The night wind whipped through Silver's coat as she was carried along in Fast's paws. Taking stock of the situation, Silver could see that Fast was currently a chimera, large and fast as it soared towards Twilight's castle. Silver craned her neck, spotting Twilight following after, but no Night Watch. She frowned sharply, then spoke to the universe at large, "If you take away my Night, I will... do something. Don't be that way, come on!"
"What?" asked Fast as she leaned her head closer.
"I don't see Night Watch," shouted Silver.
"What was that?" asked Twilight as she caught up.
Silver wriggled a little, frustration building, "Night! I don't see her!"
Twilight looked back down in time for a bolt of energy to fly past her. "Starlight?"
"What?" asked Silver before a familiar intense pulling erupted from her flanks. Energy fled her and her colors faded.
Fast growled, but only sped up, soon depositing Silver on a balcony of the castle before turning to immediately depart. "Wait!" called out Silver, but Fast was gone in a flash. Silver guessed she had gone to help Night.
Twilight arrived a moment later, "Where's Fast going?" She fluttered her wings, "Starlight's working with others. There's no way she can win!" Twilight scowled as she looked over Silver, "She got you! We have to free your cutie mark." She made no move to immediately depart.
Silver clopped a hoof frustratedly, "Why aren't you doing that?"
Twilight shook her head, "She's flanked by a squad of combat unicorns. I don't know who's sided with her, but she just became a lot more dangerous. I've signaled the girls."
Silver sank, "But... Night, and Fast..."
Twilight looked full of guilt, glancing around furtively before she approached Silver and gathered her up. "We'll do one pass by, maybe we'll see them." They were soon in the air on Twilight's wings. It wasn't hard to spot the brightly-colored cutie mark thief. She was galloping away with her cohorts, already putting some distance between herself and the town. Silver's cutie mark floated beside her head, glowing with her magic.
Twilight, seeing they had departed, descended towards the stormed eatery. Night and Fast were not hard to find, intact but beaten to unconsciousness. Silver writhed free at the sight of them, falling several feet to the ground and then scampering over to her fallen wives. "This is... so wrong..."
Twilight landed beside Silver, using her magic to gather up both victims and place them side-by-side, "Yes, yes it is."
Ponies were starting to gather, trying to figure out what was going on. As the darkness inside faded away, it seemed all the others who had been enjoying dinner had also been subdued.
"What is the meaning of this?" asked Mayor Mare as she stepped onto the scene. "Princess Twilight Sparkle?"
Twilight nodded, "Hello, Mayor. We've been attacked, by an outlaw and accomplices."
The rest of the Mane Six began to arrive, looking around for trouble, but that had already fled.
Mayor Mare tilted her head, "Were they thieves?"
It soon became clear that nopony had lost things in the attack, besides dignity and security. Twilight sighed, "They came for Silver Star's cutie mark, and they got it." She pointed at the equal sign that then adorned Silver's flank.
Silver gave a soft growl, but seemed more interested in standing vigil over the fallen wives than chasing after her mark.
Rarity looked over the scene, "I do say you've been assassinated, darling."
Silver tilted her head, "I'm still alive."
Rarity shook her head, "Maybe, but I doubt she'll come back with that cutie mark. Whatever threat you posed has been thoroughly removed."
"Tough break," said Rainbow Dash, shrugging.
Nopony was moving to chase the culprit, and Silver began to get irritated, "And we're just OK with that?"
Twilight took a slow breath before releasing it, "If we chase her right now, we have to deal with hostile magic and cutie mark-stealing magic. One of those we could handle with care, but both? I..." She sagged her head, "I failed you."
Silver's anger inverted, suddenly feeling awful for pressing Twilight. "Don't cry. We can fix this. Can she keep my mark just... floating there forever?"
Fluttershy shook her head, "She has to put it in a container eventually, or it would fly right back to you."
Silver bobbed her head, "So we just need to find that container, and take my mark back!" She pointed at Night and Fast, "After they get to a hospital. Who does that around here?"
Applejack approached, easily hefting both onto her back, "Don't you worry none. Ah'll get them both there safely!" And off she went.
Silver's tension lowered a little with them seen to. She looked to Twilight, but Twilight was talking with the rest of the Mane Six, minus Applejack. Silver approached, listening to Twilight work out some kind of plan. Little of it made sense to Silver. She almost figured out why, a flash of inspiration stirring before she felt a throbbing in her flank. Suddenly the fog settled back down over her, and inspiration was denied flatly.
Silver looked back at the equal sign hatefully, but it had no response, other than to remain plastered across her flank, mocking her silently. "Twilight," she asked, "Why can't I understand your plan?"
Twilight tilted her head at Silver, then an expression of pity washed over her features, "That must be related to your talent, putting things together. The sign snuffs out things tangentially related to your talent. I'm sorry. We'll get your cutie mark back... Why don't you go to Fast and Night? They'll be happier waking up with you there."
Silver rose to her hooves and started moving off, stopping first to shed her mildly-tattered dress, making an idle note to have that fixed. Dress stowed, she made her... where was the hospital? Rather than ask anyone about it or puzzle it through, she just wandered aimlessly, trying to find where her wives were. She had the nagging feeling there was a more effective way around the problems, but it refused to come to her.
"Excuse me," asked a strange voice. Silver looked up to see Berry Punch staring at her. "You look lost. What are you looking for?"
Silver smiled joyfully. Of course, she should ask someone! "Hello! I'm looking for the hospital."
Berry looked Silver over critically, "Are you hurt?"
Silver shook her head, "No, but my wives are. I need to find them."
Berry raised a brow, "Wives?" She paused, and Silver had no idea why, so she waited patiently. Berry nodded at Silver, "Alrighty, follow me."
Silver followed as bid, and soon they arrived at the front desk of the Ponyville Clinic. A smiling nurse looked between Berry and Silver. Berry shrugged, "She's looking for somepony. Later." She wandered off, muttering something about needing a drink.
The nurse, whom Silver suddenly recognized as Redheart from her large red heart of a cutie mark, gestured inside, "Are you here for the two mares that just came in?" She led the way swiftly to where Night and Fast were tucked in. "They're perfectly fine and should wake up soon. Just give them some love and they'll be back to fit in a week."
Silver smiled, relief welling up, "I'm glad to hear that... Is... her foal alright?"
Redheart tilted her head with a frown, "Oh... We should check that."
Silver felt something, only for it to be suppressed by the accursed mark. She sank to the ground, feeling defeated and alone. Redheart stepped around her to start looking over Fast. Silver blinked, then pointed at Night, "That one!" She snapped more than she had meant to, and cringed at the sound of her own voice. Redheart looked ready to fight back, but apparently noticed Silver wilting and let it go.
Silver fell asleep where she had sank, and she rested without dreams.
It was dark. Silver felt she should recognize it, but it seemed the effects of the mark followed her even here, to... "Where am I?"
Words appeared, hovering, 'Are you ready to give up?'
"What? No!" Silver stomped a hoof on the darkness. "I have two lovely wives, and two lovely foals on the way, and... even Twilight is warming up."
'Had.'
Silver shrank back, "The nurse said they were fine!" She leaned forward then, stomping, "Don't you take them away!"
'I can only open paths. Yours have been closed, though perhaps that will change.'
Silver winced in pain, thoughts crashing against that mark and refusing to surface. "What do you mean?"
'The foal within you is all that will remain. All evidence of you as a man has been destroyed.'
Silver trembled. The way the voice had phrased that felt like a sledgehammer, and she sank beneath its weight. "Oh... Oh Night... Is she alright?"
'She will live.'
"Are you... enjoying this?"
'Strangely not. I was enjoying your victory, small as it was.'
Silver pawed at the ground desperately, "Can you save the foal? Please?"
'Why should I?'
Silver squeezed her eyes shut, tears forced free, "That... would be more fun, right? Please..."
'All acts come with a price. The last we spoke, it was at my initiative that I made an offer, this time it is you that begs. If I open this path for you, I may open others you care less for, but you will have no cause to complain. Do you accept this price?'
Silver nodded with scarcely a thought, "Please! I've been a good pony. I've been entertaining. Please..."
'Awaken.'
Silver jerked awake to the sound of Night wailing. She scrambled to her hooves and saw two doctors trying to console her as she thrashed violently. Silver acted without thought, rushing for Night and leaping up on top of her, to the doctors' surprise. Silver squeezed her wife tightly, "It's OK... It's... going to be OK..."
Night slowly went still under Silver, sobbing more quietly. "They... they said he was gone."
Silver perked an ear, "They were wrong... It was a mistake. He's healthy... He's fine."
Night trumbled and pushed at Silver a little, "How can you know that? How?!"
Silver bit into Night's ear softly, "I just do. Please... Trust me... We will be wonderful parents, together."
Night started to go limp under Silver, "Do you swear it? Do you swear it on everything?"
Silver nodded quickly, "I hope I never get my cutie mark back if our child... our foal... is gone."
Night smiled faintly, "You sound like you're lying, but you're not... Confusing mare." Night squeezed Silver back, and they remained together, entwined, together against the world until Fast joined them, forming a ball of equine flesh. Nopony dared to disturb them, where they remained, drawing strength from one another until daybreak eventually arrived.
Some part of Silver wondered what terrible path she had traded that would equal in magnitude for this avoided eventuality and shuddered at the thought of what could be considered a fair trade by the amoral entity that controlled her life so casually.
No hurting those foals evil mean text thingy!! Or I'll bite the text rawr!
Anyway...still a great story just the thought of possible miscarriage stuff hard with me. Darnit cutie mark stealer! Grrrrr....sorry this chapter hit me in the feels...
5850404 In the Text's defense, it didn't hurt the foal. It did imply it would let it(he?) remain hurt. And why shouldn't it? So far shown, the text is a god, and has no strong feelings towards the suffering or prospering of mortals, save what amusement it may bring. Ultimately, it has decided it will give Silver this one, and make up for it later. This could mean a greater suffering, or just something unexpected that Silver wouldn't have asked for. Maybe she'll even like it!
She went out of her way to not ask for Twilight, or associate with the Mane Six, and yet, there they are. Maybe it doesn't want to crush her spirit? Who could say.
.... That mare just went straight to public enemy #1. Far above Rainbow's parents in my own fic.
(My Displaced fic, not Duellum Telum)
Still wanna bite the text lol nomnomnom hehe
I wanna see the adorable bundles be born and healthy. I understand different struggles for character growth and such.
A path for a path? Dun dun dunn! Hard to put a price on your child's life though, even in utero.
5850404 agreed. My wife miscarried once, and every pregnancy since she has to get past that point before she can fully shake the fear that it will happen again. (Heck, even after our first was born she was half expecting him to drop dead for no reason, and he has always been the healthiest baby ever.)
5850535 haha finally figured out this thing...
I'm hoping thats not technically what was to happen. I get the feeling that it was in a sense like a rewind of sorts.
I am so sorry to hear that your wife has struggled with this. But I'm hoping with your support you've both come through with a healthy family.
5850560 thanks.
We have, though as I said there is still pain that lingers. On the plus side, her pain motivated her to start an internet support group for women who have had miscarriages, and they have been a huge blessing to each other. She now has new friends all over the US that she meets with whenever we travel.
As for the story, it didn't seem like any kind of rewind involved, just a life on the being nudged back from the brink.
le sigh...
5850823 I'm not sure the meaning there was grasped.
hum , I must think on this chapter.
Harts Fire
The usual way to spell "signaled" is with one "l," though the use of two is a British variant.
The "brightly-colored" cutie mark thief.
She'd have to deal with "cute mark-stealing" magic.
Her dress is "mildly-tattered."
There are two spaces between "two" and "mares."
The "effects" of the mark followed her even there.
5852184 All fixed. It seems the hyphens were scared away this time.
5852187 What a dramatic chapter! Now this is the sort of horror and heroics that I can get behind!
The first point of note is the surprising return, and revenge, of Starlight. While this wasn't exactly revenge per se, this was still her striking back hard after the events in "The Cutie Map." What's notable here is not just that she was after Silver's cutie mark specifically, but that she had a team backing her up. Given how recently the events of "The Cutie Map" happened in this fic (right around the same time that Silver and co. left the Crystal Empire at Cadance's urging), then this was a rather quick turnaround.
What that means is that this isn't Starlight acting on her own. Simply put, not enough time has passed for her to hear about Silver's cutie mark and put together a team on her own to go after it - somepony, or quite possibly some foreign nation - put her up to this. I'd wager even money that that team of unicorns belongs to whatever foreign government is behind this, and that they're to make sure that Starlight delivers. While that does bring up the question of what she's getting for this, my more immediate surprise is that she didn't take any other cutie marks...that's fortunate, since Fast would have been seriously crippled without hers. Starlight might not know that you can transfer cutie marks between ponies; but then again, she's the inventor of that spell, so it's quite possible that she does know that. After all, why else would somepony want Silver's cutie mark unless they thought that they could use it themselves?
Far more powerful, however, was the return of the Text and its horrifyingly-casual bomb that Night had lost her foal in the struggle. We could all see what the result of that would be: that Silver would have to make a Faustian bargain, sight-unseen, in order to save it (or "him" as Night seems to have decided). That's entirely within the purview of parents, in that they sacrifice for their children, but now we're going to be waiting for the proverbial hammer to drop...especially since the sacrifice that Silver agreed to isn't necessarily going to be one that she has to pay. It's entirely possible that somepony around her will be the one to suffer a major loss in order to pay the price for Silver's foal surviving. Such bargains, after all, rarely end well for the one making them.
It's interesting to see that Silver's loss of her cutie mark seems to have drained her of all intuitive inspiration. Not just magic, she now seems like she can't find any sort of sudden bursts of insight whatsoever; mental tracks now must follow an "A leads to B leads to C, etc." path, rather than skipping towards obvious ends. That's going to be harsh to deal with, and I suspect somewhat difficult to write.
Still, I have to say that this feels genuinely exciting! I'm lucky that the next chapter is already out, because I can't wait to see what happens next!
5852232 I'm glad you liked it! I can only pray I didn't drop the ball as it were writing another chapter without your input. What was I thinking?! Time will tell. The chapter took a lot of twists that I didn't know was coming until it came time to write it down, but the end result pleased me.
Called it.
6275993 What did you call?
Let's
AllFly to the CastleThe title made me think of this.
[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FUW0YDMWfRQ]
Twilight shook her head, "She's flanked by a squad of combat unicorns. I don't know who's sided with her, but she just became a lot more dangerous. I've signaled the girls."
Made me think of the bat signal except it's the mane six.
whom
6824969 Fixed!
So Starlight Glimmer still needs more reforming or is under some influence?
6930249 This was long before any reforming of her.
My guess will be that The Text opened path of turning back into stallion, ascension as a stallion and probably immortality. 'cause immortality is a gift as much as a curse. Maybe even way more curse rather than gift.
...not like either of these weren't accessible for Silver from the moment he become she, though. So, paths were already there. Huh.