to save her for last... "Yes?"

"I have calculated your movements," spoke Night, wings retracting. "You are making a bold move."

"It is our way." She flashed her sharp teeth. "What of it?"

"I'm not blind." She adjusted her glasses lightly. "You plan to finish what you started."

"Does that bother you?"

"Everyone else involved is someone I respect on some level or another." She thrust a hoof at Nefertari.

"And you are my student. I would assume some measure of respect is there." She could dash past Night, Nefer figured, but Night had to be dealt with, why not then? "We will be better able to coordinate in your efforts to bring shamanism to this country."

"You are a dangerous creature on your best of days."

"And you are not?" Nefertari dropped to a crouch, her face far closer to Night's. "We are both warriors. When we want something, we rise to take it. Neither of us are savages, however. There are... rules."

"You have rules?" Night shook her head. "I'm being unkind. You do have rules. You've proven this several times now. They are not our rules."

"Our?" Nefertari extended a hand. "Silver does not work by your rules. Celestia operates outside either of your moralities. Luna and she at times do not see one another. No, I do not follow your rules, but no one else does, not exactly... Our relationship will be one that brings friction at times, of this I have no doubt." She leaned closer, reaching for Night's snout. "But from that will come growth, a thing we are capable of, yes?"

"What is your goal?" demanded Night as she stepped just out of Nefertari's reach.

"That is a changing thing." She clicked two nails together. "At first, vindication, then anger, then resolution... Now curiosity and respect. You, my student, have bested me at times, but, ultimately, you have succeeded as a shaman. You are advancing the sacred art, a thing I have... slacked in doing. I have had almost no students, and you stand proudly before an entire room of them, guiding them."

"And not tricking them," retorted Night with a scowl.

"More the shame... The spirits will not hesitate to do so. Better it be done by someone they know to learn from." Nefertari rose to her full height. "Adversity encourages development. Even a kind spirit can become lost in their dark home, and bring you to that darkness with them without ill intent."

Night let out a slow hiss of a sigh. "Let's stop posturing. We're both good at it. What do you want?"

"To join his herd."

"Why?"

Nefertari lifted her shoulders. "It is a thing you ponies should understand. It is destiny. My very name speaks of it. There is a reason among many I was chosen to be the word of our people, sent to live in your strange land. I am a companion." She flexed her fingers, claws displayed. "No casual thing. I am a warrior first, but he has... shown he can be one worth speaking of, as have you... All members of this group have proven themselves in blood. There is no shame in joining this circle of warriors."

Night sank to her haunches. "That is... refreshingly honest. I am used to hearing subtle hints of deception from your tongue, but right now..."

"Truth is a precious gift, and one I give to you, future mate." Nefertari clasped her hands together, fingers threading through one another. "We will fight, viciously at times." Her lips peeled back in a smile, teeth displayed. "Let us grow from them."

Night's nostrils flared as she turned away. "Only you would look forward to marital spats."

"They will happen. Why begrudge them?" Nefer stepped closer. "We've already had a few, and neither of us died. A good start."

Night's eyes rolled. "I'm not attracted to you."

"Just as well." Nefertari let out the smallest snort. "Let us enjoy the battle one another brings. We can allow the others to their softness."

She vanished. That had gone better than she had hoped.

---

Moonbeam tapped a hoof with some impatience before his mother, Samantha, emerged from the dressing room. "Finally! What too--" He cut off, blinking at her. "Huh... that really does suit you." He had picked out a nice dress for her, but he didn't expect it to work quite so nicely. The trailing bit at the end somehow really helped. She was an adorable goddess. "Looking good, mom!"

Samantha giggled with joy. "You think so?"

Silver's two foals gave off squeaks of encouragement, tufted ears waggling.

Moonbeam gestured at them. "See, even they can see it. You'll do great at the wedding."

"But I'm not even the one getting married." Samantha stuck out her tongue a little. "Not sure why I need to change my clothing at all."

"Because it's a family thing, and they are your adoptive parents. You'd expect me to get dudded up if you get married, right?"

"Of course." She nodded quickly. "Objection withdrawn. Does it really look good?" She turned left and right, showing off.

Moonbeam gave a clopping, figuring it would work better than trying to convince her with words. "Any idea where Night went running off in a hurry?"

Samantha's ears twitched, tuning in. "She's talking to Nef Nef, probably about the whole thing. That's important."

"She was supposed to stay with us and help." He huffed softly. "Guess I have to be the responsible one here." He turned to the foals, at least the ones younger than himself. "Alright, let's get you two dressed."

They let out a shared cheer and followed him towards the foal's section of the store.

---

Silver strode along the streets of Canterlot. It had been a long day and the sun was heavy in the sky, but he had done what he had set out to do.

Which made it the perfect time for an old face to appear. Rough Tumble stood before him as if the waves of the crowds had pulled back to let him out, which was not against the odds with ponies involved. "Hey," he said, rubbing one foreleg with the opposing. "Congratulations."

"Rough!" Silver closed the distance. "Good to see you."

Tumble seemed confused. "Wha?"

Silver slowed his approach. "Shouldn't it be? I know we had... things, but we're past that. Tell me how you've been."

"The business is working out." Tumble gave a smile, then coughed into a hoof. "Um, thanks... for your part, I mean..." He glanced away and back at Silver. "Can we talk, ya know, in private?"

Silver reached out with his magic, wrapping up the stallion in its grasp. "Hold on." They both vanished in a fit of sparkles. They snapped back into existence in Silver's room. There wasn't anyone there at the moment. "Huh, must still be shopping." He turned to Tumble. "What's on your mind?"

Tumble crashed to his haunches. "Warn a fella before you do that, sheesh... Um, right! I... wanted to get something off my chest."

Silver could make a few guesses what it was, but trying to cut Tumble off with them felt like the wrong thing to do. "Go on."

Tumble shuffled his forehooves on the floor. "You know, way back when, when we were both foals... I... was your... mare for a day."

Silver just nodded.

Tumble gave a forced smile. "It didn't last long, and it ended all kinds of bad... but... uh... thanks. I mean..." He glanced towards a window. "I kinda wish I could find a stallion that cared that much, even to just admit it wasn't... working."

Silver stepped forward then. "Love is a tricky thing. The more desperate you are for it, the harder it hides. Make friends, live life, and let love find you instead. Be open to it, but stop chasing it."

Tumble poked Silver in the chest. "And you followed that advice how many times?"

Silver's cheeks went red. "Most of my entanglements only worked when I stopped running after them, I swear. It isn't just a, what was the word, platitude? I'm not just spouting random things."

"You don't care, I mean... that I want a stallion?"

"Should I?" Silver reached out a hoof and set it Tumble's shoulder, pulling him closer. "Love is up here." He tapped his head with his other forehoof. "And sometimes it doesn't follow what everyone else is busy saying is the 'right' way. As if who you find happiness with matters to them." He rolled his eyes. "You find that special pony, or dragon, or changeling, or whatever, male, female, both, neither. If you two... or more... make each other happy, you did it right."

Tumble burst into laughter, wiping a fetlock over his eyes. "I don't think I have what a dragon wants."

"The right dragon, the right place." Silver shrugged. "Keep an open mind and don't worry about it. Hec--Hay, you know what's chasing me right now?"

Tumble blinked. "The princesses?"

"No, I mean yes, but not just them. Do you know what an anubite is?" His horn glowed as he crafted an image of Nefertari in the air. "She has her eyes on me and she is a hunter."

Tumble tilted his head slowly left and right. "She looks weird. You're a patient pony, putting up with that. Say, uh, I should get going, but... I wanted to talk to you before your big day."

"Any time." Silver turned to the door as it opened with his will. "We're still friends, you know. You're welcome to stop by randomly."

"Why?"

"Friends do that."

"No." Tumble tapped at the floor. "I mean why are we friends? I mean... Aren't you a little angry?"

"Aren't we a bit past that? Besides, if I wanted to be angry at anyone, it would be your parents." Silver's nose wrinkled. "They did not give you half of what you deserved."

Tumble stepped past Silver towards the door. "Good luck with, um, everything..." He turned back to Silver. "I never would have guessed, I mean, when you were just a little runt of a unicorn..."

Silver smiled at that. "I wouldn't have either. You'll be fine, in a way neither of us will predict. Just take care of yourself first."

Tumble departed after that, leaving Silver alone in the room.

He closed the door with a thought and looked around in the silence. "After a full day of Photo Finish, this feels odd."

---

Celestia set Starlight in her bed gently. "That's alright, I'll just handle this myself." She turned away from the bed and began walking through the empty halls of the castle. All the ponies were asleep, save herself. She was not used to seeing everything so empty...

"Princess." Nefertari suddenly stood before her. "A pleasure to see you."

Celestia's ears perked. "A pleasure to see you." It was not always nice to see that ambassador, but she was eager for some company. "What keeps you up?"

"You." Nefertari stepped forward. "We have things to discuss, things only two females with such weights on their shoulders can understand."

Celestia inclined her head faintly. "I was not aware you were a ruler."

"Of a kingdom? Certainly not, but my people are relying on me, hoping that I turn things in their benefit. I am a focus of their desires, just as you are of the ponies that sleep around us." She slid in beside Celestia. "It is a lonely task, a high pedestal that others glare at with jealousy."

"It can be," admitted Celestia as she walked along with Nefertari. "It is also deeply rewarding and entirely worth the effort."

"You will find no disagreement there." Nefertari rest a hand on Celestia's back. "But it doesn't have to be lonely. I am told you will soon form a family."

Author's Note:

Nefertari plays her charms against each member of the herd in succession. She does not tolerate typos in her plans.

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Comments

[Booster Spice]

Beware the politiicans curse Nef.

Communication.

You may profile you ideas to each induvidual, but will those profiles mesh or conflict when those induviduals communicate with each other.

[Boulder]

 "And sometimes it doesn't follow what everyone else is busy saying is the 'right' way. As if who you find happiness ? matters to them." 

? = with

[David Silver]

8286987
Fix'd

[Warrior Kitten]

All this is disrupting what's supposed to happen. Celestia wont dreamwalk in time to see Starlight's nightmare and Luna won't be pulled into it.

[David Silver]

8287340
That is not necessarily true. The cartoon, by necessity, chops out huge swaths of time deemed 'unimportant'. If Celestia did exactly as the show displayed, that would have been a veeery short night.

[Warrior Kitten]

8287493
True dat.

[harts fire]

a vary good chapter with one pony that I am happy to see Rough Tumble.
I am hoping at some point Rough Tumble finds what his hart desires.

[sorenxoras]

You find that special pony, or dragon, or changeling, or whatever, male, female, both, neither.

I like that.