Putting on a Silver Robe and Wizard Hat

by David Silver

286 - Touching Bases

"So I saved a life, a really small one." She poked her head up over her monitor, her magic working at something in front of it. "And threw myself into this state, apparently. Before you say anything, I'm almost certain there was no morality at play, at least not as the pivotal piece. Saving one unborn child, while noble, would not be enough. No no no no no." She waved a hoof excitedly as she ducked back down. "It was the magic. I was stretched to the point of breaking while doing something selfless. In my case, I think the first was more of the trigger, with the second being a little match thrown on the pile."

"I... see." Silver watched her work, his ears erect but not alarmed. "Where is that child now?"

"A mare." She waggled an ear. "That is not me, but I told you that already." She pointed to a flat metal disc. "If you could sit there for me?" When he moved over and sat, she bobbed her head. "Perfect, now look up and push the other disc over you, start small and then go as strong as you can."

Silver could easily see the smooth metal that seemed attached to the ceiling over him, and it only worried him. "How secure is that ceiling? You're renting this apartment and I don't want to be why you get kicked out of it."

"That's sweet, now push." She made a shooing motion with both of her fore hooves. "Go on."

"Mom?" Moonbeam called from the front door, it clicking shut a moment later. "That you?"

"I'm in here," Samantha called back with a grin. "Doin' experiments on your grandfather."

"I don't have..." He came into sight of Silver and slowed a moment. "Oh, right. Hey, Silver."

"Hey yourself, Moo.... Moon?" He slumped in place, sighing softly. "What was your name again? I'm very sorry."

"Moon is something I go by, but it's Moonbeam," corrected the lunar as he set his schoolbag aside. "I have homework. Is this a loud kinda experiment, Mom?"

"I don't predict so." She inclined her head softly. "But I've been wrong about that before."

He snatched two small books from his bag and trotted off with a grumble. Samantha smiled at where he was before turning her gaze to Silver. "Proceed."

"He seems alright with your new... condition?" Rather than tease her any further, he reached with his magic up to the plate, touching the smooth metal.

It reacted immediately, lowering towards him at an uncomfortable rate. With a surprised squeak, he redoubled his efforts, turning his gentle exploring into a firm push, bringing the disc to a stop a few feet over his head. "You didn't tell me it'd do that!"

"All part of the experiment." Her horn was glowing, doing something behind that monitor of hers. "Excellent reflexes, a little sloppy. You have passable strength. We need to see what its limits are." She twisted a hoof in the air and the disc began to lower, powering past Silver's holding magic and threatening to squish him.

He clenched his teeth, his glow intensifying as he shoved up against the disc, his force growing faster and faster, but so did the pressure he felt from the disc. Through his tactile magic, he inspected it both in material and magic and it came all too quickly. The disc was partially keyed to his magic, growing stronger with it, using it to press harder. He was in a losing game against that disc in a direct match.

"Your reactions imply heavy aetheric consideration." She lifted one ear high. "Please do not damage the measuring disc. The odds of physical harm are at least half as low as they used to be. I've put in many hours ensuring it!" She clopped her fore hooves softly. "Push harder! We need to see the exact limit of your abilities."

He aborted his half-formed clever idea to subvert the disc. "You're still Samantha." His crazy adopted daughter, the half-human scientist. Being an alicorn had not changed that. He gathered his power, keeping it in a tight focus. Though he had fallen out of the habit, he shaped it into a great hand, holding the disc up as it kept getting heavier and heavier. Sweat ran down, forcing him to blink before it got too far into his eyes.

"That remains my identification," she agreed with a soft nod. "Though it is customary to add 'princess' in front in my condition, you often do not add 'prince', so there is precedent that I am taking advantage of." Her eyes were not on him, instead her monitor, watching something. "Fascinating... I'm going to--" She did it before even finishing her words, the weight of the disc suddenly increasing by a factor, then another, coming crashing down towards Silver.

Even as he tried to raise the power of his pushing, he grabbed for the center of the disc in a frantic hurry. He twisted the magic inside of it in a cruel wrench, not really thinking about it in that precious instant he had before it would slap into him. The disc suddenly turned to the side and flew towards the wall with all the same speed. It slapped against it with a loud gong of a sound, but slid to the floor instantly, clattering like dropped cymbals.

"Good thing I had the emergency shut-off ready." Samantha nodded softly. "That would have caused considerable property damage otherwise. You would have covered it though." She waved it off like it was no big deal. "I'll have to repair that later, but no matter! This is great!" She waved wildly at her monitor. "Your strength has increased considerably from the last measure. I'll have to properly analyze the results for specifics, but I'll keep you posted."

Keep him posted? "Am I being dismissed?"

She inclined her head softly. "Are you a scientist? Did you want to help me analyze these numbers? That would be great!"

Well... "Not exactly... I have to settle in." He rose to his hooves, drawing his power back into himself steadily, recatching his breath. "Call me if you need anything... It's good to see you, Samantha." Even if he had just been in danger, Samantha was a welcome sight. "If alicorn life gets confusing, I'll help how I can."

"You're the best father I ever had." She gently waved, though her eyes were locked on the figures she was puzzling through. "I'll be in touch."

Silver glanced at the fallen disc that had almost squashed him, shaking his head. "Some things..." He vanished in a silver puff.

Moonbeam poked his head in. "I thought... Oh, experiment's over?" He was looking to where Silver had been a moment before. "Nevermind. Dinner will be ready at the usual time."

"Thank you," mumbled Samantha as she worked, barely paying attention.

---

That evening, he sank into the bed he hadn't graced in what felt like forever. At his side was Night Watch. On his other side, two foals that were already asleep, exhausted from a day of exploration and merriment.

Night gently nipped his closer ear. "Work is proceeding apace. We tend to stop at night, as most of the workers don't work well in it. What did Luna have to talk to you about?"

"Mmm?" Silver touched his nose to Night's cheek. "Who told you I was visiting her?"

"You did." She rolled her eyes even as she shoved her head under his chin and bit at his throat with her sharp teeth. "Some things don't change. What did she say?"

"Had I? There's so much going on right now..." He reached a hoof, gently holding Night. "So much changing. Oh! Right, you should definately be aware of this." He leaned in and softly breathed over her ear, watching it dance a little. "Did Celestia and Luna tell you what was planned?"

"Of course." Her tail lashed softly. "You're the last one to know, in this case. I assume they both informed you. You're almost not a herd. Just a lunar and a quasi-changeling to your name, poor stallion."

"About that. Luna didn't want to do it, at all." He sat up, rising from laying to his haunches. "She is retiring from dream patrol, giving that job to me, but I did not kick her out of the family. She will be distant for a time, but is still a member and will return as soon as Celestia isn't looking. Just not as a princess."

Night sat up to match his gaze, her slit eyes constricting faintly. "You can handle the dream world? You're almost the definition of a day pony. You go to sleep early on most days and wake up just as early. You come at things directly whenever possible... You, our new master of the night?"

"I've done it once before." When she gave him a look, he smirked softly. "It's true. It was in a dream; a long and terrible dream, full of wonders and horrors in equal abundance. It was there that I fought you. It was there I divorced you. It was there I first met my foals..." Silver raised a hoof to his chest. "I know full well the power, majesty, and awe-inspiring terrible might of dreams. I have walked along those ever-changing paths and seen inside."

She headbutted his chest, burying her face in his fluff. "We're both taking on new responsibilities, aren't we? With Nefertari's passing, I stand as the only word of shamanism in the entire kingdom. It's been... educational, as much to my students as it is to me, their teacher." She nibbled at his flesh as she nestled in closer. "Many things are changing, but I give it a 76% chance of happy ending. Oh!" She sat up suddenly. "Twilight will be our new princess. Does that bother you? I know you don't see her as you see Celestia."

"No..." Twilight was a distant daughter, an innocent creature he delighted in watching grow and mature. "She will never be my 'mother' in that way, but that isn't the position I'm taking either." He reached to rest a hoof beside his two slumbering children. "I will stand beside her and support her, not expect support. Like Luna... Like the last watcher of dreams, I will be in the background, helping from outside the direct view."

She poked him on the shoulder. "Unlike Luna, how about we nip that in the bud before it even has a chance to blossom? If you're the night to her sun, you should support each other, as equals. Let her advise you as you advise her, and you can do public speaking, I've seen it." She clucked her tongue against her teeth. "So you can share that too, when the situation is right."

"I... need to talk to her, first." He inclined his head, considering it. "When do--" They both went rigid at a new noise.

Their little filly rolled over with a yawn, but did not awaken. The two parents were still and quiet for a time before slowly sinking onto the mattress. It was not time to talk and debate anymore. They went to bed as their children commanded without words, soon sleeping peacefully half-curled around one another.

---

"Hey, big, dark, and mysterious." Fast Change was standing over Silver as he woke up. "Welcome to the morning! Night's already gone, the foals are playing just over there." She pointed the way to where the foals were having fun with Whiskers. "That leaves us here. So how about we blow everything off and do what married ponies do, hmm?"

Silver blinked softly, still working the sleep from his eyes. "Good morning to you too, Fast. Where were you, last night?"

She sank on top of him, resting belly to belly on top of him. "In my own bed."

"You're my wife, last I checked." He gently brushed a hoof down her side, feeling her soft fur. "You should sleep with us."

"Oh, I dunno..." She hopped free of him and the bed, landing on the floor easily despite the sudden change from laying to leaping. "I'll ask Night how she feels about it. Time to get up!" Her horn glowed, yanking the blankets far away, not that he had been reaching for them.

Author's Note:

Family dynamics are go. Samantha? Still a crazy mad scientist. Fast clearly needs at least 4 hugs. And, oh no, Twilight will soon be joining! Um, no, not in the bedroom. She has a kingdom to freak out about first.

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Comments

[Booster Spice]

Gets slightly confusing which level of reality things are running at, but given certain research, might as well just take it as you find it and do your best to enjoy it.

Happy families are happy, though Samantha should really set the system limits apart from the system activation so it cant break its subjects or itself. Save resources and she can do more science. Until the science involves exploding resources.

[David Silver]

10072181
She was completely confident she could hit the shutoff switch or Silver would take care of himself in time.

[DerpTape]

And, oh no, Twilight will soon be joining! Um, no, not in the bedroom. She has a kingdom to freak out about first.

I notice you qualified that.

[Mare Serenitis]

That evening, he sank into the bed he hadn't graced in what felt like forever. At his side was Night Wing. On his other side, two foals that were already asleep, exhausted from a day of exploration and merriment.

Night Wing.

First Harbinger of typos.

[David Silver]

10970711
I should be watching out for those!