Silver Shield

by David Silver

7 - Protagonist In Me

Silver's flight was quickly blocked by the fuzzy forms of Twilight and Night. They didn't fight him, they moved to hug him tight. It would have felt lovely, if it weren't so obviously fake. Silver let out a low growl as a voice whispered in his ear.

"Protagonist in you."

Silver blinked, disarmed. What?

"Look," said the fake Twilight. "He's ready to play."

Silver scowled, rage building in him. "I don't have time for you." As he said the final word, he brought his left forehoof forward. Magic surged on impact in a brilliant flash as vines exploded around the changeling-Twilight and she began to fall to the ground. "I'm leaving." His words left no room for doubt or argument.

The changelings stared after him but did not try again to convince him.

As he flew, the voice returned. "Run as fast as you can or let this begin."

Silver shook his head with growing fury. He was running exactly to make it begin. It was not one or the other.

The voice did not bother him again as he ascended towards Canterlot and the true battle ahead.

---

Night suddenly stood up, forehooves on the table in front of her. "I have it!"

All eyes in the cafe turned to look at her as she slowly sank back down.

Shield smiled gently. "No, no, I insist. I have this bill."

Night rolled with the excuse and coughed against a hoof. "Oh very well. Handle that and let's get out of here. We have things to do."

They emerged out onto the street as the sun hung high in the sky. That was not normal and Night noticed immediately. She sucked in a rough bit of air. "They're not letting Celestia handle the sun. This ends today, or the damage could grow." She spun on Shield. "Tell me you know some alternative ways into the castle."

"I do!" came a chipper female voice.

---

Earlier — the wall crashed inwards, stone exploding in dangerous arcs. Nefertari was never standing where the stones flew, dancing from place to place without existing in the places between, or so it seemed, and keeping the foals safe as she did so. "Your last mistake."

Samantha thrust out a hoof. "NefNef! Keep them safe. I'll fight."

Nefertari raised a brow. "Oh, please, let me see you battle." Her voice was thick with mirth even as a small flood of carapaced changeling soldiers flooded into the small area.

The air around Samantha shimmered as needles seemed to unfold from the space itself, each turning to face a different changeling. "Leave now, 321!" She didn't give any real time, as the changelings were charging at them. The cloud exploded, one sliver at each charging drone. They made it forward only a few more paces before they began to stagger and sway.

"She... I think... Dying..." The changeling collapsed with its kin making a pile around it.

Nefertari raised a brow. "No blood? Such a meek death. I would haunt you eternally if you ever visited such on me."

Samantha shook her head. "They are unconscious and will remain so for exactly four minutes, two seconds. I've been trying to make it exactly four minutes but that's trickier than you--"

"Mom!" Moonbeam hopped over a fallen changeling. "Less science, more moving. Where are we going?"

Nefertari approached with sedate steps. "Your son is correct. Do you have a plan, mad prophet?"

Samantha clopped her forehooves. "Of course! Step one and two complete. Step three, we get Night Watch." Her ear twitched softly. "She's talking to someone else that sounds useful." She sprang over one of the fallen forms. "Follow me and keep the foals safe please NefNef. Moonie, stay close."

Moonbeam went red. "I told you I hate that name!"

Samantha kissed his cheek softly. "See, you know it's me. I will not use it unless further verification is required."

---

Samantha bobbed her head, leading the others to Night. "And that's how we got out of there." She pointed at Night. "You are in peak physical condition, good. Shall we begin the operation?"

Night smiled, more of a grin really that grew by the moment. "That sounds lovely." Her eyes slid to Nefertari. "What will she owe you for this?"

Nefertari shrugged softly. "An ambassador that saves a country while in it? The political fallout should be payment enough, hmm? Now, the way I see it, there's still one missing person."

"That way." Samantha pointed out into the sky. "Coming fast! His vitals are elevated."

Night blinked owlishly at Samantha. "Is he alright?"

Moonbeam frowned a bit. "Night, fill me in on what we're talking about?"

Nefertari lowered a paw to rest on Moonbeam's head, resting a foal on his back along the way. "Your grandfather. It seems we will have at least one of Equestria's royalty at hand for this event. Now that this is in order, the next step?"

Samantha looked to Night, almost bouncing in place. It seemed her plans had completed.

Shield cleared his throat. "Actually, I think I have an idea." All eyes turned on him. He pointed at Samantha. "You know all the undocumented entrances and exits, I presume?"

Samantha bobbed her head. "Some are protected by passwords."

Shield smiled. "Guards know them, but we don't know where they all are. I have the passwords. Get us to day court and we destroy any chance of this being quiet. The longer it remains a battle in the shadows, the more it benefits the changelings."

Nefertari flexed her fingers, showing her claws. "I like the way this one thinks. Yes, never fight on an enemy's battlefield if you can prevent it. Let's drag them screaming from the dark shadows they prefer and we'll clash in the light."

"Light!" squeaked Morning Glory from his perch on Nefertari's head.

Night's ears perked at him. "His first word... Silver is going to be upset he missed it, but what a lovely choice."

"Light!" repeated the youth, bobbing his head at Night.

---

Silver flew over the city, a streak of brown and silver. He wasn't entirely sure where he needed to be, at least until a familiar voice whispered, "Hello father! Please turn thirty degrees to the left and begin descending."

He didn't know exactly what would make thirty degrees, but he veered to the left and began to come down and saw it. Below on a street was Samantha, waving up at him frantically. There were others with her who followed her sight and seemed happy to see him as well, though none with quite her exuberance except his foals.

He landed before them, folding his wings as he let out a loud sigh. That had been a long and hurried flight. "Night, Samantha... Good to see you both. Do you kn--"

Nefertari rolled her eyes. "Nice to see you."

Silver smiled at her. "Nice to see you."

Shield nodded at Silver. "Sir. Good to see you're intact, but... how can we--"

Samantha prodded him. "He's real. I can validate it."

Silver raised a brow. "Speaking of that, how did you talk to me like that? Was that a spell?"

"Sort of," she said with a shrug. "I monitor you, father. I like knowing you're safe and keeping an eye on you." She suddenly reared up and hugged him tight. "And I know you are not angry at me."

Silver smiled sheepishly. He wasn't angry at her. "Thank you, Samantha."

Night snorted softly. "You are too easy on her."

Nefertari reached up and plucked Morning Glory from her head and tossed him with a squeak through the air.

Silver grabbed with his magic and pulled Morning tight. "Careful, please."

"As if you would let him fall." She had a feline grin. "Now shall we go? We have a battle waiting for us."

Author's Note:

This story's covered under a monthly update schedule, so you have to wait for your dose of Silver typos!

Comments

[tsaukpaetra]

Sweet! Regrouping is complete, time to break this out into the open!
We wonder who the other voice is? Hmmm...
Keep going! ;)

[Daremo]

slowly sank down - slowly sank back down
She suck in - She sucked in
Earlier, the - Earlier — the
more of a grin really that - more of a grin really, that
entrances and exists - entrances and exits
I like know you're safe - I like knowing you're safe
keeping an eye - keeping an eye on you/on us (not sure what was meant here, but "keeping an eye" as a verb clause usually has an object.)

---

I am overjoyed to see this continue and with assurances that it will update monthly! I had despaired that it was on a permanent hiatus.

I have absolutely no idea who the mystery voice could be, but I hope that he is not about to be smacked down by Harmony again. Silver's worked hard for harmony and continues to do so. He's a good pony.

[harts fire]

for this grate story I will wait.

[David Silver]

7854114 Night smiled, more of a grin really, that grew by the moment.

Wouldn't that make it, without the commas: Night smiled that grew by the moment. That looks odd?

[Booster Spice]

I like Samantha, she works quickly and efficintly once she is not taking people apart just because they are intact.

Trouble is, they are going to have a problem with those changelings again in a couple minutes again. Someling better hope theres a better solution, or the solution is going to be Dip.

[Daremo]

(Re-posted because I forgot to do it from within the chapter )

7854776

Wouldn't that make it, without the commas: Night smiled that grew by the moment. That looks odd?

It would be odd, yes. I think the confusion here is that the structure you suggest is subject, appositive phrase, predicate. However, as written it is actually. Subject clause, adverb phrase, subordinate clause.

Breaking it down in parts, we get:

Night smiled - complete sentence (clause) used as a subject

more of a grin really - an adverb phrase that modifies 'smiled'.

that grew by the moment - subordinate clause that modifies the adverb phrase instead of the subject clause (Night smiled).

In this case the comma separates the adverb phrase from its subordinate clause.

I hope that helps, it took a lot of thought and a quick check online to explain as concisely as I could.

[NightmintHLW]

Silver's flight was quickly blocked by the fuzzy form of Twilight and Night. They didn't fight him, they moved to hug him tight. It would have felt lovely, if it weren't so obviously fake. Silver let out a low growl as a voice whispered in his ear.

'the fuzzy 'form' of Twilight and Night.' it should be plural not single

[David Silver]

8356250
Fix'd!