Fast and Night had grown all the closer as the days went past, but they noticed a curious lack of one Twilight Sparkle. They checked around the castle, finding Zecora caring for Silver, which they joined for a few minutes before continuing their quest. Twilight just wasn't there... They did run into Spike.
"Hey Spike," said Fast, "Have you seen Twilight around?"
Spike waved a claw, "She's helping Fluttershy out with something. She'll be back tomorrow though! We're having a big pancake breakfast!"
Night smiled a little, "That sounds delicious."
Spike bobbed his head, "And all the girls are coming!"
Fast put a hoof to her chin, "Alright, we'll catch her there then."
The next morning came swiftly. As promised, all the girls were in attendance, but Twilight was passed out at the table. Night raised a hoof, "I... think something is wrong with Twilight."
Fast, borrowing Night's insight, looked Twilight over, "She isn't sleeping, or coming home. She's avoiding something."
At this the girls all nodded. Rarity spoke up, "Leave this to us. We're her best friends, we'll figure this out. Twilight, darling?"
Twilight came awake with a start, a pancake draped over her face. Rarity approached, speaking quietly to her as she removed the pancake. She seemed to be in good hooves as her friends rallied around her.
Night and Fast took this as their cue to depart, and they stepped just outside, looking out over Ponyville. Night ruffled her wings lightly, "I'm very thankful you gave me this chance, Fast, but I'm worried we're tackling things oddly." She turned and kissed Fast's cheek, "I love you to pieces, but I'll still be surrounded by three very talented unicorns."
Fast frowned, "It must be your missing cutie mark, but you're missing the obvious. Clear sight of the situation is not a small gift. Twilight doesn't have it. I don't normally have it. Silver has it, but gets emotional whenever things get tense. You," Fast poked Night in her barrel, "are the brains of the family. You are our solid compass, keeping us aimed straight. You are also quite physically capable when you're not fighting in pitch darkness and starting to bear a foal."
Night wobbled a hoof, "And you're not physically capable?"
Fast gestured back at the tower, "Twilight and Silver suck at physical anything. Silver has the excuse of not being born into the body, I don't know Twilight's reason. She's just a nerd. We, us..." She pointed at Night, then herself, "We are the bodyguards of the herd. It's not a competition, and it's not something I'm trying to claim for myself. If I have to give up my magic forever to put your anxiety at ease, just tell me right now."
Night recoiled, going pale, "No! We won't have that... That would be very unfair to you, and greedy of me."
Fast poked Night on the nose, "That was not the sound of understanding. That was the sound of giving up. Look at me, Night. Do you know how much I love you?"
Night looked Fast in the eyes, and they gazed at one another. Night cracked a smile, "I... feel a little stupid..."
Fast snorted, "Good, because you are. We really need to get your mark back on your sweet flank." Fast nudged Night over and pinned her down, not that she resisted much. Soon they were laying on the ground quietly. "I'm already tired of knowing so much. I don't know how you cope with it."
Night leaned in and bit Fast on the neck lightly. She couldn't share emotions with a bite, but those soft nibbles expressed well enough through actions, "I cope by having some amazing friends. I used to just be separated from everypony, but now... I'm in the middle of a great herd."
Fast squeezed Night gently, "I used to find pleasure where it was offered. Anypony, anytime, but they were all shallow ghosts compared to the love I feel just hugging you right now. Please be my adorable little flank-kicker with the keen eyes."
Night nodded stiffly, "I think I'm ready for that..."
Spike suddenly emerged with Twilight. Both paused on seeing Night and Fast entangled on the ground. Spike blinked innocently while Twilight gave a nervous laugh. "Say, girls," started Twilight, "We're going to the spa. Want to come with? My treat?"
They got to their hooves quickly and fell in line with Spike and Twilight, accepting the offer with smiles. As they walked along, Night advanced alongside Twilight and nudged her gently, "You're looking rough. What's wrong?"
Twilight sagged, "I miss my old library... The castle is nice and all, but it's so huge... and empty."
Fast snorted lightly, "You've got friends, inside and out. Speaking of, what are they doing back there? I didn't see them come out."
Spike smiled as he spun around, walking backwards, "They're going to spruce up the castle!"
Twilight bobbed her head, "They offered to make it feel more like home."
Meanwhile, in the castle, Silver frowned even as she sang, swept away in the most intense song magic she had felt to date. She could just hear the rest of the Mane Six's voices as they did their parts. Her own part felt quite silly, basically singing about how she'd help if she wasn't in bed. She would rather have just not sung at all, but the harmony of Equestria didn't regard that as much an option. Zecora wandered in halfway through the song, seemingly unaffected by the whimsical demands of song magic.
When it faded from her and Silver could speak again, she asked about it, "What happened? How weren't you affected?"
Zecora blinked with surprise, "The question that comes to mind, is how to this you are not blind?"
Silver put a hoof to her head, "I never told you, sorry. I'm... not actually a pony, at least by birth."
Zecora tilted her head, "Of this I would like much to hear, I resist the magic because I'm a seer. Shamans sing with every word, and the ability to choose is conferred."
Silver nodded slowly, "Alright, I... kind of get that. You do a sort of willing song magic all the time, so when it flares up, you can opt out?"
Zecora nodded back at Silver, "Now tell me the tale of your beginning, I fear my patience may be thinning."
Silver sat up, soon on her haunches on the bed as she began to tell her tale, from her arrival in Equestria and beyond. It had become quite a story, but Silver felt no urge to leave out parts, so she just said it all.
Zecora listened attentively to the story, not interjecting until the tale was completed. "This explains much that I've seen, looking back on where you've been. I thought you a strange unicorn mare, but there was so much hiding there." She reached out and rested a hoof on Silver's belly. "Do you bear this out of guilt? I find that more pressing than the magic of lilt."
Silver looked to Zecora's hoof, then shook her head, "I want it because... I want it. I feel stupidly lucky to even have the chance. I feel love for it, and its father."
Zecora smiled, "To call your child an it is rude, there is a small colt that you will extrude."
Silver sagged a little, "A little colt? That's... wonderful. Night's having a filly, right?"
Zecora nodded, "Your family grows well today, but with mysterious powers you should not play. Your child's life was in danger, your sacrifice may make her stranger."
Silver flipped her ears back. "Did I hurt her?" she asked in a quivering tone.
Zecora shook her head, "Your constitution is quite strong, but that doesn't mean nothing is wrong. Your child will be born intact, but you flooded her with magic, and who knows how that will react?"
Silver flopped back onto the bed, sprawling out miserably. Zecora gently pet Silver's cheek a moment, "Your actions were brave and your heart was true, I'll be here to watch over you. Your foal will be safe, of this I do swear. Your little colt will not despair."
Silver reached for Zecora and pulled her close, squeezing the zebra tightly. For a time they were quiet, but it felt more important than many words spoken.
Night and Fast enjoyed the spa treatment. Aloe and Lotus were very careful with Night, insisting she not partake in the hot waters in her condition, or most other heated therapies. This didn't stop the rest from going full-speed. Mane brushing, coat brushing, hooficure and facials. They were treated as princesses for the time they were there until it was about time for massages. Twilight emerged with Spike, looking far better herself than she had in the morning.
Spike tried suggesting some extreme massage and Night blanched, "No thanks, that doesn't sound very pregnancy safe."
Fast grinned, "I'm up for anything once." Twilight opted out, going with Night to get a much gentler massage.
Fast and Spike were picked up in the hooves of an extremely excited Bulk Biceps, who carried them through a wall to their fate.
Later, all four emerged from the spa. Spike and Fast looked a bit worked over. Fast tried to stretch out her abused joints, "I feel like I've been torn apart and put back together!"
Night tilted her head, "Is that good or bad?"
Fast frowned in thought as she worked out the kinks with each step, "I... you know, I think it was good, just not something to get done every week."
Spike groaned, "Speak for yourself..."
Twilight looked down at Spike with a light frown, "Poor thing. Hop on up, we'll get back to the castle faster!"
Spike suddenly looked nervous, "Uh, well..." An excuse issued forth from him.
Fast saw through it with a tingle from her flank, but then it came to her, "Say, Twilight. Since you're feeling better. Could you swap our cutie marks back?"
Night smiled brightly and bobbed her head, "Please. I've seen things from Fast's point of view long enough... I'll miss magic a bit, but I won't hold it from her any longer."
Twilight did as was bid, freeing their cutie marks and letting them go. They flew quickly to their homes without any prompting. "Did you try magic, Night Watch? We should get together after we're done and compare notes. I'd love to hear an 'outsider's' view on the process."
Night could suddenly see that Spike was stalling as her insight returned, "Oh, why don't we compare some notes right now, while it's still fresh in my mind?"
Twilight bobbed her head, "That would be lovely! Spike, prepare to take it down."
Spike looked relieved as he pulled out a parchment and quill and stood ready to write.
Fast smiled and sat down in place, admiring Night as she took hold of the situation and made Twilight a happy mare at the same time.
Zecora's day must be interesting... trotting through town rolling her eyes at the singing ponies.
5856848 Fixes applied! Thank you.
typos being worked over by Bulk Biceps
Well that explains a lot. Song magic sucks. But we can fix that alongside the Typos! Good chapter!
Didn't catch any this time around. They're getting smarter....
5857043 Thank you for being vigilant. Did you like the chapter?
5857046 Yup. I like this version better than the actual episode!
5857101 Aw, that's quite a compliment! I didn't really explain what the rest of the Mane Six were up to at all though. Their struggles were off-camera, since I assumed the reader already knew that.
There are two spaces between "a" and "hoof."
Zecora came in "halfway" through the song.
I'd separate those two verses with a question mark, rather than a comma.
There needs to be a closing single quotation mark on "outsider's."
5858442 Will fix this once I get home, thanks for being awesome pony!
5858445 Always glad to be awesome!
This chapter felt somewhat obligatory, as this was tie-in to this week's episode of MLP. That put the fic in the slightly awkward position, however, of needing its original characters to stay out of the way of the rest of the Mane Six without being sidelined. In that regard it did a credible job, but at times was a little heavy-hoofed in how it went about it. Having Rarity make a dismissive comment like "we're her friends, so we'll take care of it," struck me as being very tone-deaf to the situation. Are the rest of the Mane Six completely blind to the fact that Twilight's developing a romantic relationship with three other mares all at once? Do they not realize that she's been out on a date with them, slept in the same bed as them, and is clearly in a trajectory that will culminate in her marriage to them?
I'd almost venture that Twilight's change in her relationship status, and what that means for her existing friends, could be an interesting chapter on its own - it's that entire schtick about how, once you get married, you can't quite party with your friends as much as you used to. I say "almost" there because that seems like the sort of plot-line that would resolve itself fairly easily. Neither the Mane Six nor Silver's herd are jealous or possessive, and except for one or two of them (e.g. Twilight or maybe Pinkie) being silly about it, I doubt anypony would have any pathos over Twilight's having an intimate relationship with another group.
The only other way this would likely impact Twilight's immediate group of friends would be if it pushed the issue of a close romance front and center as a topic, but even then, I just don't see much happening. It's not like Rarity's going to see Twilight snuggling with Night and say to Applejack, "you know, darling, seeing Twilight that happy with another mare makes me wonder...would you like to go out once in a while, just the two of us...?" In other words, I'd wonder if Twilight's non-traditional relationship would unearth any feelings among the group that were buried, except that it seems unlikely that there are any such unspoken feelings in the first place.
That said, I do wonder if Twilight will want things to be brought into the open more. She seemed like she was on the verge of saying something important before, and I wonder how long she'll let that hang there before she has to deal with it - the issue with her trying to avoid going back to her castle sort of showcased why that's not really the best policy.
a really good chapter but one thing really grabbed me.
Your child will be born intact, but you flooded her with magic, and who knows how that will react?"
David Silver I am sure you can guess my question.
will the filly be a Lunar unicorn? and will it have special powers of some kind?.
I know wheat and see..
Harts Fire
5858542 Twilight has made no announcement. Considering this very episode it hardly seems a stretch that they would not be aware of them being anything but houseguests. Until it is made very very plain, they may never notice.
No thoughts on Zecora? I know you dislike zebras...
I also though the convo between Fast and Night was important.
5860212 Twilight hasn't made an announcement, but she's not very good at hiding her feelings, either. Applejack was there with Night when they had that intervention for Twilight and told her to try and give Silver a chance. Between the fact that none of them are good at hiding things from each other, and the fact that the Element of Honesty already has some insight into the fact that Twilight is going to give it a try, I sort of thought that it'd be known amongst the group at this point.
As for Zecora, well, who wouldn't dislike her? What with her funny way of talking, or how she lives in the bad part of Equestria, and doesn't seem to have a real job. Plus she dresses in those odd fashions. If she acted like a respectable pony, I'd like her just fine - it's not like I'm anti-zebritic. [/racism]
In all seriousness though, my problem with Zecora is that a lot of fans seems to want to imbue her with some sort of special wisdom and/or magical powers, when there's nothing in the source material to suggest that she has anything more than some woodland knowledge, some sleight of hoof, and simply uses those as best she can. Because of that, I tend to reflexively push back against any presumption that she has anything besides what we've seen - though to be fair, the idea of her being able to recognize song magic, and even "immune" to it, isn't that much of a bump. For that matter, neither is her being able to predict the sex of Silver's baby. That said, I did like the fact that she didn't know exactly what Silver's frantic burst of magic would do to her foal - if she had been able to say exactly what the results would have been, then I'd have cried foul.
I agree that the conversation between Night and Fast was important; it was very heartfelt how they acknowledged that they felt empty back before they became a herd - that's something that hasn't ever been stated before, or even vaguely implied, but makes perfect sense. Night, when we saw her, was living for duty alone, and Fast was a hedonist (to put it nicely; to put it not-so-nicely, she was a slut) who was lying to herself about who she was, and so probably didn't have a relationship that lasted longer than a night. Being part of a group that not only doesn't denigrate their self-perceived "worst" parts, but instead celebrates them, helps to reaffirm to the readers why they're so dedicated to staying as part of this crazy herd (and how lost Fast must have felt when she left for a while).
Typos are evil. Atleast they can't hinder a great story like this one as much as others.
5960500 Thanks for the kind words!
I think you flushed all the typos out with spa water, all clean now. Glad to see a peaceful interlude, most refreshing.
I say you did good. You did well at how you played these four into the episode, and sliver now has somepony on his side that see this mystery 'music magic' is really a thing that happens.
Note: the bunny hole goes on. Red and Blue pill does not play here, I go on because I'm attention trapped.
That, just... I can't help imagine Silver extruding a slow stream of a soft serve-like substance that she then gradually molds into a foal-like shape by moving her hips around as it comes out.
My brain is weird.
7752265 3d printing for ponies? Sign me up.