Putting on a Silver Robe and Wizard Hat

by David Silver

74 - She's Alright

Silver trotted down the hallway of the castle, his expression haunted with worry. "He said two… just two, not all three, just two." He licked over his lips. "You're talking to yourself, cut that out."

“Ah ha! There he is!” Penny’s voice rang out in the hall as she started trotting toward the distracted-looking stallion. Beside her, a guard trotted too, looking quite alert.

Silver looked up at Penny and forced a smile. "Hey ma--er, Penny. How's it going?" He looked between her and the guard with her curiously.

“It is going interestingly. Did you see Luna is here?” She had spotted something was up with the stallion and continued before he could reply. “And before I get carried away with catching up… Night is back, she is safe. Luna is talking to her right now. I heard some of what happened.”

"L-Luna? She's back!? Both of them?" He practically hopped in place. "Where?!" His eyes were wide, overwhelmed, but so relieved. "Tell me she's alright!"

“Alright? From what I hear, she practically saved herself. I don’t know where she is, but we could find out.” Penny turned to look at the guard who had accompanied her. “Where would they likely be?”

The crystal stallion looked a little confused too. “The way things are? I don’t know, we could ask the duty captain.”

Silver nodded his head, a jerky motion. "You do know she's pregnant, right?" He frowned sharply. "Some husband I am. I should be…" He huffed out. "I know a dozen spells to rip the world in half, and most of them would kill me before I finish the first half of the spell." He slumped in place. "I guess I still have plenty to learn."

Both Penny and the guard looked shocked at his mention of such spells. “Uh, could you not? I like this world.” Penny reached over and slung a leg over his withers, not as hard to do with him as with Stick. “Come on, let’s find your better half. I was beside myself and wouldn’t leave Stick’s side when she was hurt.”

“This way.” The guard seemed a little lost in all the talk, but was confident it was the right time to lead the way.

Silver relaxed at the contact, nose twitching softly. Though he had long ago learned to resist the gentle call of a mare, it didn't stop him from enjoying one, especially a supportive presence. He rose with Penny and moved to follow. "I'm serious though. Variety! We need to know more tricks for more situations." Silver glanced at Penny. "How have your symbols been coming?"

Penny frowned a little, dipping her head down to make the burn on her horn a little easier for Silver to see. “Now there is a story. You heard about what happened in court, how I ran?”

Silver raised an ear at her. "Ran? Tell me about it." Listening was a lot easier than worrying, and he fixed her in his gaze as his body strode on its own.

“I can’t even remember what I had gone in for, Stick would know. I must have dozed off and… Sombra.” The mare shuddered as she walked, clearly shaken by what had happened.

Silver tensed. "What'd he do?"

“To put it bluntly, he made me scared of Stick. It was horrible and I couldn’t stop running away from her. Of course she gave chase but she didn’t catch up with me until we were out of the city.” Penny’s voice had turned a little angry. “There was an ambush.”

Silver draw in a sharp breath. "Are you both alright?" He leaned in. "We've both had our turns with ambushes."

“So I heard. There were two shadow… things, waiting for us. They jumped Stick before she could react and were trying to back me up into the woods. I really tried to remember the fireworks, thinking I could surprise them or something. I was practicing it that morning but you know how it is, in a pinch, I forgot it all. The only spell I could remember was one in your book, you flicked past it quick, but I remembered the patterns.”

"Two?" Silver frowned a little. "At least two then… I'm glad you're alright though. Sorry we…" He swallowed forcefully. "Enough sorries. You said Luna was talking with Night? Do they want us butting in right away?"

“You really think either would stay mad at you if you did?” Penny smile was a sincere one. “Although I could use some help with my runes. This sixth one is getting tricky.”

Silver perked his ears and looked quite split. "I'd love to help you…" But he'd also like to see those two mares, but he left that unsaid. "You have your book with you?"

“Of course. Whenever I have a chance I get it out and work on my runes.” She reached to her pack and started to lift the flap on it, the book’s spine peeking out a touch.

Silver watched until the stubborn rune showed itself and he nodded as if at an old friend, or enemy. "I remember that one! It's a tricky one." He lowered his horn and showed the letter, hovering. "It's two parts inner, one part outer, and keeping it crisp, there's the rub."

Penny examined it and nodded. “Oh, I see. Wait, that outer bit, I have seen that before. Are these runes themselves made of-” She stopped abruptly. “No, that is for later, okay, I think I might be able to do that a bit easier now.”

Silver nodded softly. "Seeing the letter formed helps." He rolled a hoof. "It took a while to learn the balances too." He bumped against Penny. "So I'm glad to help, save a few days of groaning out of your life." He went quiet a brief moment before he leaned in. "So, ready to hear something that'll blow your head?"

The guard had paused and knocked on a door, entering at a call from within but leaving the pair outside.

“I am not sure I want my head blown, but go on, lay it on me.” Penny was letting the rune fade so she could focus on what amazing new thing she was about to find out.

Silver put a hoof to his chest. "I basically lived a few years in a dream. I was a lunar unicorn, and a princess, and a prince, and dead, and back." He flashed a big grin. "I fought Celestia to a stand still, that was a pretty epic fight… And all a dream, but I thought it was very real at the time."

Penny tilted her head at this. “Wow I… wait, your prophetic dream?” Her eyes blinked a few times. “The one where you had… wait, a princess? What?”

Silver bumped against Penny before moving for the door. "I did warn you, and yes. I've danced on both sides of that particular fence."

The mare giggled at this and just as she was about to poke her head in too the guard was walking out. “They are in the main courtroom. I can get you there but apparently they aren’t to be disturbed, you will have to find your own way in.”

Silver let out an almost silent 'oh', "Well, alright… We'll let them talk. Please, let them know I'll be back in our room, alright." He turned to Penny. "Want to practice?"

The lunar unicorn nodded. “Sure. I was trying to learn symbols off Stick, but she makes them funny.” The guard shrugged at their apparently not going to the court, but followed them anyway.

Silver began leading the way back to his room, but noticed the guard along the way. "You don't have to escort me around in the castle, I hope?" His ears fell a little. "I guess it is pretty bad."

“One of the senior guards told me to, sir ambassador. Said Stick needs to focus on her job and that she could do that easier knowing her mare was safe.” He had his chest puffed out, looking proud of the fact he was chosen.

Penny smiled to him. “I would tell him he doesn’t need to but, honestly, I don’t want to be scared.” She shrugged her shoulders. “I am not a fighter, Silver, never was. What that spell I did… what it did to those shadows… I don’t think I am that cut out for it.”

An ear turned to Penny. "What spell was that?" He arrived at his room and nudged the door open. "Stay out here, unless you want to be around two practicing unicorns, one of them trying to be worthy to be a member of the warlocks." He flashed a bit of a grin on his way in.

The guard gulped but looked to be about to insist when Penny turned to him. “I trust Silver, can you please wait outside?” He nodded and turned to stand guard. “What are the warlocks?” Penny closed the door a moment before she asked.

Silver waved a hoof. "Think elite guard, but for spellcasters by and large." He turned back to Penny. "They operate under Luna's guidance, and I trained with them, and went with them once. They helped pull off the great changeling exodus."

Penny brightened at hearing this. “What, like special forces kind of thing? Well, they deserve hugs if they helped free the changelings. Did Luna bring them, I wonder?” She was pulling out her book as she talked, flicking it open to where she was up to.

Silver tilted his head at that. "Bring who, the warlocks? Cadance didn't want them around. Too dangerous." He huffed. "Might even cause trouble if the guard mentions I mentioned them, but we'll burn that bridge when we get to it." He drew out a book with his magic, unfolding it. "It's time to practice some magic!"

Penny started with the first rune, working it out firmly and moving on, finally ending on that sixth one that had caused her so many problems. She had it mostly right now, just a few little quivering ends. “Why does it have so many little squiggly bits?”

Silver considered a moment. "I think, ultimately, because whatever unicorn first found it, half by accident, just noted it worked, and they've been using it since. Unless we want to devote the rest of our lives to the process, we're not likely to improve that." He sat on his haunches. "And to think, earth and pegasi magic hasn't even gotten this far."

The mare blinked a few times at this. “Earth and pegasi magic?” The runes she was forming stopped. “Now that would be something. Have you even tried to focusing your talent at making new symbols?” She refocused, starting at the first symbol and cycling through to the sixth, now a touch more stable.

Silver looked cross-eyed at his horn, a task easier than when he first became a unicorn with its additional length over time. "I haven't. I'm either making a spell from other spells, or casting a spell as written. Just kind of tuning at random is like sweeping a radio back and forth hoping you'll get the combination to something great, but it may just explode your kidneys."

“I guess, even if you could make a new rune out of old ones, without a spell that uses it you can’t do much with it.” She reached up to tap at her horn, or at least the blackened tip. “And you don’t need to warn me about miscasting. I tried three times to cast your damn spell and it all exploded on me with the third try.”

Silver's horn glowed as a silver hand appeared and gently rubbed that singed tip. "I'm sorry you had to go through that. Memorizing spells is a big part of this." He flashed a grin. "Right back to Pathfinder, welcome to level 1, hope you enjoy your one level 1 spell."

“Whoa, back up, I am not upset about that. Even miscast the spell saved my life, probably Stick’s too.” Penny reared up and mimed casting by waving her hooves at Silver. “So what spell do I get for first level? Burning hooves?” Her eyes danced as much as her hooves did to keep her standing on two legs.

Silver laughed softly. "Would you believe my first was fireball?" He ran a few symbols in short order, working the familiar spell to conjure the roiling ball of heat and horror that hovered over his head. "Ta da. I made it to prove I was a real wizard."

Penny’s eyes were wide and she dropped back to all fours. “You made a fireball?” She sounded incredulous. “Stick is learning some spells… Cadance lent her a few books. They are kinda like that. I don’t think other ponies are meant to have them, the librarian seemed pretty paranoid about them.”

Silver pointed up at it. "It's 'my' spell. It's the one that earned my cutie mark." He tilted his head slowly one way and the other, letting the fire follow after it. "No other spell is as familiar to me as this one. Shame it's really only good for one thing."

“Oh, I meant to show you.” Penny turned to the side excitedly, reaching back with her soft-red magical hand and lifting her shawl a little to show off her own cutie mark of a book with two horseshoes overlaid on it, one larger than the other. “I got mine… teaching economics to ponies…”

Silver clopped his hooves even as he compressed that ball. The heat escaped in all directions, warming the room as it was released harmlessly until it was entirely gone. "That's great! But, uh, it isn't that specific, I hope?" He pointed back at his own. "Mine isn't just fireballs, afterall."

“Oh no, I have been teaching them a lot more than that. Stick thinks it is just teaching in general and, I guess, I have a lot I can teach. I was a bit of a generalist with my learning.” She pauses a moment. “Are you really sure it only has one use? You just proved it can be used for heating, I bet it would make for a great way to run a furnace or smelter, not to mention light. You sell your spell short.”

Silver reached to tap Penny on the nose. "Sure sure, I suppose it could do those. It's locked up in one of Celestia's private stashes where the average pony won't learn it and start hurling compressed balls of heat around casually."

“Right, but does it use much magic to keep it going? You could do so much with a focused ball of heat… I wonder what other handy spells, if a little dangerous for the average pony, are locked up?” Penny pulled out a notepad and quill, starting to write things down.

Silver frowned a little. "Well, to start, most unicorns never even learn the alphabet, let alone start casting spells. They learn telekinesis and maybe light and whatever their special talent gives them and they're content." He sat down and pointed at his book. "Any human could, in theory, learn to read and write, but we're lucky if they even bother to read."

Penny laid down on the floor, folding her hooves under her as she finished writing something on the pad. “A fair assessment, oh, speaking of. I was going to try to find a book to thank Twilight with for letting me borrow this one. Any you might suggest?”

Silver twitched his ears in thought, but the door opening distracted him, then the pony standing in the doorway had his attention. Before he could rise back to his hooves, he was thrown to the ground under the form of the lunar pony he loved. He tried to talk, but each attempt was met with a kiss, and little was said, though much was communicated.

Penny grinned at the sight. “Oh welcome home Night,” she began to badly imitate their voices, “I am glad to be back, Silver…” She giggled and got to her hooves. “I will leave you two to your reunion.”

Night put a hoof over Silver's snout, keeping him quiet. "Thank you for understanding. I'll be sure he gets back to you. Do close the door behind you." She flashed her fangs, then looked down at her pinned husband. "As for you…"

The retreating lunar unicorn waved a hoof. “I’ll leave you to it, he was really worried for you, Night.” She stepped out through the still-open door, having given the lock a flick and pulled it shut behind her. “I think my lesson is over for now.” She grinned up to the guard and began to amble back to where her marefriend was still on guard.

Author's Note:

Another collab with the talented co-conspirator of this arc.

So how did Night get home? How'd their conversation go? There are so many questions! Her part shoulda been in this chapter. It's the sneakiest kind of typo out there!

Comments

[Daremo]

so much problems - so many problems

she finishes writing - she finished writing

out the - out through the
*****

Silver clopped his hooves even as he compressed that ball.

Wouldn't compressing it have the opposite effect of dispersion by taking all that heat and focusing it into a more concentrated mass? The armchair physicist in me would expect that expanding the containment field without adding more heat would have the desired effect of safely dissipating the stored energy.
*****
A bit of a narrative gap in the beginning of this chapter, I'm hoping that Damaged will fill some of that in when his story chapter is released.

It all ends on a happy note with Night and Silver reunited - but how... did she get back to the castle and how did her negotiations with the... Umbrum General go? Ack! Need information!

[David Silver]

6912519 Ha, all not me that time. I claim victory!

It was implied the containment was allowed a few careful holes, hence the room growing warmer as it softly deflated away.

[Booster Spice]

Im waiting for Silver to find teh tweaks that allow him to drain power from the fireball to drive the fireball spell, given the mass energy magic transformational function can lead to what is effectively an evapourating black hole at the right level. At about a gram of air per litre sphere giving ten k yield, Twilight should be able to shield against it if prepared. Shining would be able to conntain it.

[Morphy]

6912953

Didn't Celestia already have this talk with him about NOT blowing up the world?

And Penny's right, he should look into ways of altering the fireball spell. Heating up a space quickly could save lives in frigid places like the Crystal Empire's tundra. Or disperse it even further before plunging it into water to heat a flash-steam a tub, warm a pool, or melt ice out on open water. Condensing the heat while shaping it into a line could lead to a unicorn-based light saber... (Ok, that's just silly to picture)

[tsaukpaetra]

Hmmm, things seem to be stirring in the shadows, but Night is obviously at ease, so good things must have happened.
We think one of the humans in this AU will crack the language, and should write a forbidden book entitled: Magic:the code of the Universe.

6914504 what are lightsabers, but rods of contained plasma in a containment field?

Keep going! ;)

[Snowfall1775]

6915029
Actually on lightsabers, the plasma, if that is the canon you use, doesn't spill out.
But, when you cut with it, you disrupt the circuit.
At least in my canon, the reason lightsabers are so efficient is due to something called magnetohydrodynamics, or MHD. The plasma moves in a circuit, generating power and balancing the power lost in creating the plasma. However, if you disturb the circuit, by cutting something, the power lost isn't recouped..