Putting on a Silver Robe and Wizard Hat

by David Silver

307 - Coming Together

Rough set a hoof on the small snout of his child. "Whatever else happens--" The foal squealed with joy, enjoying the contact. "I don't regret you." He leaned in, touching noses gently. "You are the best thing to happen to me." He turned an ear back. "You'll need a tutor... You have parts I don't have."

He gently nipped at the little pegasus filly colored much as Trixie was. Fitting enough, being her child. He did his best to preen at those tiny young feathers, drawing them straight and clean. "Ah." It came back to him. "Night said she'd help. Such a good daughter. Not as good as you." He nuzzled his giggling little foal. "But close."

It was hardly a fair competition, a daughter in law against an actual daughter. He loved them both, in different ways. "Will you be a dreamer, like your dad, or a showpony, like your mom? Maybe you'll work the two together." The filly tilted her head without understanding. "No stress. You'll figure it out."

Rough Draft held Sapphire Streak with only growing love. "We'll both figure it out." It was an adventure he was determined to take part in and do his best in.

Unknowing that he was following a pattern, he balanced his precious little filly on his head and got to walking. "Which should start with making sure I'm taking care of those little wings."

Sapphire flapped her small wings like buzzing insect wings, pretending to fly despite not actually doing that atop Rough's head. He laughed at her game and accelerated to make the flight all the more exciting. Life had gotten complicated, but, he decided as he went, not in an awful way.

---

"I heard we have a new princess." Fetlock, her mane up in a bun, was seated just ahead of Silver on the train. "Also, you're a prince. Why are we riding coach?"

Gudrun shrugged softly. "Maybe he doesn't like showin' off?"

Samantha inclined her head. "He does not like using more money than is needed when he can and has the willpower to avoid it. We will arrive at the same time."

Silver nodded at that. "No time saved, just comfort. We'll all survive these seats." He remained sank into his. "Thank you, for coming. I expected you to want to wait."

Fetlock raised a brow. "Funny thing. I've been chased out of my place a few times. I've learned how to drop it and go whenever I need to."

Gudrun shrugged at that. "I've seen it."

"You've lived it," countered Fetlock, puffing up at the mane that wasn't in her way anymore. "If my last boss comes snooping around--"

"--I'll take care of it," assured Silver. "I don't think he will, if you're happy." He reconsidered his words with a soft harum. "Actually, he may, to visit you. But not to cause trouble. Just a guess on my part."

Fetlock flicked her ears back for but a moment. "Thanks for reminding me that my old boss had a thing for me." She did not look ready to return that feeling. "You don't, do you?"

Silver shook his head quickly. "I don't know you nearly well enough."

That answer did not bring as much comfort as he hoped, instead earning a suspicious glare from Fetlock. "So you're going to have a thing?"

Silver laughed at the misunderstanding. "Sure, but it will be a 'thing' of friendship. Having a friend isn't a bad thing, is it?"

Fetlock waved a hoof at Silver. "So long as it stays just that, at most." Her eyes rolled to land on Samantha. "Why do you want to breed? That is a distraction from your other work, isn't it?"

"He will not distract me from a project." Samantha's eyes crossed to look more focusedly on the pony snoozing on her head. "He is a project. One I will study and administer with all the tenacity of any other project. I will learn a lot." Her eyes dropped to Fetlock. "And if I was sad every time I took up a new project, then I'd never have any. That feels illogical. When we arrive--" She wobbled in place. "Correction, we have arrived. Would you like to see my laboratory?" She stepped down, balancing her child, Dusty Shine, carefully.

"Pass." Fetlock hopped down the short distance to the floor. "I have to set my things up." She turned to Silver as he stood up. "Where do I do that?"

Silver's ears flickered. "I need to talk to Twilight and arrange a place. Why don't you come with us to the castle? Actually, visiting Samantha might be fun while I do that?"

Fetlock waved at Silver. "Gudrun, keep our new boss company."

"Got it." There were more words left unsaid, but the griffon hen began to follow Silver with a look of simmering anger, or was that intense focus.

Silver wasn't sure which, but the looming presence was unwelcome. "I'm going straight there, relax." He departed the train, stretching his wings. "I'd fly there faster, but..."

Gudrun extended her own wings. "What? I can fly."

Silver blinked. "I legit forgot." He had never seen Gudrun fly. "Well, let's all fly to the castle." He snorted at a joke, likely a human one in poor taste. Taking flight, he and Gudrun left the others behind as they speeded onwards.

Samantha waved one wing at Fetlock. "We could also take flight?"

Fetlock raised a brow high at that. "Yeah, did you forget not every pony is an alicorn?"

"No." Samantha's horn began to glow as she draw Fetlock free of gravity's eternal embrace. "But that does not present any real opposition. Would you like to proceed?"

Fetlock's hooves cycled in the air wildly a moment before she composed herself. "You'd take your foal flying on your head?"

Samantha set Fetlock down just a little too quickly, leaving the unicorn wobbling. "You are correct. I am not engaging in safe laboratory procedures. Having a foal requires additional considerations. However! Teleportation remains a viable option. How about that?"

Fetlock got her hooves planted properly and swept a hoof back through her mane, over the bun that held it. "You can teleport?"

"You can't?" returned Samantha with equal surprise. "Your magical studies must have been narrowly focused on this project. I would be delighted to share notes." With a sudden pop, all three vanished. Samantha, Fetlock, and Dusty Shine simply ceased to be with a sparkle of Samantha's magic fading away.

They appeared in the front room of Samantha's house. "Mom?" came the call of Moonbeam, his head poking out of his room into the hallway just in time for his ears to pin back at the assault coming to them.

Dusty Shine was not expecting to be teleported. It had woken him up and he was expressing it the only way a little unicorn colt could and he was wailing from atop Samantha's head.

Fetlock was looking around a bit wildly. "What did you just do? And turn that off!"

"Children do not operate that way." Samantha was at least mostly sure of that. She sat down and moved Dusty into her arms, rocking the foal until the volume began to ebb. "I am sorry. I continue to miscalculate today."

Moonbeam emerged from his room cautiously. "What 'miscalculation' did you make today, mom?"

Samantha nuzzled the calming top of her new child. "Moonbeam, I have made an alteration to our social contract. I hope you will accommodate me."

Moonbeam's ears lifted up, calming from the noise storm that had washed past. "Mom? Is that a... Did you?" He approached on faster, if still unsure, hooves. "What's going on?"

Fetlock snorted softly, but said nothing. She seemed happy to watch the family drama.

Dusty and Moonbeam locked eyes. "Uh, hi there?" Moonbeam leaned in on the little colt. "Did mom rope you into this?"

Dusty giggled in the way that children did and reached up, grasping Moonbeam weakly in his hooves by the snoot.

Moonbeam smiled gently at the little kid. "You know I'm the one that's going to end up taking care of him, right?"

Samantha quirked an ear. "Your assistance is valued, but this project is mine. If I fail to accommodate it properly, I want you to inform me immediately."

Moonbeam drew back half a step. "You're serious?" But she just nodded. "Mom..." He fidgeted in place. "Hello..."

"Dusty Shine," provided Samantha proudly. "Dusty Shine, this is your big brother, Moonbeam."

Dusty reached for Moonbeam who was a bit too far to reach, but seemed happy with things.

Moonbeam was less certain. "Is adopting just... your thing now?"

Samantha pricked up at that. "Dusty is not adopted." She patted the head of her newest child. "Dusty is mine."

That left Moonbeam stuck in place, trying to process it. "Uh... Mom? You do know it takes a while for a foal to get that big, right?" He peered at Dusty suspiciously. "If you just had one, they aren't... that..." His slit eyes darted up to Samantha. "Explain."

Samantha gestured with a toss of her head at Fetlock. "I made a mistake of negligence and lost my original foal."

Moonbeam's eyes went wide. "Oh... wow..."

"But I fixed it!" She turned fully to Fetlock. "She recreated Dusty for me, and I will not repeat my past mistakes. Partially with your help."

Fetlock nodded slowly. "Yeah, one foal, there you go." Her eyes darted between Dusty and Moonbeam. "Sorry for the mixup, kid. Bet you're confused."

"Just a little." Moonbeam sat and extended his arms. Soon there was a Dusty set in them. "Hey... bro?" His snoot got grabbed and he began to smile. "Just remember who the big brother is, alright? Somecreature messes with you, you tell me. I'll fix it."

Dusty giggled joyously, perhaps not understanding any of that but Moonbeam's welcoming tone and warming demeanor.

---

"He's back!" Maribelle rushed around the room, a great round figure of contrasting bulk and grace as she got to cleaning with all her ability. "The prince!"

Whiskers looked up from where she had been reading a book. The royal foals were taking an afternoon nap. "Really? That's good."

"Easy for you to say." Maribelle dusted quickly. "You are a babysitter. They are fine, so you are fine. I keep things clean, so now is when I will be judged."

Whiskers rolled a small hand. "Did you forget who we work for? Silver will be happy to see us both. I wonder if he brought any gifts... I know he won't complain about things unless you really mess up."

"Silver's back?" Night peeked into the room. "Why am I not the first to hear of this?"

Maribelle squeaked and thrust a pointing finger at a window. "I just happened to see him flying in. He'll be here any moment."

"Ah." Night turned away from Maribelle. "Lucky. Thank you." She started forward, just to pause. "Maribelle, isn't it?"

"Yes, ma'am!" She saluted with her feather duster. "Can I help you?"

"I think you could." Night turned back to Maribelle, tail twitching. "I want tonight to be special. Do you know what Silver likes?"

"I doubt I know as well as you do, ma'am." Maribelle nodded lightly. "You two seem very close."

Night adjusted her glasses with her fluffy wings. "That was a very astute answer. You have refined inter-personal skills. Good. Maribelle, are you pleased with your position?"

"Of course, ma'am." She took a hesitant step towards Night. "I haven't offended, have I?"

Night waved that away. "I am asking if you like this job. Is this where you want to be five years from now? Ten? When you're old, do you still want to be here, doing this?"

Whiskers shrank a bit. "That's a very heavy question, ma'am."

"It is." Not that Night took it back, looking at Maribelle evenly.

"Um..." Maribelle fidgeted with her duster. "I'm very happy to be here. I like being useful, and appreciated, and I get both of those things. The pay's good..." She didn't used to get paid, so that was new. "Um..."

Author's Note:

Poor Maribelle is asked a hard question. Samantha arrives with a surprise for Moonbeam, yay?

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Comments

[Onyx Quill]

Damn... You've been writing this since 2015?

That's some admirable commitment.

[David Silver]

11038797
The words shall continue.

[Onyx Quill]

11038806
Good to hear. I first discovered your story a few months ago. I have a ton of catching up to do. lol

[David Silver]

11038814
Welcome to it. You can save some time and maybe a headache by skipping the dream.

[blitzlego]

11038815
I would take that advice if I were you I did that exact thing and I am none the worse for it

[Booster Spice]

One if by hand, two if by seer, and three plus for dinner?

[harts fire]

a grate chapter for math to be wrong.
i love this and i can remember reading the hole silver story line like it was tomorrow.

[Blackhawk2130]

This was a nice chapter.
Let the reunions commence.

[Alvsecret]

"He will not distract me from a project." Samantha's eyes crossed to look more focusedly on the pony snoozing on her head. "He is a project. One I will study and administer will all the tenacity of any other project. I will learn a lot." Her eyes dropped to Fetlock. "And if I was sad every time I took up a new project, then I'd never have any. That feels illogical. When we arrive--" She wobbled in place. "Correction, we have arrived. Would you like to see my laboratory?" She stepped down, balancing her child, Dusty Shine, carefully.

Pretty sure it's with